The Boerne Greyhound Varsity Basketball team poses with the championship trophy at the Fredericksburg Holiday Hoopfest Tournament. Team members include (front row, from left) Adam Sena, Sterling Bennett, Chris Essick, Isaac Evans, Daniel Rogers, (back row) Matt Fisher, Hunter Simmons, Chuck Thornally, David Benac, Sammy Thompson, Robert Moore and Zach Burdick. Moore was named MVP, and Rogers was selected all-tournament. Photo by Mike Reeder

The Boerne Greyhounds closed out the old year with a flourish Friday night, taking the championship of the Hill Country Holiday Hoopfest Tournament in Fredericksburg with an impressive 71-58 victory over Austin-area power Pflugerville Hendrickson.

Boerne shooting guard Daniel Rogers made the all-tournament squad, and power forward Robert Moore was a slam-dunk choice for Tournament MVP after scoring 24 points in the title game against the explosive and athletic Hawks. "I was just really on tonight," Moore said as fans poured on court to offer congratulations. "I was even surprised.  It was just a fortunate night."

"It's an honor being all-tournament," said Rogers, who scored seven first-quarter points. "When Robert's scoring points, everybody double teams him and I'm left wide-open."

"He's just got a way about him," Boerne coach Stan Leech said of Moore. "He did a good job of finishing tonight, and that was key, and he did a good job of hitting free throws."

Neither the win over Hendrickson nor the Hounds' 4-0 run through a stout tournament field was a two-man effort. Guard Isaac Evans scored nine second-quarter points and finished with 11 on the night, and center Chuck Thornally continually came up with big rebounds, dished off effectively to Moore and scored five fourth-quarter points of his own. Over 32 minutes, every player on the squad contributed and every one of their contributions was needed against the Hawks, who had pulled out to a 23-18 second-quarter lead before Boerne came battling back.

Moore put the Hounds back in front with 3:18 left in the first half when he scored a layup off an offensive rebound and drew a foul. The three-point play gave Boerne a 31-29 lead which grew to nine points by intermission, as the Hounds continued to attack inside, draw fouls and out-rebound their opponents.

"We handled the boards and did a good job of getting to the basket, where the referees had to call fouls," Leech said.

"We just really wanted to win this game and we were going to do whatever it took," Moore said. "We knew we weren't as athletic or quick but we were going to beat them to the ball."

The Hawks enjoyed some initial success with a full court press in the second half, as the Hounds turned the ball over and watched their lead dwindle to five points as the fourth quarter got underway. But the Hounds finally adjusted after a timeout, shortened their passes and began scoring easy baskets on breaks against the tiring Hawks. Guard Zach Burdick put an exclamation point on the comeback with 4:32 to play, going to coast-to-coast for a layup that put Boerne on top 62-51. The Hounds, who did not sink a three-point shot all night, outscored the Hawks 9-4 down the stretch as Thornally and Moore dominated in the paint.

"We did a good job of handling their runs. We did a good job of adjusting to what they were doing offensively. We did a good job of handling their pressure, and we did a good job of finding the back door and finishing," Leech said.  "It was just a good win."

Just reaching the finals was an accomplishment. The Hounds opened up the tournament with a 65-49 win over Fort Bend Baptist, rolled over Cedar Park 66-46 and outlasted Lake Travis 44-38 "We had the most difficult run, so we had a bunch of big wins," Leech said.  "Now, we've got to forget about it and get on with what's at hand.”