The Odessa High boys basketball team knew Friday it would get a glance into the future.

That’s because the Bronchos faced District 2-6A rival Midland High in nondistrict tournament action. It was the first of three meetings scheduled between the teams and the only one without postseason implications.

When the dust settled, Odessa High took down one of the teams it knows best.

The Bronchos defeated the Bulldogs 63-56 at the Byron Johnston Holiday Classic at the Chaparral Center.

Isaac Hernandez and Kaleb Murry each finished with 15 points to lead Odessa High

Miguel Fonseca, who sank four 3-pointers, added 14 points in the victory.

Rahkiem Petterson led Midland High in scoring with 15.

“Today we played our game,” Hernandez said. “We controlled the tempo, we got to the free throw line, we were playing defense … today we came out better.

“That win helps us.”

Before the game started, Odessa High head coach Jance Morris reminded his team of its lackluster showing the day before against Houston Spring Woods.

The Bronchos (13-5) responded early with their transition offense that knocked down shot after shot and by holding Midland High at bay on defense with communication to make the Bulldogs settle for tougher shots.

Odessa High held a seven-point to start the second quarter, but saw it evaporate dialing back its intensity. After knocking down a few 3-pointers, the Bronchos took a five-point lead into halftime.

Morris said that in the second quarter, and in stages of the fourth quarter, where Midland High cut the Bronchos’ lead to three points after they led by more than 10 a few minutes earlier, his team allowed too many offensive rebounds.

That allowed the Bulldogs to set up their offense and take higher-percentage shots.

Odessa High did enough, however, to put the game away with clutch free throw shooting and a solid presence on the glass to corral any missed Bulldogs’ shot.

“It just shows how tough the district is going to be,” Morris said. “Nobody’s going to blow anybody else out. From top to bottom, it’s a very solid league and every team is going to have to bring their A-game every night, and we saw that this afternoon.”

Odessa High’s victory over Midland High showed that the Bronchos haven’t completely fallen behind where they were before the Christmas break, but that they’re slowly getting better.

Morris said his team now has to focus on little facets of the game in 2018 to be at its best for the start of District 2-6A play.

“If we can put 32 minutes together, then we’re going to be a pretty good basketball team,” Morris said.

The Bronchos also faced Belton High Friday night to set up a game today against one of the teams from Pool B, which includes Midland Lee and 11-time Bryon Johnston Holiday Classic winner Plainview High.
