Photo: Kirk Holt | Waxahachie Daily Light
CEDAR HILL — That breakthrough initial District 11-6A dub remains elusive for the young Waxahachie Runnin’ Indians.
The Indians kept it close against the Cedar Hill Longhorns for a half and trailed by only a point at the intermission. But the Longhorns pulled away with a 20-11 third-quarter spurt, and handed the Tribe its third district loss in as many outings, 65-57, on Friday night.
Freshman Parker Jefferson continues to show his upside as the 6-foot-9 wunderkind led WHS with 17 points and four blocked shots. Joseph Lankford added 15 points and V’Zarion Roberson 12.
Other scorers were Andreas Lane and Devyn Franklin with four points each, Jaylen Butler with three and Jayden Becks with two.
The Runnin’ Indians (13-9, 0-3) took a 13-12 edge after the first eight minutes of play, and only trailed by a 29-28 count at the half. It was still a one-point game midway through the third, but Cedar Hill hit back-to-back 3-pointers by Jason Justice and Derrick Turner to spark an 11-2 run for a 49-39 lead entering the fourth.
Justice led the Longhorns (14-9, 2-1) with 22 points. Turner and Jalen Ware-Williams added 14 each.
The Indians, who broke into last week’s Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 6A boys’ poll at No. 18, fell out of the rankings this week.
The district gantlet doesn’t get any easier for the Runnin’ Indians, who were scheduled to travel to Class 6A No. 2-ranked Duncanville on Tuesday night. They will host Mansfield High at Mike Turner Gymnasium on Friday, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m.