SOUR LAKE — Forget classifications, the Big Sandy Wildcats can play great basketball and the team was on display Thursday at the Hardin-Jefferson Basketball Marathon.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, defeated the Nederland Bulldogs, 51-48, behind Angel Bullock’s 27 points.
Nederland (10-5) got down by as many as 12 points in the second period when the Wildcats went on a 7-0 run to take a 26-14 lead midway through the quarter.
The Bulldogs responded with baskets from Kevin Howard and Adrian Nelson and cut the lead to 29-20 at the break.
Nederland chipped away at the lead throughout the third and fourth periods and two Jase Miguez free throws late in the game tied it at 48-48.
Big Sandy then hit two free throws of its own with 4.4 ticks left on the clock to take a 50-48 advantage. Nederland then turned the ball over and the Wildcats sank a last free throw to make the final score, 51-48.
Miguez finished with 16 points for the Bulldogs and Nelson added 11 points.
Big Sandy led 44-36 in the fourth before Miguez hit a bucket and then Ary knocked down his second-three pointer of the game. Miguez connected on an and-1 play to tie the game for the first time since it was 2-2 in the first period at 44-44.
Nederland fell behind in the second period as Bullock heated up from all over the court.
Bullock scored 14 points in the frame, including two treys. He alone outscored Nederland as the Bulldogs only put in 12 points in the second.
Darrell Jones and Ary both had six points for Nederland while Howard pulled down seven rebounds.

Nederland 69, Shepherd 47
The Bulldogs first game on Thursday was a blowout over the Shepherd Pirates, 69-47.
Nederland poured it on Shepherd in the game’s first eight minutes. The Bulldogs outscored the Pirates 22-2 in the opening frame and then took a 36-8 lead at the break.
The Bulldogs led 48-28 going into the fourth and then outscored the Pirates 21-19 in the last frame.
Miguez had 17 points in the game and Nelson followed with 16 and Colton English had 10 points.
Kameron Wright had 11 points for the Pirates.