SMHS GIRLS BASKETBALL
San Marcos remains in the hunt for a district championship with two games remaining
Clutch three-point shooting gave the San Marcos girls varsity basketball team the edge in its 61-49 win over East Central High School on Tuesday at the Snake Pit.
In the first half, both teams traded offensive blows. Despite trailing early in the first quarter, the Lady Rattlers battled back, getting downhill and making the most of their offensive opportunities. Players began to look comfortable in the half-court, getting to their spots and scoring efficiently.
A once six-point deficit had now turned into a three-point lead for San Marcos. The Hornets, desperate for a score, briefly regained the lead in the second thanks to a couple of scores within the paint. Quickly storming back down the court, the Lady Rattlers put together a scoring run of their own to go up by one late in the second quarter. The first half ended with San Marcos leading the Hornets 2827 at the break.
Junior guard Rileigh Good attacks the paint in the Lady Rattlers home district game against East Central. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
After an extremely competitive contest, the Lady Rattlers found themselves tied with the Hornets at 45 apiece. A defensive battle had come down to the wire as San Marcos looked to further advance in its pursuit of a district championship. Forcing a turnover, San Marcos quickly stormed down the court and scored a layup to take a twopoint lead with five minutes left.
The Lady Rattlers, forcing another turnover, managed to gain possession and knock down a clutch threepointer to create a fivepoint cushion. Just as the Snake Pit began to erupt with cheer, San Marcos knocked down another three to effectively seal the game. East Central attempted to reduce the deficit, but failed to bring the game within striking distance.
“I thought we had a really great fourth quarter,” said head coach Cooper Haralson after the victory. “It wasn’t pretty, but overall, a win is a win.”
San Marcos outmatched the Hornets on both sides of the ball down the stretch. The team consistently created turnovers and scored key buckets when it mattered most. The Hornets scored just five points in the fourth as opposed to the Rattlers’ 20. Despite facing a deficit throughout the game, the team managed to display an elite level of defensive and offensive intensity late.
“It’s kind of like a storm,” Fennell said of the game’s fourth quarter. “It gets a little bit shaky, a little crazy, but then it eventually calms down, and it’s amazing to see we were able to remain calm.” The Lady Rattlers will take on Judson High School at 7 p.m. on Friday.
District 29 Standings Cibolo Steele 10-1 Converse Judson 8-2 San Marcos 8-2 New Braunfels Canyon 4-6 San Antonio East Central 3-7 Buda Johnson 3-7 Schertz Clemens 0-11
Senior guard Rianna Garcia goes up for the layup in the Lady Rattlers home district game against East Central. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
