By Michael Adams
madams@onthesidelinessports.com
LEANDER – The Leander Lions could have clinched their third straight playoff berth on Friday.
Leander even got some help from Cedar Park’s win over Liberty Hill However, any playoff celebration for the Lions will have to wait until Tuesday.
Siena signee Jojo Moore and Rouse, the No. 6 team in Class 5A, bullied the Lions inside the paint on their way to a 54-32 win at the Lions Den at Leander High School in the On the Sidelines Sports Austin Metro Boys Basketball Game of the Week.
Moore finished with a game-high 15 points that included two monstrous dunks in the second half as Rouse (26-7, 13-0 District 25-5A) pulled away from a 7-point halftime lead.
Leander (17-15, 7-6) is still very much on the path to stamping its postseason ticket. All the Lions need to do is beat Hays on Tuesday in their regular season finale or hope Rouse beats Liberty Hill.
Leander and the Panthers are currently tied for fourth place, but the Lions swept Liberty Hill in district play and holds a tiebreaker.
Hays, which is eliminated from postseason contention, beat Leander by two points in the first meeting on Jan. 19. Even if history repeats itself and the Lions lose to the Hawks, Leander will claim the final playoff spot in 25-5A if Rouse beats Liberty Hill.
Leander won’t have to worry about the Raiders taking it easy in the regular season finale on Tuesday.
Rouse has already wrapped up the district championship, but the Raiders are looking to finish 14-0 in district play and keep momentum from its 11-game winning streak heading into the UIL boys basketball playoffs, which begin on Feb. 19.
Leander was able to keep things close early on thanks to the hot hands of power forward Dean Dalberg., who finished with a team-high 11 points. The senior scored nine of his points from behind the three-point line.
Rouse contained Leander’s leading scorer Ryder Bradley to just two field goals. The junior point guard finished with nine points, going 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
The Raiders opened things up with a huge run to start the third quarter. Sophomore Trey Nielson scored six of his nine points in a 19-point barrage by Rouse. Moore and Amaire Haywood each added four points.
Up Next
Rouse vs. Liberty Hill, 7 p.m., Tuesday
Leander at Hays, 7 p.m., Tuesday
Box score
| Rouse 54, Leander 32 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rouse | 12 | 11 | 19 | 12 |
| Leander | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 |
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