The Olton Mustang’s varsity basketball team saw their season come to an end on Friday night, as they fell to the Wellington Skyrockets, 63-55, in the Class 2A-DI Area round of the basketball play-offs.
The Mustangs finished the season 30-7 overall, 8-2 in district play.
Cix Killian opened the game with a put-back for the Skyrockets, but Brady Azam answered with a three from the right elbow for Olton to make the score, 3-2. Sebastian Sparkman followed it up with an outlet pass to Azam on the next play, as he finished off the fast-break with a lay-up to make the score, 5-2, with 6:58 remaining in the first quarter.
Wellington took a time out with 6:52 to play in the quarter, and out of the break, Matt Flores dropped in a put-back on the left side, off of a miss by Chris Cabrera to stretch their lead to, 7-2. Jimmy Cantu responded with a put-back off of his own miss, on the other end and he followed it up with a floater from the right side to cut the lead to, 7-6, with 4:31 remaining in the quarter.
Santi Jimenez grabbed an offensive rebound for Olton and dropped in the put-back, but Armando Hinojosa responded with a steal from Azam near mid-court, taking it the other way for a fast-break lay-up, trimming the lead to, 9-8. With 3:07 to play in the game, Sparkman grabbed a defensive rebound and was fouled on the fast-break attempt by Jimmy Cantu. He converted both free throws to push their lead back out to, 11-8.
Azam followed it up with a floater from the right side, off of the assist from Sparkman to push their lead to, 13-8. With just over a minute remaining in the first quarter, Callen Kane drove the right side for a lay-up for Wellington, but Sparkman closed out the quarter with a lay-up, putting the Mustangs in front, 15-10.
Sparkman dropped in a putback to open the second half, but Jimmy Cantu answered with a lay-up on the left side to make the score, 17-12. Hinojosa followed it up with a three from the right wing, as Olton took a time out with just under six minutes to play in the second quarter. Out of the break, Jimenez forced a 10-second call on Jimmy Cantu, but Wellington regained possession, as Killian drove the right side for a lay-up, drawing and-one on Cabrera. He missed the free throw, leaving the game tied, 1717.
With 4:13 to go in the quarter, Jimenez drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Azam for a lay-up and Flores followed it up with a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Jimenez, making the score, 2217. On the other end, Hinojosa was fouled on an attempt by Azam. He converted both shots at the line, trimming the lead to, 22-19.
Flores drained a fade-away in the lane for Olton and two plays later, Flores took a charge on Noah Cantu to regain possession for the Mustangs with 2:53 to play in the half. Jimmy Cantu answered with a jumper from the right wing for the Skyrockets, but Alex Green came right back down the floor for Olton with a lay-up on the right side, making the score, 26-21.
With under two minutes to play in the half, Jimenez grabbed a steal and dished it ahead to Sparkman, who was fouled on the shot attempt earning a trip to the free-throw line. He made one of two shots at the line and Green followed it up with a jumper from the right wing, off of the assist from Sparkman, making the score, 29-21.
With under a minute to play in the quarter, Hinojosa drew a block on Flores and knocked down both shots at the line to trim the lead to, 29-23, going into the locker room at halftime.
Jimmy Cantu got the third quarter going with a three from the top of the key, but Azam answered with a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Jimenez under the basket, making the score, 31-26. Killian dropped in a floater from the right side and with 4:40 to play in the third, Killian took a charge on Flores to regain possession for the Skyrockets.
Hinojosa and Jimmy Cantu dropped in back-to-back layups for Wellington, giving them the lead, 32-31, as Olton took a time out with 3:46 to play in the third.
Out of the break, Hinojosa drained a three from the left wing, off of the assist from Jimmy Cantu, and on their next possession, a save by Callen Kane under the basket landed with Killian, who dropped in a lay-up to make the score, 3731. Hinojosa dropped in a floater from the left side, pushing the Wellington lead to, 39-31.
With under a minute to go in the quarter, Sparkman dropped in a floater in the lane, drawing an and-one foul on the play. He converted the free throw to cut the lead to, 49-34, but Jimmy Cantu closed out the quarter with a lay-up off of the assist from Kamron Brooks, making the score, 41-34, going into the final quarter of play.
Jimenez opened the fourth quarter with a put-back off of a miss by Green and Sparkman took a charge on Kane, as Olton took a time out with 6:35 to play in the game. Out of the break, Green buried a three from the left side off of the assist from Sparkman, cutting the lead to, 41-39.
Noah Cantu turned the ball over with 6:05 to play, but Wellington would regain possession, as Jimmy Cantu banked in a floater from the left side, but Sparkman answered with a jumper in the lane, off of the assist from Jimenez, making it a one-possession game, 43-41. Jimmy Cantu knocked down a floater in the lane for Wellington, but Jimenez answered with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from Sparkman, making it a onepoint Wellington lead, 45-44, with 4:37 to play.
The back-and-forth game continued, as Kane split a pair of free throws after being fouled on an attempt byAzam, making the score, 46-46. But, on the other end, Sparkman drew a shooting foul on Brooks and converted both shots at the line to tie the game, 46-46, with 4:12 remaining. Jimmy Cantu knocked down a jumper from the right wing, but Jimenez fired right back with a lay-up on the left side to keep the game knotted, 48-48.
With 3:22 to play, Brooks dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Azam. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, 50-48. Sparkman dropped in a floater from the right side, drawing an and-one foul on the play. He missed the free throw, leaving the score, tied, 50-50. Jimmy Cantu responded with a floater from the right side, but missed the andone free throw, leaving the score, 52-50.
With 2:41 to play, Sparkman picked up a steal and got it ahead to Flores, who was fouled on an attempt by Hinojosa. He made both free throws to tie the game, 52-52. On the other end, Jimmy Cantu buried a three from the right wing, as Olton took a time out with 1:47 to play in the game, trailing, 55-52.
Out of the break, Kane scored on a time-in, but Olton responded, as Sparkman dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Killian. He converted the free throw to make it a one-possession game, 5755. Wellington took a time out with 1:03 to play, and out of the break, Killian dropped in a layup, making the score, 59-55.
After an Olton time out, Hinojosa hit Noah Cantu for a lay-up and Jimmy Cantu knocked down a pair of free throws to close out the game, as Olton fell to the Skyrockets, 63-55.
The Mustangs were led by Sparkman, who tallied 19 points. He was joined in double-figures scoring by Azam, who netted 11 points. Flores and Jimenez each chipped in nine points, while Green finished with seven points in the contest.