MUSTANGS PUSH PAST WOLVERINES, 56-48

The Olton Mustangs’ varsity basketball team rallied past the Springlake-Earth Wolverines on Tuesday in Olton, 56-48.

Springlake-Earth senior, Evan DeLeon, got the Wolverines off and running Tuesday night, as he banked in a runner from the right side to put them up, 2-0. JJ Jaramillo followed it up with a layup off of a turnover and DeLeon picked up a steal from Olton senior, Chris Urbina, passing it ahead to senior, Keshan Holmes, who finished off the play with a lay-up to make it a, 6-0, scoring run to start the game for Springlake-Earth.

Chris Urbina ended the scoring drought with a three from the left wing for Olton, but Holmes answered with a put-back off of a miss by DeLeon, making the score, 8-3, with 6:27 remaining in the opening quarter. Olton took a time out to talk things over and out of the break, Alex Santillan drove the lane and kicked the ball out to senior, Andrew Martinez on the right wing, who buried a three to make it a one-possession game, 8-6.

With 5:46 remaining in the first quarter, Jaramillo dropped in a layup for the Wolverines, but Martinez answered on the other end with a three from the right wing, making it a one-point game, 10-9. Holmes fired right back with a three of his own from the right elbow, off of the assist from Jaramillo, but Chris Urbina quickly answered for Olton with a drive to the basket for a lay-up, making the score, 13-11, with Springlake-Earth in front.

With 4:09 left to play in the quar ter, DeLeon drained a three from the left elbow, but Olton again answered on the other end, as junior, Brennon Huguley scored a put-back off of a miss by Chris Urbina to make the score, 16-13. Huguley dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from junior, Jake Soliz and followed it up with another lay-up on their next possession to give Olton their first lead of the game, 17-16.

With under one minute to play in the quarter, senior, Kaden Castillo, pulled up for a three from the right elbow to regain the lead for Springlake-Earth, but Olton would fire back, as Santillan got the ball to Huguley in transition for a lay-up to give Olton the lead, 19-18. However, DeLeon was fouled at the buzzer on a threepoint attempt by Huguley. He made two-of-three at the line, to put Springlake-Earth in front, 20- 19, heading into quarter number two.

Jaramillo opened the second quarter with a three from the left elbow off of the assist from senior, Trace Goodman to extend their lead to, 23-19. Chris Urbina dropped in a baby-hook shot from the left side for Olton and Nick Casares knocked down a runner from the right side to tie the game, 23-23. Springlake-Earth took a time out with 4:30 to play in the first half, and out of the break, Derrick Rosales grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback attempt by Huguley. He split the attempts and followed it up with a lay-up on their next possession, off of the assist from Castillo to give the Wolverines a three-point advantage, 26-23, with 3:10 left to play in the second quarter.

Chris Urbina took the ball to the hoop for a lay-up, but on the other end, Holmes was fouled on an attempt by Chris Urbina; he split the free throws to make it a one-possession game, 27-25. With under one minute remaining in the half, DeLeon dropped in a teardrop in the lane, but Huguley dropped in a put-back at the buzzer off of a miss by Soliz to make it a one-possession Wolverine lead, 29-27, going into the locker room at halftime.

Olton opened up the second half with a steal by Chris Urbina, who got it ahead to Martinez for a lay-up to tie the game, 29-29. Santillan took a charge on Castillo, but the Mustangs couldn’t capitalize, as Goodman took a charge on Martinez. Goodman dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Holmes to put Springlake-Earth back in front, but it was short-lived, as Martinez dropped in a scoop lay-up to tie the game once more, 31-31, with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter.

Castillo drove the left side of the basket for a lay-up, but Santillan drained a three from the right elbow to give Olton a one-point advantage, 34-33. Holmes pump faked in the lane and dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from DeLeon to put the Wolverines back in front, 35-34, but on the other end, Joe Canchola was fouled on an attempt by Castillo and sank both free throws to put Olton back on top, 36-35.

With under four minutes to play in the quarter, Alex Alvarez dropped in a bucket to give Springlake-Earth a brief lead, but on the other end, Chris Urbina knocked down a step-back jumper from the free-throw line, making the score, 38-37, in favor of the Mustangs.

Olton scored back-to-back buckets with under one minute to play to stretch their lead to, 42-37, as the third quarter came to a close.

In the fourth quarter, Jaramillo scored a put-back off of a miss by Castillo, but on the other end, Canchola was fouled on an at tempt by Castillo; he sank both shots from the free-throw line to make the score, 44-39, with 6:32 left to play in the game.

Castillo dropped in a fast-break lay-up off of the assist from DeLeon, and Olton took a time out with 4:53 left to play in the game, up, 44-41. Out of the break, Chris Urbina picked up a steal and drove to the basket for a lay-up to make it a five-point Olton lead, but Springlake-Earth answered, as Castillo hit Rosales with a long pass for a lay-up to cut the lead to three points, 46-43.

Chris Urbina was fouled on the floor by Rosales, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line; he sank both shots to push their lead to, 48-43. With 3:46 left to play, DeLeon drove the lane and kicked it out to Jaramillo, who buried a three from the left elbow, cutting the lead to, 48-46.

Chris Urbina dropped in a lay up on the left side over Rosales, but with 1:12 left to play, Huguley was called for a technical foul sending DeLeon to the line for a pair of free throws. He sank both shorts to make it a one-possession game, 50-48, but with under one minute remaining, Chris Urbina dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Rosales. He drained the free throw to make the score, 53-48, as Springlake-Earth took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Martinez split a pair of free throws and Chris Urbina sank a pair to close out the contest with Olton on top, 56-48.

Chris Urbina led the Mustangs in scoring with 22 points, and he was joined in double-figures scoring by Martinez, who netted 11 points and Huguley, who finished with 10 points. Canchola tallied six points, while Santillan added three points and Casares finished with two points in the contest.