Eagles earn split at TABO Classic
The Canton Eagles made their way Whitehouse on consecutive days last week, hitting the hardwood twice as part of the 22nd annual Jasper Ventures Tyler Area Basketball Officials Classic. Canton split their two games at the event, defeating TK Gorman Nov. 23 before falling to All Saints the following afternoon.
Canton made it look easy in their first game, getting at least 12 points from four different players en route to a 75-58 win over TK Gorman.
Three-point shooting would be a huge factor in the opening quarter with Canton connecting on six shots from long range in the first eight minutes to establish a 26-9 lead.
The Eagles continued their strong play in the second, outscoring Gorman 14-11 to take a commanding 40-20 lead into the half.
TK Gorman managed to shave five points off their deficit in the third quarter but Canton closed out the afternoon by outscoring the Crusaders 20-18 in the fourth quarter to secure the 17-point win.
Leading scorers for Canton included Jackson Heard with 15, Cooper Smith and McGwire Martin with 13 each, Cameron Sullivan with 12, Colton Haley with seven, Leyton Tidwell with six, Travis Lively with four, Justice Collier with three and Connor Moore with two.
Canton returned to the hardwood Nov. 24, taking on a talented All Saints squad that finished the 2017-'18 season with a sterling 26-4 record overall. Poor play early would be Canton's undoing in the contest as the Eagles fell behind 14-0 before eventually falling 61-51 to the Trojans.
Led by standout efforts from Colton Haley and McGwire Martin, Canton would cut All Saints lead to 45-43 in the fourth before a late run helped the Trojans secure the win.
Martin finished with team-highs in both points (20) and rebounds (11) and Haley contributed 18 points overall in the loss.
Canton will get its first taste of tournament action Nov. 29-Dec. 1, participating in the 52nd annual Jack Shelnutt Invitational Basketball Tournament in Edgewood. Competitors in this years event will include three Van Zandt County programs, Canton, Edgewood and Wills Point, as well as Bullard, Caddo Mills, Hooks, Scurry-Rosser, Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill, Mineola, Sunnyvale, Commerce, Life Oak Cliff and Quinlan.
Canton will hit the court one time Nov. 29, taking on Life Oak Cliff beginning at 2:40 p.m. A win would set up Canton to play either Commerce or Quinlan Nov. 30 at 7:40 p.m., and a loss would move the Eagles to the Consolation portion of the bracket to take on either Mineola, Sunnyvale, Commerce or Quinlan at 3:40 p.m. Nov. 30.
