Spartans beat Elks behind 27 from Jones; move ahead of Seguin for final playoff spot
Jones scores game-high 27 points as Spartans eliminate Elks from playoff-contention
BURLESON – Keylan Jones scored a game-high 27 points as the Centennial Spartans varsity basketball team beat the crosstown-rival Burleson Elks 62-49 Friday at Spartan Arena. The win gives the Spartans a half-game lead over the Arlington Seguin Cougars as they pursue the fourth and final District 8-5A playoff spot.
The game’s leading-scorer, Spartan sophomore guard Jones added three steals, two assists and two rebounds in the Spartans win.
“[Jones] is a ballplayer,” Spartans head coach Trovocia Jackson said after the win. “The young fella is a flat-out stud.”
After leading 16-9 at the end of the first quarter, the Spartans were outscored in the second and third quarters and the game was tied 40-40 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Spartans took over in the fourth and outscored the Elks 22-9 to secure the win.
Jackson said the Spartans may have been overconfident after beating the Elks 68-30 in their first matchup January 9.
“Anytime in which that group of guys decides that they want to go ahead and lock in and focus, we’re one of the best teams in the state of Texas,” Jackson said. “I believe that wholeheartedly.”
Spartans junior guard Abram Hicks was the Spartans’ second-leading scorer and scored seven of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. He led the Spartans with six rebounds, six steals and five assists.
Elks senior guard Tamaje Izuagbe led the Elks with 21 points and added eight rebounds despite sitting out much of the first half after getting into foul-trouble early. Izuagbe scored 10 points in the third quarter in which the Elks tied the game after trailing most of the first half.
“Things are a lot easier for us when [Izuagbe]’s out there” Elks head coach Anthony Dees said after the game. “I credit those other guys for holding it down while he was on the bench. They made some big-time plays.”
Elks sophomore forward Trey Hall (Izuagbe’s brother) grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and added eight points and three blocks.
To know their playoff fate, the fourth-place Spartans (8-8 in district, 13-19 overall) await the result of the game between fifth-place Seguin (7-8, 18-14) and the eighth-place Cleburne Yellow Jackets Tuesday in Cleburne.
If Seguin wins, they’ll play a playoff-tiebreaker game against the Spartans for the fourth and final district playoff spot. If Seguin loses, the Spartans win fourth-place and clinch the playoffs.
“We just have to make sure again we stay locked in and stay prepared – nothing more, nothing less,” Jackson said of his message to his team knowing they have to wait to know their standing.
With the loss, the Elks (5-10, 15-20) are officially eliminated from playoff-contention. Knowing they can’t advance to the playoffs, Dees said the most important thing is how the Elks grew and progressed in the 2023-24 season.
“That’s our goal one day is to [make the playoffs],” Dees said. “In order to get there, you’ve got to keep building your house, one thing after another.”
Despite being eliminated from contention, Coach Dees said the Elks will be ready to finish the season “the right way” against the sixth-place Midlothian Heritage Jaguars (5-9, 13-17) Tuesday at 7 p.m. at BHS Arena.
Dees said Tuesday will be a great day for the Elks basketball program with the Lady Elks playing in the playoffs against the Denton Ryan Raiders at 8 p.m. at W.G. Thomas Coliseum in Haltom City. Dees added that he’d be there to support the Lady Elks if the Elks weren’t playing at the same time.
Dees said Lady Elks head coach Brenda Gomez and the entire Lady Elks coaching staff have “done a phenomenal job.”