Staff Report.
With big names such as San Antonio Madison and Converse Judson in their pool, the Hays Rebels had their hands full at the Matador Classic in Seguin, held Dec. 6-8.
Despite the tough road, Hays finished the weekend with a 2-2 mark.
Hays began with an early Friday morning contest against New Braunfels Caynon, which Hays dropped 62-48.
Rebel head coach Robert Lucero said the Rebels were “a little asleep,” for their first game. He credited Canyon’s ability to play well.
Hays’ Jacob Rodriguez (15) maneuvers down court during Hays’ game against Copperas Cove on Nov. 9. The Rebels competed at the Matador Classic in Seguin from Dec. 5-7, finishing the tournament with a 2-2 record. (Photo by Rafael Marquez) |
The team had to wake up for their second game against San Antonio Madison, which is ranked 20th in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) poll.
Twenty-two points scored by Hays in the second and fourth quarters helped them upset the Mavericks 76-63. The Rebels were aided by the scoring of Nathaniel Alvarado and Jacob Rodriguez, who had 22 and 24 points respectively.
Momentum from the Madison win carried over into their game with Converse Judson, which is the fourth best team in 5A, according to the TABC.
Hays hung tough, trailing the Rockets by only 10 after the first quarter; they trailed by only five at halftime.
Judson’s size and talent proved too much; they won 67-57.
Lucero said the offense shot the ball well in the Judson game. Rodriguez, who was named to the all-tournament team, led Hays with 27 points.
But Judson’s size in the middle was a big factor. Led by a 25 point effort from 6’ 9” forward David Wacker, the Rebels struggled to find success in the paint.
“They don’t allow many second opportunities,” Lucero said. “They have a good inside game, and they were well coached. This was a good test [for us].”
In their final game, Hays defeated Cibolo Steele 75-55.
Overall, Lucero was pleased to get in four games against top flight opponents. He said the biggest takeaway was the ability to incorporate their entire roster into different situations.
Lucero said the team played well on defense during the tournament. However, he will work with his team on executing effectively in the half court.
The play of Rodriguez also played a mitigating factor in their success. Rodriguez finished with 74 total points; an average of 18.5 points per game.
Lucero lauded his ability to not only score points, but to effectively play off the ball as well.
“[Jacob] forces defenses to figure out how they want to defend him,” he said. “He gets good push off the ball and transitions well.”
Not lost was the play of the team, with Lucero saying he had “multiple players” that were effective in many situations.
Hays will next host the Rebel Classic, which begins Thursday. They begin with state ranked 5A opponent Harker Heights.
