Farmersville senior Devin Swain Jr. (4) flies through the air to score two of his 31 points in a 67-60 victory for the Farmers over Wills Point on Friday. Photo by Victor Tapia / C&S Media
By David Wolman
During a recent four-game losing streak, junior forward/guard Devin Swain Jr. said the mindset for the Farmersville boys basketball team never changed.
Even as the Farmers fell from 2-0 in District 13-4A to 2-4 and out of a playoff spot over a span of two weeks, Farmersville continued to maintain a businesslike approach.
That unflappable mindset finally paid off Friday night. Swain Jr. led all scorers with 31 points, and the Farmers finished strong to earn a 67-60 home win over the Wills Point Tigers at Farmersville Arena.
“We just keep a chip on our shoulder no matter what’s going on — just forgetting the losses and taking our wins how we take our losses,” Swain Jr. said. “Every day is a new day. We come back to practice after those losses and work on what we messed up on.”
Of Swain Jr.’s 31 points, six came during a 26-second span midway through the third quarter. With 4:41 remaining, Wills Point sophomore Chris Cunigan was ejected after being assessed two technical fouls for arguing a foul call. Swain Jr. made three of four free throws and then added a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession.
It was part of a 14-point third quarter for Swain Jr., capped by a straightaway 3-pointer just before the buzzer to give Farmersville a 59-53 lead.
“There was a point when I had to take over the game so we could get that win,” Swain Jr. said. “I just feel like I was playing my part and doing whatever it takes for us to win.”
What pleased head coach Kingsley Akinwole most about the performance was how well the Farmers finished the game.
A few weeks earlier, Farmersville was unable to build on a seven-point second-half lead against Caddo Mills — a loss that began the four-game skid. Despite some shaky ball-handling moments late against Wills Point, Farmersville never allowed the Tigers to cut the deficit to fewer than six points.
There were stretches earlier in the game when Farmersville appeared to have full control. A relentless defensive effort helped the Farmers lead by as many as eight points in the first quarter and by seven in the second. Farmersville forced 21 Wills Point turnovers, though turnover issues of its own allowed the Tigers to stay within striking distance.
Farmersville also struggled to contain Wills Point junior forward Eli Rice. Rice, who entered the game averaging 11.8 points and 9.4 rebounds, dominated the paint and finished with a game-high 26 points. However, he was held to just three points in the decisive fourth quarter.
Moments after Rice converted a layup in the third quarter, sophomore Jax King gave Wills Point a 49-48 lead with a free throw.
Farmersville (23-5 overall, 3-4 District 13-4A) responded with an 11-4 run to close the third quarter and held on to secure its third district win.
“This was a win that we needed,” Akinwole said. “It was a huge step in the right direction because it’s our third win in district. We haven’t had that many district wins since 2013.”
The victory came three days after Farmersville was unable to keep pace with Sunnyvale in a 76-62 road loss.
Sophomore Kayleb Cuellar was brilliant in defeat, scoring 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting while adding five rebounds and three assists.
“He definitely has a bright future,” Swain Jr. said. “He can definitely shoot the ball. He’s a great player, a great guard and a fun person to be around.”
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