Garrett Kelly and Branson Ashlock secure win for Tom Bean

By Team Reports Jan 1, 2024, 11:15am

Recap: Tom Bean Tomcats vs. McLeod Longhorns

The Tom Bean Tomcats entered their tilt with the McLeod Longhorns with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. Tom Bean managed a 49-45 win over McLeod on Friday. The win was all the more spectacular given Tom Bean's disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 678th, while McLeod is ranked 325th).

Tom Bean was led to victory by Garrett Kelly and Branson Ashlock. Kelly scored 13 points, while Ashlock dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds. That makes it three consecutive games in which Ashlock has scored at least 25% of Tom Bean's points. Another player making a difference was Maguire Poole, who scored six points along with five rebounds.

Tom Bean's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-7. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.0 points per game. As for McLeod, their defeat ended a ten-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 24-1.

Tom Bean will be playing in front of their home fans against Sam Rayburn on Tuesday. As for McLeod, they will head out on the road to face off against Hawkins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Hawkins will be looking to extend their current 12-game winning streak.