Posted by Mark Kusenberger at 7:18 am
Smothering defense keys 88-53 Judson victory over Highlands
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
The Judson Rockets rode a 13-0 first quarter run to an easy 88-53 victory over the Highlands Owls Tuesday night at Judson Gym.
The win, combined with Victoria Memorial’s 72-59 loss to Wagner, gave Judson (22-1, 3-0 in 27-5A) sole possession of first place in their district.
Highlands (10-11, 2-1 in 27-5A) came into the ballgame having won 4 straight and 7 of 9, including victories over city-ranked Southwest and Boerne Champion. But Judson’s stifling defense kept their offense from ever getting untracked. Several full court passes intended to beat the press sailed beyond their intended recipients. The Rockets finished with 20 steals, led by 4 from Robert Shaw, and forced many other team turnovers against Highlands.
Judson as a team shot 58% from the field and made 11 of 15 free throws. The Rockets made 7 three-point shots to Highlands’ 3.
Judson’s Chris Wacker scored 16 points and had 6 rebounds, both of which led the team. Ned Cox scored 12 points and dished out 7 assists; Dominique Richardson scored 12 points and had 6 assists
Tyrice Hill led the Owls with 13 points; Ronnie Lott and William Knowles each scored 10.
Judson hits the road Friday to take on Corpus Christi King. Highlands, which played for 1st place Tuesday, will host Victoria Memorial at Alamo Gym Friday night, in a matchup of team now tied for second (along with others) in 27-5A.
Danielle Rucker’s weekly Sabinal High School columnPosted by Danielle Rucker at 7:00 am
Hi Sports Fans!
The past month has been one round of tournaments after another with the following results:
Dilley Tournament -
YellowJackets - 3rd Place
LadyJackets - 1st place (Danielle Rucker, Chrystan Page and Lauren Rios - MVP’S)
SWTJC Tournament -
YellowJackets - 3rd Place
LadyJackets - 4th place (Danielle Rucker - All Tourney)
Sabinal Tournament -
YellowJackets - 2nd Place (Steven Sanchez - All Tourney)
LadyJackets - 1st Place (Lauren Rios - All Tourney)
Posted by Jay Tope at 6:52 am
photos by Antonio Morano
amorano@satx.rr.com
Posted by Mark Kusenberger at 8:38 pm
Jay builds big leads, loses it, builds it back
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
Early in their contest against the Brandeis Broncos, Jay head coach Mike Simpson told one of his players, “you gotta be a track star!”
It worked well as Jay opened the game with a 14-0 run, and it worked well again when the Mustangs came back from a 3rd quarter deficit to defeat the Broncos 66-55 Saturday afternoon at the Paul Taylor Field House.
The Mustangs (10-11, 3-2 in 28-5A) pulled into a three-way tie in the loss column for 3rd in district with the victory, joining Taft and O’Connor. Brandeis, who start four sophomores and a freshman, fell to 2-18 overall and 0-4 in district.
After Jay raced out to a 14-0 lead, Brandeis responded with a 9-0 run, led by 7-0 points from Curtis Powell. A Robert Oliver free throw built the Jay lead to 15-9 after one quarter.
The Mustangs seemed to control the tempo much of the second quarter, but missed at least a dozen shots from within six feet of the basket. Brandeis took advantage of the opportunity, as Powell added 8 more and Ryan Sklencar threw in 6 to help close the gap to 30-28 at halftime. Jay’s Luis Serrano scored 10 points in the second quarter helped hold off the Broncos.
Brandeis closed the first half on a 7-0 run, then started the third with a 14-4 run to build a 42-34 lead that was unthinkable while Jay was on their game-opening run. But the relentless pursuit by the Jay defense finally caught up to Brandeis’ ball handlers, and Jay began converting takeaways to points. Mike Baltazar’s three-pointer ignited a 9-0 run which gave the Mustangs a 47-44 lead. Jay never trailed again, outscoring Brandeis 19-9 in the fourth quarter.
Serrano, a junior who did not play the first quarter, led the Mustangs with 17 points. Junior Robert Oliver scored 13, while senior Mike Baltazar and freshman Justice Godley each scored 12. Brandeis’s Curtis Powell led all scorers with 18. Ryan Sklencar added 14 and Sterling Smoak scored 11.
Cuellar hits baseline winner for Warren boysPosted by Mark Kusenberger at 8:34 pm
Warriors earn their first district win, 55-54 over Taft
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
Steve Cuellar’s baseline jumper with 4.23 seconds left gave the Warren Warriors a 55-54 victory over the Taft Raiders Saturday afternoon at the Paul Taylor Field House.
Taft led by 49-43 halfway through the fourth quarter when Warren began their thrilling comeback. Sean Harris scored 4 straight to close the gap to 2 before Taft senior Dray Baker scored to make it 51-47.
Anthony Johnson then sank a three from the left sideline to make it a one-point ballgame. Johnson then got a steal, but a bad pass gave the ball back to Taft. After a foul, Dylan Elias sank 1 of 2 free throws by built a 52-50 left. Johnson responded with a 3 from the left wing to give Warren a 53-52 lead, their first since 12-11 in the first quarter. A Chris Proctor putback put Taft back in front before Cuellar hit his game winner.
Elias took Taft’s inbound pass at the corner of the lane, but couldn’t get his shot to fall as time expired.
After Warren’s first quarter lead, Taft built their lead to 7 several times, and to 9 late in the third quarter, but could never put the athletic Warriors away.
Warren junior Sean Harris led the Warriors with 16, shooting 4 for 6 from the free throw line and mixing in several easy layups and a he-makes-it-look-so-easy dunk. Anthony Johnson added 12. Akhenaton Zakariyyaa threw in 8, including 2 trays, while Cuellar and Elton Green each scored 5.
Dylan Elias led the Raiders with 16, followed by Dray Baker with 14 and Patrick Barton with 12. Carlos Gutierrez and Chris Proctor each added 6.
The game featured 7 successful three-point baskets by Warren and 10 by Taft. Baker and Barton each sank 4 treys.
It was Jim Weaver’s first district victory as the head coach of Warren (8-8, 1-3 in 28-5A). The loss, combined with other action Saturday, drops Taft (11-11, 3-2 in 28-5A) into a three-way tie in the loss column for third in district with Jay and O’Connor.
Panther boys close out HuskiesPosted by Mark Kusenberger at 8:28 pm
O’Connor scores the last 21 points in a 55-37 victory
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
O’Connor, trailing 37-34 late in the third, scored the last 21 points to defeat the Holmes Huskies by a score of 55-37 Saturday afternoon at the Paul Taylor Fieldhouse.
Travis Gipson, who struggled to be involved offensively in the first and third quarters, dominated the final frame with 9 points and finished with a game-high 20.
Holmes (5-13, 1-4 in 28-5A) led 12-7 after one quarter thanks in large part to a pair of three-pointers by Anibal Polendo, one with less than a second left. Gipson took over in the second with 7 to help close the gap. The last five baskets of the quarter all caused lead changes, with Jordan Buchanon’s basket giving O’Connor (13-5, 2-2 in 28-5A) a 23-22 halftime lead.
The Panthers built the lead to 27-22 before what turned out to be Holmes’ last ditch comeback. Manuel Gonzales contributed 2 three-pointers, and Michael Ortiz added 5 as Holmes took a 37-34 lead late in the third.
Brandon Sendejo, as if in answer to Polendo’s first quarter buzzer-beater, gave O’Connor the lead with a three-pointer with 1 second left in the quarter. That started the Panthers’ game-closing run of 21 unanswered points.
Jordan Buchanon supplemented Gipson’s 20 with 12 points, including 4 for 5 shooting from the free-throw line. Sendejo added 9, all on three-pointers. Michael Ortiz led Holmes with 14 points, including 6 for 7 free throw shooting; Manuel Gonzales contributed 9, all on treys.
O’Connor is now 2-2 in district, tied in the loss column with Taft and Jay for 3rd place in District 28-5A. Holmes falls to 1-4 in district and eighth place out of nine teams.
Falcon boys press RamsPosted by Mark Kusenberger at 8:25 pm
Tenacious defense leads Stevens to 44-29 victory over Marshall
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
The #3 Stevens Falcons needed half a quarter to get untracked, but once the shots started falling, they flew away with a 44-29 victory Saturday afternoon at the Paul Taylor Field House.
The victory put Stevens (17-2, 4-0 in 28-5A) in a first place tie with idle Clark for the 28-5A lead. By the end of Saturday’s action, Marshall (2-13, 2-3 in 28-5A) had fallen to sixth place in the district, a full game behind Taft and Jay.
After leading 28-16 at the break, Stevens shut out the Rams in the third and built the lead to 42-16. Of the Falcons’ starters, only Julian Stallworth played in the fourth quarter, and he only briefly.
Marshall actually led 3-2 halfway through the first quarter on a three-pointer by Shawn Caldwell. Stevens controlled the tempo, but had trouble getting points, even missing two dunks. Stevens managed a 9-0 run, started by 5 straight points by Stallworth, to lead 11-3. Then the Rams came out of a Terry Morris timeout with a 7-0 run to close within 1.
Then Aaron Plunkett got untracked. The 6-7 senior scored 8 straight, including a pair of three-point plays, to ignite a 12-0 Stevens run. The Falcons never looked back.
Plunkett finished with 16. Joshua Orta added 10 points, plus unofficially an amazing 8 steals. Stallworth added 9 points. Stevens succeeded despite an off-scoring night from All-Area Brandon Thompson, who finished with only 3.
Shawn Caldwell, Jeremy Pozza, and Russell Schaefer each scored 6 to lead Marshall.
Boerne Champion rallies past Tivy girlsPosted by Mark Kusenberger at 6:43 am
Paige Grandjean scores 17 second-half points in comeback victory
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
After a cold-shooting first half, Paige Grandjean scored 17 points in the second half, including 5 three-pointers, to lead the Boerne Champion Chargers to a 51-38 comeback victory over the Kerrville Tivy Lady Antlers.
After trailing 13-25 at the half, the Chargers outscored Tivy 17-7 in third to pull within 2, then outscored Tivy 21-6 in the fourth to close the deal. Champion’s second half rally included 8-0 and 11-0 runs.
Tivy (13-9, 1-2 in 27-4A) led 14-4 after one quarter, closing the period with an 8-0 run. Kaitlyn Overby scored 6 in the first, then added 6 more in the second, accepting passes in the low block for easy layups and getting second chance points in the paint for her team.
Meanwhile, Champion (13-6, 1-1 in 27-4A) was shooting 1 of 16 from the three-point line.
Champion Coach Jonathan Tate switched a zone defense in the second half, denying Overby the ball in the paint. Champion also pressed more, forcing a Tivy team with a six-deep rotation to battle their way to the frontcourt.
Once Grandjean’s outside shot started falling, the Chargers were on their way.
Champion started the half with an 8-0 run, including 2 Grandjean threes, to close the gap to 27-21. After Tivy built the lead back up to 32-25, Champion went on a 11-0 run, including 2 more Grandjean threes, which extended into the fourth and gave the Chargers the lead for good. As the Chargers were pulling away in the fourth, Megan Burns and Katie Smith each added a three-pointer.
Grandjean scored 5 in the first half and 17 in the second to finish with 6 three-point baskets and a season-high 22 points. Hilary Lumpkins scored 9, including 7 in the second half, and escaped an aggressive Tivy defense with fine ball-handling.
Overby, who scored 12 in the first half, added just 1 point in the second half. Sophomore Kelsi Wilmot added 11 for the Lady Antlers.
The victory put Champion alone in 4th place in 27-4A. Tivy is now a half-game behind Champion at 1-2 in district play.
Mustangs defense leads team to victoryPosted by Mark Kusenberger at 6:37 am
Holding Brackenridge to 2 points in 4th keys 47-39 Jefferson victory
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
The Jefferson Mustangs closed with an 11-0 run to overcome a 4th quarter deficit and defeat the Brackenridge Eagles 47-39 Friday afternoon at the Alamo Convocation Center.
Brackenridge led 37-34 after three quarters, with the margin being a Laron Henderson trey late in the third quarter. Jefferson’s Nic Dutcher got a putback to close Jefferson within 1, then Henderson scored again to close a 90 second Eagle possession and make it 39-36 Brackenridge.
The Eagles would not score again that day.
Steve Martinez made one of two free throws to pull the Mustangs within two. On Jefferson’s next possession, Craig Cardona committed his fourth foul, then was quickly whistled for a technical. The technical was his 5th personal, fouling the second-year point guard out of the game. Octavio Parral made 1 of 2 free throws on the personal foul to make the score 39-38 Brack, then Martinez made 1 of 2 to tie the game at 39.
A Dutcher score gave Jefferson the lead 41-39. The Mustangs got a stop with 2 minutes left, then began stalling, running 72 seconds off the clock and using two timeouts before giving up the ball on a 5 second inbound violation. Brackenridge could not capitalize to tie the game, as Dutcher got a clutch rebound, was fouled, and made two free throws to build the Jefferson lead to 43-39.
The Eagles had their opportunities, but they missed the front end of 1-and-1, then the Mustangs defense took two charges, thwarting the Eagles final opportunities. Ronnie Simons hit 4 of 4 free throw attempts to produce the game’s final points.
The Jefferson rally allowed them to overcome a 9-0 run that gave the Eagles a 33-29 lead in the third quarter. The first quarter featured 6 lead changes and 3 ties, including 13-13 to start the second quarter. The Mustangs started the second with a 7-0 run, but could never build a bigger lead until the game’s final seconds.
Jefferson’s Steve Martinez led all scorers with 13, helped out by Parral’s 12 and Dutcher’s 10. Malcolm Greer led the Eagles with 11, joined by DeAndre Boston’s 10 and Laron Henderson’s 9.
Each team was willing to run the floor, with Brackenridge using a press more frequently. However, while Jefferson established a 9-man rotation in the first quarter and stuck with it, Brackenridge did not substitute until the 3:52 mark and the last minute of the fourth, and only then when a starter fouled out.
The result put Jefferson and Brackenridge in a 4-way tie for third in 28-4A. Burbank and Kennedy are both 2-0 in district play.
Lady Eagles fly away from Lady MustangsPosted by Mark Kusenberger at 6:07 am
After close 1st quarter, Brackenridge earns 55-36 victory over Jefferson
by Mark Kusenberger
SAsports.com Staff Writer
www.TSRNsports.com
Four three-pointers in the second quarter blew open a close ballgame and propelled the Brackenridge Lady Eagles to a 55-36 victory over the Jefferson Lady Mustangs Friday afternoon at the Alamo Convocation Center.
Jefferson trailed only 12-10 after one quarter, thanks to 6 points from Janelle De Hoyos and 4 from Samantha Salinas. But the Eagles outscored Jeff 16-4 in the second quarter, led by two treys from Gabriela Pedraza and one each by Sarah Dominguez and Ashley Ramirez.
Jefferson’s strong start is all the more remarkable because the Mustangs started three sophomores – De Hoyos, Salinas, and Brittany Garza, along with juniors Michelle Salinas and Stephanie Barrientos. The Eagles started three seniors – Melody Dominguez, Sarah Dominguez, and Bianca Crawford – plus junior Trisha Garza and freshman Gabriela Pedraza.
Melody Dominguez kept the Brackenridge momentum going in the third with 9 points. Dominguez, a senior, led Brack with 15 points, with freshman Pedraza adding 13. Brittany Garza led Jefferson with 13 points.
The win kept Brackenridge in sole possession of first place in 27-4A with a 4-0 district record. Jefferson falls to 1-3 in 27-4A, one game behind Edison and Lanier for the fourth and final playoff berth.
