The Olton Mustang’s varsity basketball team throttled Post, 70-31, in the Class 2ADI Bi-district round of the Basketball play-offs on Tuesday to advance to the Area Round.
“We came out really fast and set the tone early,” Head Coach Bobby Workman said. “Getting into the paint and getting consecutive stops; I think the way that we started was key for us, because we knew if we let Post hang around, they’re good enough to steal one.”
With the win, the Mustangs improve to 30-5 overall on the year.
Sebastian Sparkman dropped in a floater in the lane to get the Mustangs on the board, but Draven Gonzales answered with a three from the left elbow to give the Antelopes the lead, 3-2. Matt Flores responded with a bucket for Olton to regain the lead, but it was short- lived, as Gonzales knocked down a jumper from the left elbow to make the score, 5-4.
Gonzales was fouled on an attempt wit 6:10 to play in the opening quarter; he split the attempts at the line to make it a one-possession Post lead, but Chris Cabrera dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Flores to tie the game, 6-6. Sparkman hit a cutting Cabrera for a lay-up and on their next possession, Flores was fouled on an attempt by Max Cole. He converted both shots at the line to stretch their lead to, 10-6.
Gonzales dropped in a floater from the right wing for Post, but Santi Jimenez came right back down the floor for Olton, driving the lane and kicking the ball to Brady Azam for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 12-8, with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter. Jimenez kept it going with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Flores, as Post took a time out with 3:25 to play in the quarter, trailing, 15-8.
Out of the break, Sparkman drained a three from the right elbow, and on their next possession, Flores was fouled on a put-back attempt by Luca Perez. He split the shots at the line, stretching their lead to, 19-8. With just over a minute to play in the quarter, Flores buried a three from the left elbow, off of the assist from Sparkman and Sparkman followed it up with a dish to Flores, who used a euro-step to get to the basket for a lay-up, extending their lead to, 24-8.
Gonzales was fouled on an attempt by Zayden Falcon. He made both shots at the line to close out the quarter with Olton leading, 24-10.
Sparkman opened the second frame with a three from the right elbow, but on the other end, Alek Garcia dropped in a lay-up in the lane to trim the lead to, 2712. With 5:37 remaining in the half, Cabrera and Azam dropped in back-to-back layups for the Mustangs, pushing their lead to, 31-12.
Garcia was fouled on a three-point attempt by Azam; he made one-of-three shots at the line, trimming the lead to, 31-13, with 4:19 to go in the half. On the other end, Azam was fouled on a putback attempt by Perez. He converted both shots at the line, making the score, 3313, as Post took a time out with 3:31 to play in the half.
Out of the break, Gonzales drove the right side for a layup, and on their next possession, Sean Ramos was fouled on an attempt by Sparkman. He converted both shots at the line, cutting the lead to, 33-17. With under two minutes to play in the half, Falcon knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, off of a long pass from Sparkman and Cabrera followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Flores to put the Mustangs in front, 37-17, going into the locker room at halftime.
Azam banked in a jumper from the left side to open the second half, and Sparkman knocked down a jumper in the lane to stretch their lead to, 41-17. With 5:52 to play in the third quarter, Flores took a charge on Perez to regain possession for Olton, and Jimenez followed it up with a lay-up to make the score, 43-17. Perez dropped in a lay-up in the lane for Post and the Antelopes followed it up with another fast-break bucket to cut the lead to, 4321.
Azam responded with a bucket for Olton and on the next play, he was fouled on an attempt by Cole, earning a trip to the line. He sank both shots at the line, making the score, 47-21, with 3:20 left to play in the third. Post took a charge on Falcon and after the play, Post’s Coach was assessed a Technical Foul sending Sparkman to the line for a pair of free throws. He converted both shots at the line, extending their lead to, 49-21.
Flores was fouled on the floor by Ramos with 2:46 to play in the quarter. He sank both shots at the line, but on the other end, Cole dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Ramos, making the score, 51-23. With 1:39 to play in the third, Cole was fouled on an attempt by Cabrera. He made one-of-two shots at the line, trimming the lead to, 5124.
With under a minute to go in the quarter, Gonzales drew a blocking foul on Falcon, his third. He sank both free throws to trim the lead to, 51-26. With time winding down in the quarter, Alex Green drew a block on Jeffrey; he converted both shots at the line, but in the closing seconds of the quarter, Gonzales drew a shooting foul on Cabrera, his second. He split the free throws making the score, 53-27, going into the final quarter of play.
Sparkman drove the lane, dishing a no-look pass to Cabrera, who was fouled on the shot attempt by Perez, his fourth foul of the game, to open the fourth quarter. Cabrera made one-of-two shots at the line and Azam followed it up with a putback and Sparkman kept it going with a jumper from the free-throw line, making the score, 58-27, with 5:23 left to play.
Sparkman drove the lane, kicking it out to Flores, who knocked down a jumper from the left elbow, as Post took a time out with 4:53 to play in the game, trailing, 6027. Out of the break, Azam dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Flores and Sparkman drove the lane on their next possession, dumping the ball to Azam for a layup, pushing their lead to, 6427.
Olton took a time out with 3:12 to play, to get some subs in the game, and out of the break, Gonzales drove the lane finishing through contact for a lay-up to trim the lead to, 64-29. Gonzales followed it up with a finger-roll in the lane, but Falcon answered with a put-back off of a miss by Wyatt Francis, stretching the lead back out to, 66-31, with under two minutes to go.
Olton took a time out to sub again with 1:58 remaining, and out of the break, Burns grabbed a steal and took it to the hoop for a fastbreak lay-up to push their lead to, 68-31. With time winding down, Seaton grabbed a steal and dished it ahead on the break to Francis, who dropped in a lay-up, as Olton took down Post, 70-31, to stay alive in the play-offs.
The Mustangs were led by Azam, who tallied 16 points, and was one-of-four Mustangs in double-figures scoring. Sparkman and Flores each netted 14 points, while Cabrera poured in 11 points.
Jimenez chipped in five points, while Falcon contributed four points, while Green, Francis and Burns each finished with two points in the contest.
The Mustangs clashed with Wellington on Friday in the Area Round at Canyon High School. Results were not available at press time.
“It’s two teams with the same style,” Coach Workman said. “They play extremely hard and have really good guard play. They rebound the ball well for their size, so it’s going to be a four-quarter battle, but when you get into the play-offs, that is kind of what you expect.”