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Only five players in Burnet’s history have scored 1,400 career points and Baylor Dawes was honored as one of them after logging 1,442 career points in three years. The mark puts him at fifth all time. Standing with Baylor are his parents Marcus and Amber as well as head coach Roy Kiser. Photo by Wayne Craig/Clear Memories -
Senior Bulldog Jacob Atkinson makes a leaping save during Burnet’s Friday night game versus the Lampasas Badgers. -
Emotions filled the air at Tuesday’s senior night activities before Burnet’s final regular season basketball game. Above, mom Ashlee Krause holds on tight to her senior son Garner Krause. Photos by Wayne Craig/Clear Memories
It didn’t happen in quite the way the Bulldogs had hoped for, but nonethe- less the Dawgs earned the No. 1 spot in District 24-4A after finishing 8-2. It’s difficult to put the final two games into words for Burnet. After building an 8-0 record in district the Dawgs had two home games left on the schedule to close out district play and sail into the playoffs.
In fact, after game eight a district championship was certain, and the No. 1 seed was locked up.
Unfortunately, midway through the second quarter in game nine versus Marble Falls senior starter Baylor Dawes went down with a knee injury. It was the kind of injury that you knew right away was bad. A non-contact gut-wrenching site that left everyone in the gym shook up. While the Bulldogs initially responded and built a big lead at the break it proved to be a game changer in the end and Burnet fell in their first district match leaving them at 8-1.
On Tuesday emotions were still high as Dawes, who made his way to midcourt with his parents, was honored as Burnet’s fifth all-time leading scorer with 1,442 career points scored in his three seasons on varsity. Only five total players have reached the 1,400 points scored in the history of Burnet basketball.
Those emotions continued to roam the gym floor as the Dawgs honored their parents and nine senior players before game time versus the visiting Lampasas Badgers.
From the tip Burnet went to work. A flurry of triples found their mark off the hands of the Bulldogs in the first. Jacob Atkinson hit two, while Reese Syphrett and Andre Miller each added another. Garner Krause and Trey Petty got in on the scoring action as well and the Dawgs more than doubled the Badgers with a 20-9 lead after one.
The tide turned in the second. Lamapsas quickly bounced back behind the shooting of their big post Beau Patterson. Patterson scored 10 in the second and as a team the Badgers put up 20 while holding Burnet to just 10.
When the first half expired Burnet’s lead had been cut to 30-29.
Miller continued to do work for Burnet in the third, but Lampasas matched it. The period ended in the Badgers favor 16-13 which had them leading 45-43.
In the final eight minutes of play Burnet suffered missed opportunities. The Dawgs, very uncharacteristically, missed eight free throws and eventually lost to the Badgers, 62-59.
Miller was Burnet’s leading scorer with 24 points. He was followed by Atkinson, 13, Krause, 11; Syphrett, six; Holcomb, three; and Petty, two.
The loss did not change Burnet’s playoff journey. They are representing 24-4A as the No. 1 seed. Jarrell finished in the second spot, followed by Lampasas in third and Georgetown Gateway in fourth.
At the subvarsity level, in their final games, Burnet’s freshman beat Lampasas, 32-31; and the JV won 71-38.
Leading scorers for the freshman included Gavin Oakley, 13; Ethan Elmore, eight; Rhyder Cornell, four; Xavier Hernandez, three; Cameron Edwards, two; and Hays Bennett, two.
Leading scorers for the JV were JJ Whigham, 12; Jaden Backus, 10; Jackson Pennington, nine; Layne Holder, six; Ryan Gates, six; Hayden Cox, six; Derion Garcia, six; Darin Rasul, four; Benny Bocanegra, three; Korbin Campbell, three; Vance Bhakta, two; and Braven Briant, two.
The varsity Bulldogs played in their Bi-District match versus Waco Robinson on Tuesday in Hamilton. Continue to watch the Burnet Bulletin for updates on their playoff journey.
