Layton Rabb lost one fewer games than Baker Mayfield did in the 2017 season, but they have at least one thing in common: they were both walk-ons, which means nobody wanted them badly enough to give them scholarships.
Mayfield has completed an outstanding career at Oklahoma—which, actually, was his second walk-on venture.
TAYLOR—Donald Trump was months away from beginning his lengthy run for the presidency—in 2015—when the Llano boys last won a district basketball game. The nasty streak, involving three coaches and more than 30 games, ended January 12, as the Jackets squeezed past the Ducks, 63-61, on a Brooks Keele basket with close to a minute left in the game, and the defense stopped a three-point shooter from scoring with seconds remaining.
TAYLOR—When you’re down by two at the end of three quarters, and you score three times as many field goals as your opponent in the fourth, you’d think you’d get a win. But—when you are as snake-bit as the Lady Jackets, peanut butter and jelly is not even a safe choice.
Ashlyn Collier of the Ducks hit a three-point basket with 19 seconds remaining—the only field goal her squad made in the quarter—and Taylor won, 42-41.
The Llano basketball boys made two good comebacks—against Glenn and Burnet—but fell short of finishing the deal. Both performances, however, showed there is a spirit within the Jackets—and hardwood talent—that makes this bunch a special unit.
The rally against the Grizzlies from Leander was similar to what Alabama did against Georgia, but unlike the Tide, the Jackets lost 65-56 on the first Tuesday night of 2018.
“We talk all the time about answering the bell,” said head coach ...
The Llano girls made one good surge against Leander Glenn on the second night of the new year, but the visiting Grizzlies immediately returned the call and went on to post a 58-39 victory.
“We were down by four {at the half},” observed head coach Jerry McSherry, “and hadn’t played that well.
BROWNWOOD—On a very cold holiday weekend in the middle of the state, the Jacket boys saw Jumanji and—also on their days off—picked up two wins against two losses in the Lions’ basketball tournament.
“I think we’re a better team {now} than when we played Lampasas, December 19,” said head coach Chris Armstrong.
TROY—The Llano Lady basketball Jackets suffered three pretty aggravating losses in the Troy Christmas Classic, but they also authored one of the best defensive stretches in school history in their victory over Bartlett, December 28.
Actually, I guess it would be the best for a 14 and a half minute span, because the Lassies were held scoreless.
LAMPASAS—A couple of interesting things about the Llano boys’ visit to the Badger campus. Neither of which has too much to do with the Jackets’ ‘never-in-doubt’ 67-38 loss.
The last two Llano coaches faced each other—Chris Armstrong, the successor, and his predecessor, Aaron Nuckles. This is their second meeting this season, so that initial encounter, December 8, was the first time that’s happened in decades.
LAMPASAS—It was a contest between two coaches who have combined to win close to 1,330 games in six decades of covering just a few feet of space from bench to floor. The elder citizen added to his total.
Mark Myers, whose 35 years as a head coach includes a couple of months in Lampasas (after 17 seasons at Cedar Park), has won “815 or 816—not sure, exactly.” That would be like living in some exclusive neighborhood and not knowing which three-story house is yours.
