The Hughes Springs Mustangs boys’ basketball team was overwhelmed Jan. 17 on their home court by the 5-7 Daingerfield Tigers.

The Tigers opened the game with an aggressive attack on the rim, and managed to shut Hughes Springs down around the perimeter to keep them off of the boards. After the first five minutes of the game, Daingerfield had already built a 13-5 lead, and from there things would continue to go downhill for the Mustangs.

The Hughes Springs Mustangs’ evening went from bad to worse after the Tigers went on a 19-0 run into the second quarter. The Mustangs just could not get into a rhythm on offense, and their defense had a hard time keeping up with Daingerfield's speed as the game progressed.

Daingerfield's impressive 19-0 run put them ahead of Hughes Springs 32-5 with only 5:40 remaining in the first half. Hughes Springs managed to close the gap in the third quarter, but their inability to win the battle for rebounds kept them from threatening to make a serious comeback.

The Tigers built a quick lead in the first half that proved to be insurmountable for the Mustangs, as the Tigers were able to get out of town with a dominant 53-31 win. Even though the Mustangs fell behind early, they kept their heads up, and remained competitive in the second half.

The loss sent Hughes Springs to 3-9 with a road game against the 10-12 Harmony Eagles.

The Mustangs traveled to play the Eagles Friday night, and came up short in their quest for a fourth victory this season.

The Mustangs started the game on a roll where everything seemed to be going their way. At the end of the first eight minutes, Hughes Springs led Harmony 22-11. The Mustangs were winning the battle for rebounds, and having success containing the Eagles’ offense to keep them out of rhythm. Meanwhile on offense, the Mustangs used solid teamwork with good passing, and well-timed shots to build the early 11-point lead.

The second quarter was when things began to fall apart for the Mustangs. Harmony's offense went on a run where they just seemed unstoppable out of nowhere with a 21-point explosion. The Mustangs’ offense fell out of rhythm, and they were only able to put 4 points on the board in the second quarter. Harmony's ability to capitalize on missed shots by Hughes Springs, and convert them into quick points gave them a 32-26 lead going into halftime.

Things went from bad to worse for Hughes Springs in the second half. Harmony's defense tightened down on Hughes Springs, and dominated the area beneath the basket to recover a majority of the game's rebounds. Hughes Springs was held to a mere 14 total points in the second half by an impressive Harmony defense.

Another 26-point explosion in the fourth quarter padded Harmony's lead to give them a 71-40 win over Hughes Springs.

The loss puts the Mustangs record at 3-10 for the season with games coming up against the 9-10 Ore City Rebels at home on Tuesday, and a road trip to play the 10-13 New Diana Eagles on Friday.