Idalou boys basketball coach Tyler Helms waited patiently while four of his projected starters and two reserves marched their way to the Class 2A Division II state football title.
The Wildcats playing basketball didn't do too shabby in the meantime, losing just once. Now, with a team that reached the state finals a year ago in full force, the Wildcats might be poised to pull off the rare double of titles in football and basketball.
The first step in that process came Thursday when the Wildcats capped their unbeaten run through the FiberMax Caprock Classic with a 72-49 win over Levelland in the Red Division final.
The four Idalou starters who won a ring with the football team accounted for 53 of the Wildcats' points in the game. Riley Payne led the Wildcats (12-1) with 18 points and Tyler Dowdy chipped in 16. Bradley Adkins added 11.
Showing how well-rounded the Wildcats are, fifth starter Luke Buckner contributed 10 points, and Helms got quality minutes off the bench from Garrett Thornton and Alan Zahn in the paint. Those two combined for eight rebounds and just two turnovers.
The Wildcats also showed the football team isn't the only one that can play defense. Idalou forced Levelland into 20 turnovers and out-rebounded the Lobos 28-17, mostly during a second quarter in which the Wildcats outscored Levelland 22-10.
Propelling that spurt was a 12-0 run midway through the second quarter, started by two free throws and a basket by Payne on consecutive trips down the floor. Adkins added a breakaway dunk, and Dowdy capped it with two baskets in the paint to turn a tie game into a 28-16 Idalou lead with 3:55 left in the first half.
Idalou's height — the Wildcats have eight players on the team at 6-foot or taller — was simply too much for Levelland. Idalou also blocked five shots and redirected several others.
Kolby Mote led the Lobos (6-12) with 17 points and Preston Woodard had 13. The two combined for six of Levelland's seven 3-pointers.
LEVELLAND — Jones 0 0-2 0, Tinnell 0 0-2 0, Mote 6 2-3 17, Woodard 4 2-2 13, Kelley 3 1-1 8, Diaz 3 3-4 9, Taylor 0 0-0 0, Lee 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 8-14 49.
IDALOU — Ky. Houchin 0 0-0 0, Dowdy 7 2-4 16, Estes 3 1-2 8, Schilling 1 2-2 5, Payne 5 7-11 18, Turner 1 0-0 2, Lackey 0 0-0 0, Adkins 5 0-0 11, Thornton 0 0-0 0, Buckner 5 0-1 10, Zahn 1 0-0 2. Totals 28 11-19 72.
3-point goals: Levelland 7 (Mote 3, Woodard 3, Kelley); Idalou 5 (Payne 2, Estes, Schilling, Adkins). Total fouls: Levelland 17, Idalou 14. Fouled out: Levelland, Jones. Technical fouls: none. Records: Levelland 6-12, Idalou 12-1.