The Madill Wildcats look to be heating up at the right time as the Class 4A playoffs start next week. The boys basketball team improved its record to 14-5 with a 61-43 rout of its hosts, the Dickson Comets in a game Feb. 7.
Junior guard Ezekiel Fuentes led the way with 21 points.
The Comets were only able to keep pace with the hotshooting Wildcats through the first quarter of their Friday night matchup. The score was 12-11 in favor of Madill at the end of the first quarter.
Second quarter
The teams would trade shots before Madill’s Austin Maxey hits a three to make it 17-13. Returning to action, Madill senior forward Trent Harvey made a close two off the rim to give Madill a 19-13 lead.
Maxey made a shot off the rim with 4:43 to go to make it 21-15. Then, senior Miguel Duran made a basket of his own to give Madill a 23-15 lead.
Maxey fouled by a Dickson player and made both free throws to make it 25-16.
Dickson made a pair of shots to cut the deficit to 27-21 at halftime.
Third quarter
Madill’s Wyatt Gray open the second half with a threepoint play to put Madill up 30-21. Then, Gray passes to Duran for a pull up jumper to increase Madill’s lead. Fuentes went to the line where he made both shots to push the lead to 35-21.
Later, Duran would go back to the free throw line for two more shots at the 4:23 mark. Duran made the second of two shots to put Madill up 37-23.
Dickson’s Charvis Wright hit a three with 2:21 to go in third to cut Madill’s lead to 37-30.
However, Duran made a three at 1:06 left to put the Wildcats up 40-30.
Gray was fouled to put Madill into the bonus. He made the first of a one and one to increase the visitors’ lead to 41-32.
Madill took a 41-32 lead into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Dickson started with the ball to open fourth. Madill pressure.
Gray made another free throw to add to the Wildcats’ advantage.
Later, Fuentes made an acrobatic layup and was was fouled on the shot. He made the free throw to put Madill up Now 45-33 with 7:20 to go. Fuentes and Duran forced a fast break whereupon Duran was fouled. He made both shots to increase the lead to 47-33.
Dickson’s Wright kept the ball on the next play, took on two Wildcat defenders and made a close shot.
Fuentes answers with inside shot to make the score 49-35 in favor of Madill. Smith answered with a two of his own.
Vann lays it in to restore Madill’s 24-point lead, 51-37.
Vann fouled Wright with 5:43 left. Wright made his first shot.
The fould meant both squads were in the bonus. Wright also made the second shot to put the score at 51-39.
Then, Maxey found Harvey for quick bucket.Dickson’s Smith made a layup to make it 53-41 with 3:30 to go
Dickson takes a timeout.
Palesano fouled Fuentes to send the junior guard to the line for two shots where he made both
Fuentes made a bucketto put Madill up 57-41 with 1:55 to go.
Wright was fouled by Fuentes with 1:46 to go. This gave Madill a 57-43 lead.
Scored the final basket of the game to make it Madill 61, Dickson 43.