ABILENE — The Brook Hill boys varsity basketball team journeyed to West Texas last week, and in three days at the Abilene Wylie Catclaw Classic, matched up with four UIL teams. Two of those game were against the highest public school classification in Texas, Class 6A, with another against a team from Class 4A and the other from Class 3A.

Brook Hill dropped close games to 6A Midland High (66-63) and Abilene High (45-40) while taking care of 4A Monahans (52-44) and edging 3A Ballinger (68-64). It all added up to a 2-2 week with the Guard now also 6-6 overall.

The Guard began things on Thursday by taking on Class 6A Midland High, which sports an enrollment of 2,062. Brook Hill’s enrollment is 595.

The Guard came out firing in the first quarter, matching Midland High’s 15 points with 15 of their own. Brook Hill then pushed out ahead in the second quarter to lead 26-25 at halftime.

The third quarter was a little sluggish for Brook Hill, which was outscored by eight points. That meant it was comeback time in the fourth quarter. Brook Hill nearly rallied all the way back before succumbing in a three-point loss. Reid Hill scored 23 points to lead the Guard with Alec Kitt (17) and Parker Galbraith (10) also delivering double figures.

The loss dropped BH into a game with Monahans early Friday morning. The 10 a.m. start did not seem to faze the Guard, who blitzed Monahans 21-11 in the first quarter and never looked back. Jared Johnson was Brook Hil’s top scorer in a 52-44 victory with Galbraith chipping in 11 points.

That win moved Brook Hill into a matchup with 3A Ballinger later Friday. In what turned out to be a marathon, the Guard outlasted Ballinger 68-64 in double overtime! Neither team blinked throughout the contest. The game was tied 19-19 at halftime and 50-50 at the end of regulation. In the first OT, the teams combined for 24 points to force a second OT tied at 62.

In the second OT, the Guard showed they had a little more left in the scoring tank while holding Ballinger to two points to get a four-point victory.

Johnson and Hill scored 17 and 16 points, respectively, for the Guard and were joined in double figures by Kitt’s 14 points. Brook Hill connected on eight 3-pointers in that victory.

That win meant Brook Hill had another date with a Class 6A school on Saturday. This time it was Abilene High. In their fourth game in three days, the Guard gave Abilene High all they had left in an eventual 45-40 loss. Jacob Yeager was Brook Hill’s top scorer with eight points.

Now the Brook Hill Guard enjoy a much-deserved five-day rest before returning to the hardwood on Friday in LaRue to face LaPoynor (5-2), which reached the Class 2A regional quarterfinals a year ago. Tip off is set for 2 p.m. at LaPoynor High School.

GUARD STATS

Abilene High 66, Brook Hill 63

Brook Hill       15   11   20   17  —  63

Abilene High  15   10   28   13  —  66

Scoring (63): Jared Johnson 7, Alec Kitt 17, Campbell Fletcher 2, Parker Galbraith 10, Reid Hill 23, Jordan Day 4

3-Pointers (4): Hill 4

Brook Hill 52, Monahans 44

Brook Hill       21   12   8   11  —  52

Monahans     11   2   11   20  —  44

Scoring (52): Jared Johnson 15, Alec Kitt 4, Campbell Fletcher 6, Parker Galbraith 11, Jacob Yeager 2, Reid Hill 7, Miguel Vega 7

3-Pointers (2): Johnson 2, Hill 1

Brook Hill 68, Ballinger 64 (2 OT)

Brook Hill       13   6   13   18   12   6  —  68

Monahans     12   7   17   14   12   2  —  64

Scoring (68): Jared Johnson 17, Alec Kitt 14, Campbell Fletcher 1, Parker Galbraith 9, Jacob Yeager 5, Reid Hill 16, Miguel Vega 6

3-Pointers (8): Johnson 2, Hill 4, Galbraith 1, Yeager 1

Abilene High 45, Brook Hill 40

Brook Hill         8   10   11   11  —  40

Abilene High   11  11   11   12  —  45

Scoring (40): Jared Johnson 4, Alec Kitt 4, Campbell Fletcher 6, Parker Galbraith 7, Jacob Yeager 8, Reid Hill 7, Miguel Vega 4

3-Pointers (4): Hill 1, Galbraith 1, Yeager 2