Bobcats can’t overcome Graford’s speed, fall 86-34

In a rematch from a month ago between the Newcastle Bobcats and the Graford Jackrabbits, the same result occurred as the Jackrabbits defended their home court and defeated the Bobcats 86-34.

Graford has been at or near the top of the Class 1A rankings all season long and it is evident every time they match up with Newcastle. The Jackrabbits traveled in December 2023 to Newcastle and defeated the Bobcats 80-51.

They put together a similarly dominant performance on their home court in front of packed stands all around. The Bobcats simply couldn’t keep up with Graford’s speed on both ends of the court.

Newcastle won the opening tipoff and had a few looks at scoring the game’s first points after collecting a couple offensive rebounds. But the Jackrabbits eventually struck first and struck quickly, putting up seven points before the Bobcats got on the board thanks to a mid-range jumper from senior Ty Strawbridge.

Graford scored a large portion of their points in transition as the Bobcats struggled to get back on defense. Newcastle would get a shot off, Graford would pull in the rebound and fire to someone already all the way down the court for an easy layup.

However, the Bobcats managed some offense in the first quarter to keep things close starting out. Strawbridge scored again, then sophomore Jayden Hemby knocked down the team’s first 3-pointer. A minute later, Strawbridge hit a 3-pointer of his own and the first quarter ended with Graford leading 18-10.

Over the course of the game, things got more difficult for Newcastle. The Jackrabbits continued their impressive offensive pace while the Bobcats slowed down.

Newcastle didn’t score until more than halfway through the second quarter on a 1-of-2 trip to the free throw line for freshman Jacob Omundi. Strawbridge hit another 3-pointer and senior Isaac King knocked down a 3-pointer of his own, but Graford held a 34-17 lead going into halftime.

Although they faced a large deficit, the Bobcats stayed aggressive on offense throughout the game. Led by seniors Strawbridge and King, Newcastle earned multiple trips to the free throw line after taking some hard fouls.

In the game, Newcastle went 7-of-13 (54%) from the free throw line, with King taking the most as he went 3-of-6.

Graford continued to steadily increase their lead as the Bobcats tried to deal with the Jackrabbits’ ball movement and quality shot selection, in addition to the transition points. By the end of the third quarter, Graford was in control 57-26.

Junior Ben Burk opened up the fourth quarter with two points at the rim off an assist from Strawbridge. A minute later, Omundi showcased his height and athleticism with a huge block on the defensive end.

Later in the game, Hemby had one of the stronger offensive plays after he secured an offensive rebound and immediately went up with the ball, scoring the basket and earning an and-1 foul. But Graford had done the damage and ran out the clock to pick up the win.

Strawbridge led the team with 12 points and seven rebounds while King finished with 9 points and four rebounds. Hemby finished with 6 points, Burk had 4 points and Omundi ended the game with 3 points.

The Bobcats’ next home game will be Friday, Feb. 2 against the Woodson Cowboys.