Tuesday night presented a tough challenge for the Shepherd Pirates as district-leading Livingston came to town. The Lions, sitting atop the standings with an 8-1 district record, showed why they hold the top spot, earning a decisive victory over the sixth-place Pirates.
Shepherd entered the matchup short-handed but never backed down from the challenge. From the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Pirates continued to compete, even as Livingston established control on both ends of the floor.
The Lions jumped out quickly, closing the first quarter with a 28-11 lead. Their offensive tempo and defensive pressure created early separation, and by halftime Livingston held a 48-22 advantage. While the margin was significant, Shepherd continued to battle, using rotations and adjustments to slow the pace in the second half. As Livingston began to work in younger players, the Pirates’ starters found opportunities to regroup and continue competing through the final quarters.
Ben Coyle led Shepherd offensively with 18 points, going 1-for-2 from the free-throw line. Brayden White added 10 points and also shot 1-for-2 from the stripe. Jamal Horton contributed 6 points, while Brayson Goodman added 3 points and went 1-for-2 at the line.
Livingston was paced by high scorer Cruz Julien, who helped anchor the Lions’ strong performance.
Tuesday also marked Senior Night for the Pirates. Prior to tipoff, Head Coach Bennett honored seniors Jamal Horton, Brayson Goodman, and Darrian Matthews for their dedication and contributions to the program. Though the final score did not fall in Shepherd’s favor, the seniors’ leadership and the team’s effort throughout the night reflected the resilience of the program.
On Friday, Shepherd got beat by Hardin-Jefferson 96-46 and finished their season a 6th in district.
Coldspring
The Trojans lost to Crockett 52-46 on Friday.
Coldspring led at the half 27-19, but Crockett took the game in the last 2 quarters.
On Feb. 10, the Trojans lost to 18th-ranked Trinity 73-51.
