By Moses Leos III.
With the game postponed by Friday’s ice storm, Schertz Clemens and Hays High boys basketball fans made their way to Bales Gym for a rare Saturday contest.
Despite the delay, the team treated fans to a tense, drama-filled contest. In the end, a third-quarter surge by Hays guided them to an 82-75 upset of no. 13 Clemens.
From the onset, Clemens held momentum and tempo. Their frenetic style of play created challenges for Hays.
Hays High senior point guard Stephen Ayala (left) attempts to keep a ball inbounds during the Rebels’ weather-postponed game against Schertz Clemens on Saturday. Despite trailing at halftime, a third-quarter rally helped the Rebels upset the state ranked Buffaloes 82-75 at Bales Gym. (Photo by Rafael Marquez) |
Rebel head coach Robert Lucero worked to mimic Clemens’ style during practice. However, it was different at full speed.
“The pace of play is what takes getting used to. Not many teams run as hard as they do,” Lucero said. “I think that was a plus for us, getting ready for the intensity level. Practice got us ready.”
The Buffaloes intensity helped them take an early lead; a three-pointer by Sam Kearns put them ahead 17-8. Clemens ended the first quarter with a 19-13 advantage. Kearns finished with 16 points in the ball game.
Clemens’ lead continued to build in the second, spurred by post Cayne Edwards, who finished with a game high 30 points.
While Hays tried to stop Clemens’ offense, the Rebels couldn’t bypass Clemens’ aggressive defense, giving Clemens’ more chances on offense.
For guards Nathaniel Alvarado and Jacob Rodriguez, the key for a comeback was playing their brand of basketball.
“We had to get into our game. When we got into their game, it takes away from ours,” Alvarado said. “We just had to get [back] into our game.”
The Rebels rallied at the 6:29 mark of the second quarter, going on a three minute, 8-2 run, capped off by an old fashioned three-point play by Rodriguez. Hays trailed by only four, 31-27.
Clemens then surged one last time, going on a 7-4 run to lead 38-31 at halftime.
Things seemed to stay the status quo to start the third, as Clemens hit a quick bucket.
But Hays rapidly captured momentum, going on a 12-2 spurt. It was rounded out by a three-pointer by Alvarado, giving Hays its first lead at 43-42 with 4:48 in the third. Alvarado finished with 13 points.
Rodriguez, who scored a team high 25 points, attributed the team’s success to unselfish play.
“We were sharing the ball, not being selfish and getting to the extra man to get the bucket,” Rodriguez said.
According to Lucero, playing a more spread out, simplified offense helped the Rebels work past Clemens’ defense. On the opposite end, slowing down the Clemens’ guards played a key role in halting their progress.
“I think we made sure we could slow them down, so they couldn’t run on us, so our bigs could get set on defense,” Lucero said.
Hays continued hitting clutch shots, aided by Rodriguez, Chris Gonzalez and post Hayden Cagle, who had two big slam dunks in the ball game.
The Rebel lead swelled to as much as nine in the fourth quarter. Clemens hung on, eventually cutting Hays’ lead to three points late in the game.
But the Rebels held firm, holding late to secure the upset win.
Lucero and the Rebels now look ahead to the final four games of the year. The key will be progressing one game at a time.
“For us, the best thing is we are getting into a groove and we are getting better,” he said. “That has a lot of factors. We can still get better.”
