SMHS BOYS BASKETBALL
The Rattlers battled the Victoria West Warriors in a thrilling back-and-forth contest, ending with San Marcos winning 49-45.
San Marcos improves to 8-11 for the season while Victoria West falls to 8-7.
“Just really a true team effort,” Head Coach Dan Miller said. ”Defensively, we said we were going to defend in the Snake Pit, and we did. It took us a lot to score the ball. We just couldn’t get anything going early, a couple of quick shots, some turnovers. But the guys were really just focused on the attention to detail, on the defensive effort tonight and that’s where we got it.”
The Rattler defense held Victoria West to just 19 points in the first half as San Marcos entered halftime tied at 19-19.
Despite San Marcos not having the best start on offense, Miller was proud of the Rattlers defensive effort, which proved to be a difference maker in the game.
“They were very connected, and we never got frustrated that we only had zero points after three, four minutes,” Miller said. “We just said, ‘Tonight is about defense. Eventually, we’re going to see the ball go through the hoop.’ Tim [Cooper] hit that first one and finally broke the dam, and then we started playing offense. But the main thing tonight was just defensive effort and with our team, it’s a different person each time. We don’t have a go-to guy, you know, there’s no Malik [Presley] or Kaden [Gumbs]. So it is just fun to see guys step up.”
In the third quarter was a back-and-forth affair with the Rattlers and the Warriors trading the lead throughout the period.
Following a made basket by senior Peter Aguilar, the Rattlers led 3130.
Victoria West went up 34-31 over San Marcos but a 7-0 run, capped off by a score from freshman Tytan Crayton, put the Rattlers back up at 3834.
Later in the fourth quarter, Victoria West tied, then later took the lead with just minutes remaining in the game at 45-44 However, much like how the Rattlers did all game, San Marcos once again rallied.
Senior Elijah Valenzuela gave the Rattlers the lead at 47-45, making a massive three-pointer before senior Jordan Bernal hit two critical free throws to push the lead out to 49-45 with just seconds remaining.
Victoria West was unable to score in the final seconds as San Marcos came away with the win.
“It feels good going into Christmas getting a win in our gym for the last home game of the year,” Bernal said. “It’s crazy how it’s ready to come, so it just feels amazing.”
Valenzuela and Aguilar both led the team in scoring with 10 points each while Cooper was third with eight points. Crayton led the team in rebounds with 11 while Bernal led the team in assists with five.
San Marcos will close out 2026 at the Hays Hangry Joes Christmas Classic.
Senior Elijah Valenzuela knocks down the threepointer in the Rattlers home game against Victoria West. Valenzuela scored a team high 10 points including making a three-pointer late in the fourth quarter to give the Rattlers the lead. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
