The Bulldog basketball team entered the state playoffs last week with a Bi-District game versus Lorena’s Leopards at a neutral location in Georgetown. The Dawgs entered the game as the No. 3 representative out of District 24-4A. Lorena entered the match as the No. 2 ranked team our of District 23-4A.
The Leopards were a tall bunch that also had some talent and after the first period Burnet found themselves down 11-7. Aidan Holcomb started Burnet’s scoring with a pair of free throws followed by a Jaden Backus three-pointer. Holcomb posted one more bucket for two-points but that was all Burnet could tally in the opener.
Three Burnet shooters combined to score 15 in the second while the Bulldog defense held Lorena to 14 to cut the deficit by one. JJ Whigham and Holcomb each added three points in the second. Backus went four of four from the line, added his second triple of the game as well as a two-point bucket for nine in the second. At the break the Dawgs trailed, 25-22.
Burnet hit three buckets from three-point land in the third, two by Backus and one by Whigham, and as a team the Dawgs added 12, but Lorena increased their advantage with a 17 point third, 42-34 with eight minutes remaining.
The Bulldogs added a dozen points down the stretch, but Lorena matched that which ultimately led to the Leopard’s victory, 54-48.
Backus led with 24 points. It was an impressive night for the Bulldog senior who made four three-pointers, three doubles, and went six of seven from the line.
Holcomb was next on the scoring chart with 10 points, followed by Whigham with 10 including three three-pointers, and Eli Pickens with two.
The Bulldogs 2025 season ends with an overall record of 18-17, going 7-5 in district play. They will graduate six seniors from this year’s team including Aidan Holcomb, Marcus Pimentel, Jaden Backus, Hayden Cox, Korbin Campbell, and Benito Bocanegra.
Other 24-4A Bi-District match-ups included Marble Falls who lost to La Vega, 59-43; Lampasas who lost to Gatesville, 62-60; and Gateway who fell to Connally, 58-53.
