The Olton Mustangs’ varsity basketball team notched their first win of the season last Tuesday when they defeated the Sundown Roughnecks, 61-39, at home.
With the win, the Mustangs improve to, 1-1 overall on the season.
Branson Sanders dropped in a floater from the right side to put Sundown in front, 2-0, to open the contest, and a few plays later, a technical was assessed to Jimmy Munoz for reaching over the baseline on an inbound play. Adan Escamilla went to the free-throw line and sank both shots to extend their lead to, 4-0, with 5:37 to play in the opening quarter.
Johnathan Cooper was fouled on a put-back attempt by Sanders and made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 4-1. Munoz buried a three from the right wing off of the assist from Nate Urbina to tie the game, but Evans answered right back for Sundown with a three of his own from the right elbow, making the score, 7-4.
Sundown took a time out with 4:21 to play in the first quarter, and out of the break, Munoz drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Cooper for a lay-up, cutting the lead to one point, 7-6. Brady Azam drained a three from the right wing off of the assist from Cooper to put Olton in front, 9-7 and with two minutes remaining in the quarter, Matias Flores was fouled on the floor by Escamilla earning a trip to the line. He converted oneof- two shots from the line, making the score, 10-7.
Evans dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Escamilla, but on the other end, Cooper dropped in a lay-up in transition, pushing their lead to, 12-9, with 1:31 to play in the quarter. Evans was fouled on an attempt by Cooper with 1:22 to play in the quarter and sank both free throws to make it a one-point game, 12-11, but on the other end, Cooper was fouled on an attempt by Miller, putting him on the line for free throws. He would make one-of-two shots at the line, pushing their lead back out to, 13-11.
With under a minute to play in the quarter, Jayson Martinez scored a lay-up in transition, but on the other end, Munoz was fouled on the floor by Escamilla and split the free throws, giving Olton a one-point lead, 14-13, as the first quarter came to a close.
Wyatt Nelson opened the second frame with a fade- away jumper in the lane for Olton, but on the other end, Martinez was fouled on a put-back attempt by Munoz. He made one-of-two shots at the line, but Azam answered with 5:32 to play in the half, as he buried a three from the right wing off of the assist from Urbina, pushing the lead back out to, 1914.
Sanders stole the inbound pass from Olton, taking it the other way, but he was fouled on the fast-break by Urbina and made one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 19-15. With 3:37 to play in the half, Azam was fouled on an attempt by Evans and converted both free throws to stretch the lead to, 2115. Evans responded with a layup for Sundown, and on the next play, Evans was fouled on an attempt by Flores. He would make one-of-two shots from the line, cutting the lead to, 21-18, with 2:40 to play in the half.
Cooper split a pair of free throws for Olton, after being fouled by Evans and the Mustangs took a time out with 2:16 remaining in the half. Out of the break, Zayden Falcon drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Urbina, extending the lead to, 2518. Sanders dropped in a lay-up off of a steal for Sundown, but on the other end, Falcon was fouled on the floor by Escamilla, who picked up his fourth foul of the game. Falcon split the free throws, pushing the lead to, 26-20.
With time winding down in the half, Hayden Powell dropped in a floater from the right side for the Roughnecks, but on the other end, Flores was fouled on the floor by Sanders earning a trip to the line. He converted one-of-two free throws to make the score, 27-22, going into the locker room at halftime.
Evans opened the second half with a put-back in the lane for Sundown, but Urbina responded with a jumper from the right wing to make the score, 29-24. Sanders banked in a runner off the glass and Miller followed it up with a lay-up off of a steal to make it a one-point game, 29-28, as Olton took a time out with 4:48 to play in the third quarter.
Out of the break, Martinez dropped in a lay-up in transition to take the lead for the Roughnecks, but it was short-lived, as Urbina knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, making the score, 31-30, as the Mustangs regained control. With 2:35 to play in the third, Cooper dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Nelson, drawing an and-one foul on Jaxon Rodriguez. He converted the free throw to stretch their lead to, 3430.
With under two minutes remaining in the quarter, Copper was fouled on a put-back attempt by Rodriguez and split the free throws, making the score, 35-30. Sundown took a time out with 1:57 to play in the quarter, and out of the break, Martinez drove to the basket, absorbing contact as he dropped in a lay-up to make it a one-possession game, 35-32.
Miller followed it up with a layup on the right side to make it a one- point game, but Nelson dropped in a put-back for Olton off of a miss by Azam, extending their lead to, 37-34. Flores drove the lane and kicked it out to Cooper, who knocked down a short jumper from the left wing to close out the third quarter with Olton in front, 39-34.
Evans knocked down a fadeaway in the lane to make it a threepoint Olton lead, but Azam dropped in a runner from the right side and Urbina followed it up with a jumper from the right elbow to stretch the lead to, 43-36. Cooper kept the rally going with a jumper from the right wing, as Sundown took a time out with 5:52 to play in the game.
Out of the break, Cooper pulled up for a three, but faked the shot from the elbow, as he fired the pass down low to Nelson for a lay-up, pushing their lead out to, 47-36, with 5:29 to play in the game. Munoz picked up a steal, bouncing it to Azam on the two-on-one break for a lay-up, stretching the lead to, 49-36. Evan dropped in a floater in the lane for Sundown to end the scoring drought, but Azam answered with a three from the left wing, as Olton took a time out with 3:55 to play, leading the Roughnecks, 52-38.
Out of the break, Cooper dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Urbina and Azam followed it up with a put-back off of his own miss to make the score, 56-38. With under two minutes remainig, Urbina drained a three from the right elbow off of the assist from Adrian Reyna and Munoz followed it up with a lay-up, stretching the lead to, 61-38.
Caleb Clausen split a pair of free throws for Sundown, as Olton went on to take the contest, 61-39.
The Mustangs were led by Azam, who netted 17 points, and Cooper who tallied 16 points. Urbina chipped in nine points, while Munoz and Nelson each tallied six points, and Falcon contributed four points. Flores added two points in the contest.
The Mustangs were at Dimmitt on Tuesday to take on the Bobcats. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Thursday when they begin play at the Nazareth Tournament.