Steers take 3rd place in annual Red, White & Blue Tournament

In their annual Red, White & Blue Tournament, the Graham Steers had a strong showing and ended up winning third place in the field of 10 teams.

Over the course of three days, lots of talented basketball teams showed up in Graham for a chance to earn some quality victories before district play comes around. Seminole High School ended up winning the tournament, followed by Hereford High School in second.

The Steers went 3-2 for the weekend, going 2-2 in pool play and then winning the third place game Saturday against Levelland High School. Below are the scores of Graham’s match-ups with a few notes on each contest.

Steers v. Breckenridge (W), 53-35

Graham opened its tournament run in a rematch with Breckenridge, following the Buckaroos’ 49-45 win over the Steers earlier this season.

This time, the Steers got the better of the visitors with a strong offensive performance all around. Graham is also playing at full strength, which helped in various aspects of the win. 

Last time these two teams played, Graham fell primarily by late free throws at the end of the contest. But this time, the Steers left no doubt in pulling away for a huge opening victory.

Steers v. Bowie (L), 45-26

The second game of the tournament featured another rematch for Graham after the Steers took a loss to the Jackrabbits earlier this season. Unfortunately, the result in this one went the same way despite an improved performance from the Steers.

The last time these two teams met, Bowie dominated in a 41-12 victory. The Jackrabbits have proven to be a tough team so far this year and they showed that again with another solid performance.

Graham’s offense looked a bit better this time around, but getting the open shots and getting them to fall was still a struggle for the Steers.

Steers v. Sweetwater (W), 55-38

On day two of the tournament, Graham got back into the win column with a strong performance against Sweetwater.

The Mustangs are a familiar foe as they were the ones who knocked the Steers out of the playoffs last year. Graham got the better of them this time as the Steers’ offense worked well inside and out to earn the victory.

Graham has showcased an active defense at times this season, and this game was another example of that. Combining the stellar defensive performance with an offense getting into the 50s, the Steers ran away with this one.

Steers v. Hereford (L), 55-43

To round out pool play, the Steers ended with another loss to finish at 2-2. The Whitefaces presented problems on both sides of the ball, and the Steers couldn’t keep up.

The two teams played somewhat close throughout, but Graham couldn’t make the stops necessary to pull back into the game or overtake Hereford for the win. 

While it wasn’t a blowout by any means, it was a tough finish for the Steers as they looked to move into bracket play Saturday.

Steers v. Levelland (W), 53-41

In the battle for third place in the tournament, Graham took home the win against Levelland. It was another solid game for the Steers as they gave their best effort in their final match-up of the tournament.

The Lobos presented a few challenges throughout the game with some stingy defense at times, but the Steers’ offense worked smoothly to overcome the adversity. 

Meanwhile, Graham’s defense held its own against Levelland’s, keeping the Lobos off-balance and unable to find a true rhythm.