The crosstown showdown for control of District 3-5A on Friday night had all the makings of a tense, playoff-style atmosphere at the Amarillo High Activity Center. The setting belonged to Amarillo High, but the night ultimately belonged to Tascosa. The Rebels arrived as visitors and left with far more than just bragging rights, exiting with a 64-53 win and sole possession of the district lead.
From the opening tip, Tascosa made it clear it had no intention of easing into the moment. The Rebels attacked early, jumped out to an 18-7 lead after the first quarter, and forced the Sandies to play from behind for nearly the entire night. Crisp ball movement and confident perimeter shooting fueled the early surge, as Tascosa connected on four three-pointers in the opening frame. Kayvien Blackshere set the tone by opening the scoring from deep, while LaDarius Godbolt followed with a pair of triples of his own.
That first-quarter burst reflected the Rebels’ overall approach. They were aggressive but composed, patient but decisive. Godbolt capped off a dominant week by scoring eight points in the opening quarter alone and finished the night with a game-high 27 points. In total, Tascosa knocked down 10 three-pointers, a notable achievement in a gym where shooting success has often been hard to find for visiting teams.
Amarillo High struggled to find rhythm offensively in the first half, missing shots it typically converts at home. Still, the Sandies showed resilience. They trimmed the deficit to four points in the second quarter and went into halftime trailing just 27-22, setting the stage for what looked like a tightly contested second half.
The Rebels quickly erased that idea. Godbolt took control after the break, scoring 17 points in the second half and repeatedly answering every Amarillo High push. His ability to operate under control and make sound decisions steadied the Tascosa offense, especially when the pace threatened to speed up. Even after Godbolt fouled out late in the fourth quarter, the damage had already been done.
Amarillo High made one last run, cutting the margin to 57-50 with just over a minute remaining, but could not close the gap any further. Tascosa executed down the stretch, protected the basketball, and sealed a win that spoke loudly in the district race.
Blackshere and Jack Corpening each added 11 points for the Rebels, providing balanced support around Godbolt’s standout performance. For the Sandies, Jax Richards led the way with 17 points, followed closely by Patch Parr with 16 and Rex Riemer with 10.
Tascosa’s success also reflected its trust in continuity. The Rebels relied almost exclusively on their five starters, with minimal rotation, allowing chemistry and momentum to build. With several games still left in the regular season, nothing is settled yet, but on this night, Tascosa sent a clear message. In the race for the District 3-5A crown, the Rebels are very much in control.
