The Cuero Gobblers are proving to be a force to be reckoned with this basketball season as they continue their impressive run with two significant wins, one of which kicked off district play. Basketball fans have reason to cheer as the Gobblers have won 5 of their last 6 games.
The Gobblers overwhelmed the Boling Bulldogs with an impressive score of 83-40 at Bulldog Gym on Jan. 13. Cuero’s offensive play was complemented by an aggressive defensive strategy, which forced turnovers and allowed for fast breaks.
The Gobblers exhibited an uncanny ability to penetrate Boling’s defense, capitalizing on scoring opportunities and establishing a commanding lead that they maintained throughout the game. Cuero set the tone early, pushing the pace and capitalizing with defensive pressure. The Gobblers were ahead 1814 at the end of the first, with D’zayvion Bonner scoring 7.
Hunton Rickman helped the Gobblers increase their lead to 14 in the second quarter, by scoring 7 points. The Gobblers seemed to find their rhythm with the 3420 lead at half. The third and fourth quarters were just as dominant as Bonner tacked on an additional 17 points and Paydon Flores added 10.
That momentum carried into district play, on Friday, Jan. 16, where the Gobblers opened with an emphatic 69–20 victory over the Memorial Minutemen. Cuero jumped out to a 22–6 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. By halftime, the Gobblers had stretched the advantage to 45– 11. The lead grew to 59–14 after three quarters, before closing out the game with the 69–20 final.
“I feel the team played almost flawlessly against Memorial, both offensively and defensively,” Senior David Leinen commented. “When we go out there, we play hard. When we play hard we have fun, and when we have fun, we win games!”
Bonner and Elias Munoz were at the forefront of this scoring barrage, each contributing 17 points. Their versatility on the court, coupled with sharp shooting and strategic playmaking, highlighted Cuero’s well-rounded skill set. Additionally, Flores and Leinen stepped up with 12 points each. The balanced scoring reflected Cuero’s ability to keep their opponents guessing, making it hard for Memorial to focus on any single player.
District play heats up Tuesday, January 20, when Cuero hosts longtime rival La Vernia in what is always a high-energy matchup at The Roost. The Gobblers will then take on the Navarro Panthers, Friday, January 23, in another key district contest.
“The rivalries do nothing more, but make each other push ourselves, harder and harder every day in practice. We have never been hungrier and have never been more prepared than this year,” Leinen added. Cuero’s ability to maintain their current performance level will be crucial as they work toward clinching a top seed in the district standings. “Our team stays focused and composed in high-pressure moments, simply from trusting in each other’s abilities. Our chemistry is unmatched.”
