Regional Tournament Bound

The Olton Mustangs’ varsity basketball won a thriller in overtime on Tuesday over the Clarendon Broncos, 63-62, to claim the Class 2A Regional Quarterfinal trophy and punch their ticket to the 2A Regional Tournament.

With the win, the Mustangs improve to 22-11 overall on the season.

Olton senior, Jimmy Munoz, dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Wyatt Nelson to open the contest for the Mustangs, but the Broncos answered, as Mason Sims dropped in a bucket to tie the game, 2-2, with 5:26 to play in the opening quarter. Lyric Smith sent an outlet pass down court to Anthony Ceniceros, who dropped in the lay-up on the fast break and Prince followed it up with another lay-up to make it a, 6-2, scoring run for the Broncos with 3:28 to play in the quarter.

Senior, Nate Urbina, pulled up for a jumper from the free-throw line off of the assist from sophomore, Sebastian Sparkman, trimming the lead to, 6-4, with 3:13 to play in the first quarter. Smith hit Sims for a lay-up to push their lead back out to, 8-4, but on the other end, Nelson dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Urbina, drawing an and-one foul on Sims. He converted the free throw to make it a one-point game and on the next Olton possession, Sparkman was fouled on an attempt by Prince. He made one-of-two shots from the line to tie the game, 8-8.

Ceniceros quickly responded with a three from the right elbow for Clarendon and Smith followed it up with a drive and dump to Sims for a lay- up, stretching the Bronco’s lead back out to, 13-8. Urbina knocked down a jumper from the right side for the Mustangs and followed it up with a three from the left elbow to tie the game, 13-13, off of the assist from Sparkman. But, with time winding down in the quarter, Smith used a euro step to get to the basket for a lay-up, putting the Broncos in front, 15-13, as the first quarter came to a close.

Smith opened the second frame with a three over Alan Vasquez from the right elbow, but Urbina quickly answered with a lay-up off of the assist from Sparkman, making the score, 18-15, with 7:09 left to play in the first half. Smith drained another three from the top of the key, this time over the outsreteched hand of Johnathan Cooper and he followed it up with a jumper in the lane to give Clarendon their largest lead of the game, 23-15.

Olton called a time out with 5:43 to play in the first half, and out of the break, Munoz was fouled on an attempt by Prince, earning a trip to the line. He converted both shots from the line trimming the lead to, 23-17. Smith went over the top of a screen from Sims, before hitting Sims on a cut to the basket for a lay-up, but Sparkman answered with a pull-up from the right elbow to make the score, 2519, with 4:09 to play in the half.

Ceniceros drew a foul on Sparkman and made one-of-two shots from the line, but on the other end, Sparkman was fouled on an attempt by Sims. He would convert both free throws, cutting the lead to, 26-21, with 3:19 to play in the half. Nelson delivered a block on the defensive end for the Mustangs, which led to a floater in transition from the left elbow from Sparkman, trimming the lead to, 2623, as Clarendon took a time out with 2:45 remaining in the second quarter.

Out of the break, Urbina backed down Smith before hitting a turnaround fade-away jumper from the right wing to make it a one-point Bronco lead, 26-25. Ceniceros responded for Clarendon with a jumper from the right elbow, but Urbina came right back, pulling up for a jumper from the free-throw line to make the score, 28-27. With under a minute to play in the half, Jaxan McAnear buried a three from the left wing, making the score, 3127, going into the locker room at halftime.

Urbina dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Sparkman to open the second half, but Sims answered with a lay-up on the other end, making the score, 3329. With 6:42 to play in the third, a steal by Sparkman was passed ahead to Munoz, who was fouled on the fast- break attempt by McAnear. Munoz made one-oftwo from the line, and Sparkman followed it up with a drive on the left side of the basket for a lay-up to make it a one-point game, 3332.

With just over four minutes to go in the third quarter, Sparkman drained a jumper from the right wing off of the screen from Nelson to give Olton the lead, 34-33. McAnear dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Prince in transition, regaining the lead for Clarendon, 35-34, as the Broncos took a time out to talk things over with 3:40 left to play in the third.

Out of the break, Vasquez was fouled on an attempt by Prince, who picked up his third foul of the game. He made one-of-two shots from the line to tie the game, 3535. Prince drove the lane on the other end, dumping the ball off to Sims for a lay-up, but the Mustangs responded with under a minute to go in the quarter, as Munoz drove the left baseline dropping it off inside to Urbina for a lay-up to know the game once more, 37-37.

With under 20 seconds to play in the quarter, Smith was fouled on a put-back attempt by Raymond Ramirez and sank both free throws, but on the other end, Urbina knocked down a turnaround fade-away jumper from the left wing over Smith to beat the buzzer and tie the game, 39-39, going into the final quarter of play.

Sims was fouled on a put-back attempt by Nelson to open the fourth quarter; he split the attempts at the line to give Clarendon a one-point advantage, 40-39. Urbina answered with a jumper from the top of the key, but on the other end, Prince dropped in a lay-up in transition, as the back-and-forth match continued with 5:53 to play in the game.

Munoz drove the ride side for a lay-up to regain the lead for the Mustangs and Sparkman followed it up with a jumper on the right baseline to push their lead to three points, 45-42, with five minutes to go in the contest. Out of the break, Smith was fouled on a put-back attempt by Nelson, his third; he made the first and missed the second, but Prince was there for the offensive rebound, as Clarendon set their offense back up.

With 4:24 remaining, Prince drove in for a lay-up drawing an and-one foul on Vasquez, his third. Prince missed the free throw and the ball went out of bounce off of Clarendon, with the score tied, 4545. Olton took a time out with 4:12 left to play, and out of the break, Smith was fouled on an attempt by Nelson, who fouled out of the contest. Smith sank both free throws to put the Broncos up a pair, 47-45, with 3:16 left to play.

With under three minutes to go, Vasquez as fouled on an attempt by Sims, who fouled of the contest with his fifth foul. Vasquez split the attempts at the line to make it a one-point game, 47-46, as Clarendon took a time out with 2:47 left to play. Out of the break, Smith was fouled on an attempt by Munoz and converted both free throws, stretching the lead to three points, but on the other end, Urbina was fouled on an attempt by McAnear, earning a trip to the line. He made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 4947.

With under a minute to play, Smith picked up a steal from Urbina near half court and was fouled on an attempt by Vasquez, his fourth. Smith converted both free throws, extending the lead to four points, as Clarendon took a time out with 46 seconds left to play. Out of the break, Munoez was fouled on an inbound play by McAnear, his third. He sank both free throws and Olton took a time out to talk about their defensive strategy with the lead cut to, 5149.

Out of the break, Urbina picked up a steal near mid-court and was fouled on the floor by Smith earning a trip to the line. Urbina converted both free throws to tie the game, 51-51. Urbina grabbed a steal and the Mustangs called a time out to prevent a turnover with 15.6 seconds to play, but out of the break, Urbina’s shot from the top of the key was off the mark, forcing overtime.

In the extra period, Munoz drove in and banked in a lay-up, but on the other end, Smith was fouled on an attempt by Vasquez, who fouled out of the contest with 3:07 left to play in overtime. Smith sank both free throws to tie the game, 53-53. Ramirez was fouled on a defensive rebound by Ceniceros, earning a trip to the line. He converted both shots to make it a onepossession Mustang lead, 55-53.

Ceniceros was fouled on the floor by Urbina with 2:19 left to play in extra time. He converted both shots from the line to again tie the game. 55-55. With less than two minutes to go in overtime, Munoz drove the left baseline for a lay-up, but Ceniceros answered with a three from the right elbow to put the Broncos in front, 58-57, with under a minute to go.

Sparkman came right back with a lay-up on the right side to put Olton in front, 59-58, as Clarendon took a time out with 39.8 seconds to play in overtime. Out of the break, Smith dropped in a lay-up, but Sparkman again had the answer, as he dropped in a floater in the lane off of the assist from Munoz, putting Olton in front, 6160, with 19.1 seconds remaining.

Smith dropped in a lay-up with 11.1 seconds to play in overtime and Olton took a time out with 10.5 seconds remaining, looking to set up one last play. Out of the break, Sparkman took the inbound pass and raced down the court with no hesitation dropped in a floater from the right wing as time expired to send the Mustangs to the Regional Tournament, 63-62.

The Mustangs were led by Urbina, who netted 24 points and Sparkman, who finished with 19 points. Munoz tallied 13 points, while Ramirez and Vasquez each chipped in two points and Nelso finished with three points in the contest.

The Mustangs took on Plains in the 2A Regional Semi-Finals on Friday at the Texan Dome in Levelland. Results were not available at press time.