SMHS GIRLS BASKETBALL
San Marcos overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Davenport Wolves 46-37.
The Lady Rattlers and Head Coach Cooper Haralson improve their record to 12-5 overall and maintain their undefeated record at home despite their low start.
“How we play basketball, we have to play with great energy,” Haralson said. “We didn’t come out with great energy plain and simple. They had 13 points in the first quarter. Our goal is to keep them below 40, which we end-
Forward Autumn Scott fights for the ball in the Lady Rattlers game against Davenport.
Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo ed up doing.
“But we gave up 26 in the first half, and they’re a solid team. When you have defensive breakdowns, and they get you in transition [plus] you turn over the basketball, they’re gonna make you pay. And they definitely did in the first half.”
Davenport jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game. Going into the second quarter, the Wolves led 13-6.
The Wolves later jumped out to their largest lead of the game up 21-9 on San Marcos. However the Lady Rattlers were unphased by the double digit deficit.
“Getting down by the amount of points that we’re down, our girls didn’t flinch,” Haralson said. [It] didn’t phase us. We just realized … we got to play with better energy. Our defense has to lead to easy offense, getting out in transition off turnovers, being physical, going to the basket and shooting the ball with confidence.”
San Marcos outscored Davenport 12-5 to close out the second half and cut the Wolves’ lead down to 26-21 capped off by a buzzer-beating jumper by sophomore guard Rileigh Good.
At halftime, Haralson gave his team a task. Meet the Lady Rattler’s goal of holding opponents to under 40 points.
“I gave him a challenge at halftime,” Haralson said. “I knew that they had 26 points and I said the goal was below 40. I fully expect us to meet that goal. We go out and we allow two points in the third quarter. … We’re down by one going in the fourth quarter.”
The Lady Rattlers did just that, holding Davenport to just two points in the third quarter and now trailing the Wolves by just one point at 2827.
Going into the fourth quarter, San Marcos was focused on trying to maintain their defensive prowess while managing their fouls.
“I knew we were gonna keep the energy on defense,” Haralson said. “The only question was foul trouble but I was extremely proud of the girls coming off the bench and eating up some of those minutes. They did a heck of a job and stepped right in. I couldn’t have asked for more.
“Some of them played more minutes and maybe got used to it and they made the most of it.
I’m extremely proud of the fact that we fought through that adversity.”
The Lady Rattlers opened up the fourth quarter on a 13-1 run, taking the lead back 4029. Despite Davenport’s best shot, the Lady Rattlers held off the Wolves to seal the win at 46-37.
Junior forward Azariah Fennell led the team in scoring with 20 points. Good was second in scoring with seven followed by senior point guard Ezra Tobias with five points.
The Lady Rattlers will be back home this Friday against the San Antonio Pieper Warriors. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
The Lady Rattler bench celebrates in the fourth quater against Davenport. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
