Leps Grab Second Place in 20-4A

The La Grange boys basketball team punctuated their strong regular season with an exclamation mark.

In a battle to decide second place in District 20-4A in the regular season finale Friday, La Grange came out hot, jumped out to 17-2 lead in the game’s first few minutes and held on for a 57-38 win.

The victory clinched the runner-up spot in 20-4A for the Leps (who are 13-7 overall and 7-3 in district) and vaults them into a first round playoff game with either Jarrell or Gateway Prep. A very tough Burnet squad would have awaited La Grange in bidistrict had they lost. Instead third place Giddings must now play Burnet.

“This was a big game tonight and an important win for us,” said La Grange head coach David Cooper. “The first time we played Giddings over there they really stymied us with their half court trap. We worked on attacking the basket more against that.”

La Grange sophomore Bravion Rogers led the way for La Grange with 14 points and Dana Baker added 10.

Friday’s game marked the final home game for four La Grange seniors -- Caden Cooper, Jordan Scott, Ladarion McKenzie and Alijah Grant.

“It’s been a good four years here. I’m definitely sad to play my last game here (in the home gym),” said Caden Cooper.

David Cooper praised those four seniors, talking about how McKenzie had gotten better all year long, Grant had worked his way back from some setbacks, and how Scott was little but played with a big heart. Cooper said getting to coach his son Caden alongside his sophomore brother Jaxon, “was the most fun I’ve had coaching, and this is my 30th year.”

“Caden has obviously been a huge part of our season, but more importantly I hope he has set the bar for some of the younger players about what type of player you want to work toward. He cares only about the team, and he has a will to win that is rare. As a father, what more can you ask of your son?”

Now the Cooper-led Leps will try to keep the success going in the postseason.

“This is the level we have to play at to be successful every night,” David Cooper said.

“We just need to limit turnovers and try to keep the intensity we had tonight,” Caden Cooper said.

La Grange boys 57, Giddings 38

Giddings 7 9 11 11 – 38

La Grange 19 8 15 15 – 57

LG scoring: Jonathan Rogers 14, Dana Baker 10, Caden Cooper 9, Jaxon Cooper 9, Ty Trlicek 7, Jordan Scott 4, Nate Scott 2, Ladarion McKenzie 2.

Season record 13-7; District record 7-3.

JV: La Grange 48, Giddings 30

LG High Point: Scott 14

Freshmen: Giddings 33, La Grange 28

LG high point: Nygren 7, Williams 7