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Garner Krause, a 6’4 Burnet junior post, swats the ball away during the Dawgs’ district opener on Friday in Burnet. Krause had back-toback swats on this Gator possession electrifying the Bulldog bench and student section. Photos by Wayne Craig/Clear Memories
Adversity. The definition of which is resilience in the face of difficulties or misfortune. Coach Roy Kiser and his basketball crew know all about rising to the challenge of adversity. You would have been hard pressed not to notice the amount of varsity players wearing pants as the team came out for warm-ups. Injuries have sidelined a handful of players for Burnet, including some key starters whose shoes are not easily filled.
But the Dawgs didn’t hang their heads. Instead, they faced the challenge head on and found victory for their efforts in the District 24-4A opener.
Burnet welcomed the Gators of Georgetown Gateway to kickoff the games that count. The Dawgs handled their new assignments well and took a 14-5 lead after the first period. Jacob Atkinson, Andre Miller, Baylor Dawes, and Graner Krause all hit buckets in the first to give Burnet the comfortable lead.
The Dawgs scoring slowed down a bit in the second period and opened the door for the Gators to cutdown Burnet’s lead. Miller and Dawes each scored four points in the second but that would be the extent added to Burnet’s total.
Gateway managed nine points before the break leaving the Dawgs on top, 22-14.
The Gators pulled to within five points during third quarter play but after a 9-9 period Burnet maintained their lead 31-23 with eight minutes remaining in the contest. The Dawgs were tested four times at the line in the third and collected all four points.
More work from the charity stripe was to be done by Burnet in the fourth. Burnet made good on eight free throws and outscored the Gators 14-12 in the final minutes for the 45-35 district victory.
Atkinson, Miller, and Dawes were all in double-digits in the scoring column. Dawes led with 14 after going five of six from the line while adding one triple and three doubles.
Miller finished with 12 points and was also five of six from the stripe, had one trey and two twopoint buckets.
Atkinson was next with 10 points scored for Burnet followed by Krause who posted nine. Others who contributed to the district win were Lane Murphy, Kade Shaw, Trey Petty, Layne Holder, Braden Ellett-Clark and Moses Solis.
The JV Dawgs lost their district opener, 54-30 to a very skilled Gateway team. Aidan Holcomb led Burnet’s scorers with 10 points, followed by Jaden Backus, four; Jacob Koenig, four; Benito Bocanegra, four; Korbin Campbell, three; Hunter Smith, three; and Jackson Pennington, two.
The freshman boys opened district 1-0 with a 49-33 win over Gateway. Elijah Pickens led the way offensively with 16 points followed by Hayden Sheble, 16; Braven Briant, five; Daniel Martinez, five; Jase Marshall, three; Ryan Gates, three; and Alan Hausman, two.
The Dawgs continued district play on Tuesday at Jarrell. On Friday they will host Lago Vista with the JV playing at 5:00 p.m., freshman at 6:15 p.m., and varsity at 7:30 p.m. Friday’s games in Burnet will feature all of Burnet’s High School teams with all six, including Bulldogs and Lady Dawgs, facing Lago Vista.
