THRALL — The Thrall Tigers varsity boys basketball team defeated the Austin Achieve Polar Bears, 49-44, on Friday, Dec. 19, behind a strong defensive effort that limited the Polar Bears to 36 percent shooting from the field.
Senior point guard Tye Ubis opened the scoring for Thrall with a 3-pointer to tie the game at three early in the first quarter. After the Tigers fell behind 10-8, a 7-2 run fueled by fast-break points off steals gave Thrall a 15-12 lead.
The Tigers carried a slim advantage into halftime as the two teams traded baskets throughout the second quarter. Austin Achieve tied the game at 26 early in the third quarter, but Ubis responded with another 3-pointer to put Thrall back in front, 29-26.
Ubis continued his hot shooting moments later, knocking down another 3-pointer to extend the lead to 34-31. Freshman shooting guard Grayson Reyes followed with a 3-pointer of his own, giving Thrall a 39-33 advantage. The Tigers closed the third quarter on a 5-0 run, capped by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Reyes to take a 44-33 lead into the fourth.
Thrall maintained control in the final period, forcing multiple turnovers and converting steals into points to hold off the Polar Bears down the stretch.
The Tigers head into the holiday break with a 6-10 overall record and will return to action at 11 a.m. on Dec. 30 when they host Moody.
