MCA’s Dawson Dunn attempts a layup

What happened: In a TAPPS inter-classification basketball game, 5A Midland Christian overpowered 4A Midland Classical 46–19 Tuesday, Nov. 10. The Mustangs took an early lead and held the Knights scoreless in the second quarter before widening the gap after halftime.

Cooper Johnston led Midland Christian with 24 points. He made four 3-pointers and went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line, finishing with more than half of the Mustangs’ points.

The loss moved MCA to 1–1, while Midland Christian improved to 3–1.

Midland’s top stories. One quick email. Free, every Tuesday.
Get Midland Wrapped, our free weekly email for busy Midland residents. Each Tuesday, we break down the week’s most important local stories — what happened, why it matters, and what to watch next — so you can stay informed without the noise.

The big picture: Midland Christian led 16–8 after the first quarter. MCA stayed within eight through the opening period, but its offense stalled in the second.

The Mustangs scored just four points during that quarter. Still, holding MCA scoreless allowed them to take a 20–8 lead into halftime.

Midland Christian created more separation in the third quarter. The Mustangs added 12 points while allowing only three, extending their lead to 32–11. By the start of the fourth, MCA faced a 21-point deficit.

The Knights scored eight points in the final quarter, matching their first-quarter total. Midland Christian answered with 14 to finish the game with a 27-point margin.

Go deeper: The middle two quarters accounted for much of the difference. Midland Christian outscored MCA 16–3 during that stretch, turning an eight-point lead into a comfortable advantage heading into the fourth.

Both teams struggled to shoot, with MCS going 4/19 and MCA going 2/14 from the 3 point line.  MCS only shot 34% from the field, but their strong defense caused 19 turnovers and held MCA to under 20% shooting.

Johnston supplied the largest share of the scoring, but six other Mustangs contributed. Jake Rhoads, Blake Wilson, Karter Fox, Ariza Thompson and Slade Lundberg each finished with four points.

Coy Nicholas led MCA with five points, followed by Jaxson Travis with four. Maxwell Jackson added three, while Dawson Dunn and James Clark scored two each.

What’s next: Both teams return to the road Friday, Nov. 13. Midland Classical visits Abilene Christian, while Midland Christian travels to Kermit.