Rattlers and Lady Rattlers hit the hardwood as teams look to make an impact for playoffs

The sound of basketballs hitting the gym floor was a familiar one heard around San Marcos as both the Rattlers and Lady Rattlers hit the hardwood to start the 2023-2024 season.

Though both teams had very different seasons last year, the squads will look to push their non-district slate in the hopes of competing not only for a playoff berth but a district championship, as well.

With the season starting up, here is how both teams are looking for the upcoming season.

Rattlers Reload for Encore

Not much can be said about the historic 20222023 season that hasn’t been said already.

Winning a modern day record of 38 games, San Marcos won the district championship for the first time since 2002, before qualifying for the Regional Tournament for the first time since 1982.

Despite graduating nine seniors from last year’s team, this year is about reloading rather than rebuilding for Head Coach Dan Miller.

“I was really proud of the off-season we had,” Miller said. “We did a good job in the weight room, our summer workouts and fall workouts. They have formed their own identity separate from last year while building off what we did last year. This is a new team and I like where we are at.”

San Marcos returns three players from last year’s roster in seniors Zyair Jolivette, Ory Williams and junior Cash Good.

The Rattlers also moved up several players from the junior varsity squads while also adding transfer Josiah Hollman, who comes in from Phoenix, Arizona.

With a new look roster set to take the floor, the Rattlers will have a change in dynamic.

“We have a variety on our team,” Miller said. “We some guys like Cash (Good) and Zyair (Jolivette) who had two years of playoff experience, Ory (Williams) who has some experience, some of our guys who came over from the JV team that had some really good summers to earn their spots, and then you have Josiah Hollman who moved over from Phoenix, who is going to be one of our key players and is only a junior.”

But despite the change in roster, the expectations of the program have not changed.

“What I like about this group is that we have a bunch of different guys in our starting group that can score,,” Miller said. “Whether it’s going inside to Ory, Cash setting people up or Zy & Donavan shooting from the perimeter or Josiah doing a little bit of everything. We are going to continue to do what we have done for the last two years playing at a fast pace with a lot of ball speed. This group really shares the ball so that is going to be fun to watch.”

Lady Rattlers look for rebound season It was a rough season for the Lady Rattlers last year as San Marcos experienced severe growing pains with a roster chock full of underclassmen and few upperclassmen.

But with a year under their belt, San Marcos has taken their growing pains and turned these into success.

As of this writing, the Lady Rattlers are off to a 2-0 start, with wins over San Antonio Taft and Smithson Valley.

With San Marcos racking up wins in the early season, including avenging last year’s loss to Smithson Valley, the Lady Rattlers have taken the next step forward for Head Coach Jermaine Ervin.

“I thought last year’s team liked each other, but this year’s team loves each other,” Ervin said. “The young girls have grown up with other young girls. Then the freshmen were growing up with sophomores. Now they are both sophomores and juniors. … They are used to playing with each other now. … There are a lot more conversations on the floor rather than frustrations. That is the biggest thing (right now) growth as basketball players and as teammates.”

The Lady Rattlers return six players from last year’s roster in junior Ezra Tobias, junior Aylecia Pierson, sophomore Azariah Fennell, sophomore Melayna Perkins, junior Brooklynn Harris and senior Bailey Guzman.

In addition to the roster are freshman Rileigh Good and junior Azya Gonzales.

Another key factor in the Lady Rattlers success is playing at a much faster pace while also playing loose and free.

“In our game against San Antonio Taft, I didn’t call a timeout,” Ervin said. “It was on purpose because we are going to play full court man, play as hard as we can, rotate people in and out and y'all are going to figure it out on the fly. You are going to play basketball.”

The reins taking off the team in the early portion of the season, San Marcos is starting to see success on the court.

“I think last year I was trying to save them from this and that, where they didn’t get a chance to figure it out on their own,” Ervin said. “This year I’m letting them figure it out during (nondistrict). As we get deeper into the season, then we will start the coaching cues and the teaching, fixing and tweaking all the little things. Right now I’m letting them play right now and they are doing a good job.”

cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc