Cardinals win three district games in a row

The Columbus Cardinals dove headfirst into their basketball season win three district wins in a row.

The Cardinals are just starting their basketball season after the football team’s success and have started off hot out the gate.

They picked up their first win on New Year’s Eve against district rival, Hallettsville, 66-42. They carried that momentum in their games on Friday, Jan. 3, and Saturday, Jan. 4, where they defeated Palacios, 78-40, and Tidehaven, 69-20, respectively.

Cards head coach Troy Bohac said his team has a ton of chemistry with one another and it has led them to early success.

The Cards entire starting five consists of players that were on the State Championship football team. They were able to get a few practices under their belt before starting but they had to start their district schedule and figure things out on the fly while other teams had the luxury of tournament play.

“A lot of these guys played football together so the chemistry is coming over to the court and it has been fun to watch so far,” Bohac said. “I am really excited for the season.”

In all the games so far, the Cards have found a lot of success from threepoint land. It also helps that their guards have been shooting lights out so far this season.

Specifically in the Palacios game the Cards scored most of their points from the threepoint line, something that Bohac was impressed with.

“We were moving the ball well and being aggressive but were also being smart and patient with the ball and getting open looks and thankfully we have been able to knock them down,” Bohac said.

The Cards are also getting strong performances inside the paint form Rylan Carruthers and Brody Tribe. Against Palacios the duo completely controlled the boards and made sure Palacios had no chance of winning the rebound battle.

“Rebounding was a big factor in that win, those two (Carruthers and Tribe) may not show up on the scoresheet of put up super flashy numbers but they are battling for us and doing all the little things that helps the team win,” Bohac said.

The Cards are off to a great start in 2025 on the basketball court and look to keep things going. Their next game is going to be a challenge for sure but it’s another district game and since it is so late in the season the Cards know that it is a must win.

The Cards are scheduled to take on the Rice Raiders on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 7, as both teams put their undefeated district record on the line.