Judd scores 36 as Wildcats sting Hornets; Drexel next

Friday, March 4, 2005
Bronaugh senior Tyler Judd shoots over Clayton Brooks of Hume during the Wildcats' 56-43 win in the district semifinals Thursday at Hume. Judd scored 36 points as Bronaugh advanced to today's championship game.

By Joe Warren

Nevada Daily Mail

The Bronaugh Wildcats and Hume Hornets were meeting for the fourth time this season when they hooked up in the Class 1, District 12 semifinals at Hume Thursday.

Bronaugh had won the previous three but two of them were games that came down to the wire. Besides that, none of the previous battles meant as much as the win-or-go-home matchup in the district tournament.

The Wildcats came out strong, led by senior Tyler Judd, and they never trailed as they used a 10-1 at the end of the first quarter to distance themselves in a 56-43 win.

Judd scored all 10 during the run, as he picked up 14 of the Wildcats' 16 first-quarter points as they built a 16-5 lead.

In the second period the lead grew to 15 as Hume was held to four points and the Wildcats had a 24-9 halftime advantage.

In the third period the Hornets made their best attempt at a run as they scored the first six points of the second half, cutting the lead to nine.

After a timeout by Bronaugh coach Tim Judd, the Wildcats ended the threat as they ripped off a 12-3 jaunt that gave them a 36-18 lead.

From there Hume got no closer than 13 points and the Wildcats advanced to take on Drexel today for the district championship.

"We got off to a good start," Bronaugh coach Tim Judd said. "We played an excellent first quarter and just hung on."

Judd also praised the play of his son, Tyler, in the early going.

"The first quarter was a big quarter for him," the older Judd said. "I think he got tired in the second quarter."

In the second period Judd scored only two points. However in the second half when Hume made their run, it was Judd who provided the big plays to steal the momentum.

When Hume had cut the lead to 24-15 in the third quarter and Bronaugh came out of a timeout, Judd scored inside while being fouled and converted the three-point play to put the Wildcats back up by 12.

From there Bronaugh extended the lead, but three different times when the Hornets closed to within 13, Judd provided the key play to end the threat.

After two free throws by James Salters made it 38-25 with 1:28 left in the third quarter, Judd penetrated into the lane and dished off to a wide open Ryan Brooks, who laid it in.

After Clayton Brooks made a layup to bring Hume within 13 again with 25 seconds left in the third, Judd answered with a pull-up jumper as time expired in the quarter to push the lead back to 15.

After Hume's Justin Wehar scored to make it 48-35 with 3:43 left in the game, Judd drew fouls on consecutive possessions, hitting two out of four free throws to keep the Hornets at bay.

Hume coach Scott Morrison admitted that the Hornets could not stop Judd, who finished with 36 points.

"We got tired (guarding Judd)," Morrison said. "He was on tonight, he was hitting."

Morrison said the slow start was a common theme this season.

"That was our story this year, digging holes," Morrison said.

Bronaugh improved to 20-6 this season while Hume finished with a 14-13 record.

Drexel beat Montrose in the other semifinal. Drexel and Bronaugh will play in Hume today at 7:30 p.m. for the district title. It will be their first meeting this season.

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