STEPHENVILLE -- For the third time in three years, Ponder is headed to the Class 2A state tournament in Austin for a shot at a state championship.

The Lions used a first quarter shutout to build a lead they would never relinquish en route to a 65-42 thumping of Brock to pull off the three-peat in the regional finals at Wisdom Gym on Saturday.

“Our kids are amazing,” said Ponder head coach Jude Stanley. “They got the job done. Brock has a nice ball club but we got the job done on the defensive end. ‘Defend and win’ has been our motto all through the playoffs and I’m pretty sure that stood up tonight.”

Brock (29-6) had trouble getting anything in the basket early on.

Scott Gregg blocked the first two Eagle shot attempts and Brock went on to turn the ball over on four of its next five possessions. Ponder (34-4) used that advantage to build a 5-0 lead with 2:18 left in the first quarter.

Ponder went on to pitch the shutout over the first eight minutes, forcing Brock to commit five turnovers. Brock also lost its senior point guard and team captain, Gage Baker, to an apparent back injury.

Ponder’s David Robertson scored five straight points to begin the second quarter, pushing the Lion lead to 11-0 with 6:02 left to play.

Baker returned to the game and provided a small spark for the Eagles, scoring Brock’s first seven points and helping to cut the Ponder lead to 19-11.

After the Brock rally, Ponder finished the second quarter on a 6-1 run. Gregg provided four points and Alex Huerta added two over that span to give Ponder a 25-12 lead at the half.

The Lions put the game out of reach over the first 2:24 of the second half with a quick 12-4 run. Gregg had six of the first 12 points, Robertson had four and Jorden Young got the first two with a 12-foot jumper to begin the new half.

“The kids found a different gear in second half,” said Stanley. “They came out with more energy. They were a little sluggish in the second quarter and we wanted to rebound from that. We certainly did.”

After a 21-point performance against Edgewood, Robertson posted 26 points on 8-of-17 shooting and 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.

Gregg posted his second double-double in as many days with 13 points and 11 boards. Young tallied seven points, Huerta scored five and Dalton Brown added four.

Kaleb Broadstreet, Robert Davenport, Jarryd Shirley, Wade Ford and John Burke each added two points for Ponder.

The Lions shot 48 percent from the floor and 81 percent from the free-throw line as opposed to Brock’s 28 and 70 percent, respectively.

Ponder, the two-time defending state champion in 2A, will play in the state semifinals on Friday at the Erwin Center in Austin against an opponent to be determined.

“We’re going to take them one game at a time,” Stanley said. “We feel like we got a good chance. Anything can happen in Austin.”

Ponder 65, Brock 42

Brock   0          12        16        14        --         42

Ponder 6          19        25        15        --         65

Brock (29-6) – Austin Hernandez 3, Robby Loving 11, Gage Baker 7, Cole Beauchamp 5, Conner Blanton 2, Colton Castle 11, Connor Castle 2, Ryan Burden 1.

Ponder (34-4) – Jorden Young 7, David Robertson 26, Scott Gregg 13, Alex Huerta 5, Kaleb Broadstreet 2, Robert Davenport 2, Jarryd Shirley 2, Dalton Brown 4, John Burke 2, Wade Ford 2.