The #12 Olton Mustangs’ varsity basketball team suffered a heart-breaking defeat in the Class 2A Bi-district round of the basketball play-offs on Friday at LCU, as they fell to the Ralls Jackrabbits, 57-54.
With the loss, the Mustangs fmish the season 23-2 overall, 8-0 in district play.
Junior, Chris Urbina, was fouled on a put-back attempt by Xavier Garcia to open the contest. He converted both free throws to put the Mustangs up, 2-0, and on their next possession, senior, Jack Allcorn, found sophomore, Jake Soliz, on a two-on-one break for a lay-up to stretch their lead to, 4-0.
However, Coby Rendon answered with a put-back and Abraham Van Gundy and Rendon followed it up with back-to-back threes to give Rails their first lead ofthe game, 8-4. Van Gundy scored a lay-up off of the assist from Rendon, as Olton took a time out with 3 :01remaining in the opening quarter, trailing the Jackrabbits, 10-4.
Out of the break, Sergio Salinas knocked down a jumper from the left elbow and Chris Luna followed it up with a lay-up, off of the assist from Salinas, extending their lead to, 14-4.
Rails took a time out with 1:08 remaining in the first quarter and out of the break, Salinas dropped in a fast-break lay-up to stretch the lead to, 16-4. Senior, Israel Santillan, answered with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from senior, Bryson Ramage, but Rendon closed out the quarter with a lay-up to make the score, 18-7, heading into quarter number two.
Rendon knocked down a fadeaway jumper from the left elbow to open quarter number two, but on the other end, Israel Santillan was fouled on an attempt by Rendon. He converted both free throws and followed it up with a three from the lef elbow off of the assist from Allcorn to cut the lead to, 20-12, with 6:06 remaining in the first half.
On the following defensive possession, Ramage took a charge on Rendon and followed it up with a lay-up on the other end, drawing an and-one foul on, Van Gundy. He missed the free throw leaving the score, 20-14, with 5:28 to play in the half.
Allcorn drained a pull-up jumper from the right wing, off of the assist from Ramage and the Olton defense forced a Rails turnover on the next play, as Urbina followed it up with a short jumper from the right side, off of the outlet pass from Soliz to make it a one-possession game, 20-18. Rails took a time out with 4:35 remaining in the half, and out of the break, Salinas drew a blocking foul on Israel Santillan. He split the free throws to make it a three-point Rails lead, 21-18.
Soliz went coast-to-coast for a lay-up on the next play, but Van Gundy answered with a three from the right elbow, making the score, 24-20. Alex Santillan came right back with a three from the left elbow for Olton, off of the assist from Allcorn, but Rails answered again, as Luna knocked down a jumper from the left wing, off of the assist from Benjamin Njenga, making the score, 26-23.
With 1:40 remaining in the half, Urbina knocked down a short jumper from the left wing, but Ralls had the answered once more, as Luna burried a three from the right wing to make the score, 29-25. With 10.3 seconds to play in the half, Salinas was fouled on the floor by sophomore, Brennen Huguley, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He converted both free throws to extend their lead to, 31-25.
In the closing seconds of the half, Alex Santillan was able to penetrate the lane and dump the ball off to Huguley, who dropped in a lay-up to make the score, 31-27, heading into the locker room at halftime.
Allcorn opened the second half with a three from the right elbow, but Rails responded, as Salinas dropped in a lay-up on the other end to make the score, 33-30. Garcia was fouled by Ramage and split a pair of free throws, but Urbina answered with a floater on the other end, off of the assist from Ramage to make it a one-possession game, 34-32.
With under six minutes remaining in the third quarter, Israel Santillan was fouled on an attempt by Njenga. He converted both free throws to tie the game, but Rails quickly regained the lead, as Njenga dropped in a put-back to make the score, 36-34. With under four minutes to play in the third, Soliz stole the ball from Rendon and went coast-to-coast finishing off the play with a euro-step for a lay-up to knot the game, 36-36.
Van Gundy knocked down a jumper in the lane, but Soliz answered with a runner in the lane off of the assist from Allcorn to keep the game tied, 38-38, with 3:15 left to play in the quarter. Salinas knocked down a three from the right elbow for Rails to give them the lead, 41-38, but a save by Ramage on the other end found Alex Santillan, who dished it to Urbina for a lay-up to cut the lead to one point, 41-40.
Olton took a time out with 2:24 remaining in the quarter, and out of the break, Njenga scored a putback off of the miss by Salinas, gaining an extra possession for Rails. Rendon took a charge on Allcorn and followed it up on the offensive end with a three from the left elbow to close out the quarter with the Jackrabbits out in front, 46-40.
Soliz took a charge on Salinas to open the fourth quarter and Urbina followed it up with a runner from the left side to cut the lead to four points, 46-42. With 5:51 remaining, Rendon scored a putback off of the miss by Luna, but Olton answered, as Israel Santillan drove the lane and passed it to Ramage, who dropped in a lay-up on the back-door cut, making the score, 48-44.
Allcorn took a charge on Randon, but Garcia, on their next possession, picked up a loose ball and dropped in a lay-up to push their lead back out to, 50-44. Israel Santillan dropped in a lay-up for the Mustangs, but Rails came right back, as Salinas hit Luna for a wide open lay-up and Van Gundy followed it up with an ally-oop pass to Garcia for a lay-up, stretching their lead back out to, 54-46.
With 3:13 remaining, Ramage was fouled on the floor by Van Gundy, earning a one-in-one opportunity at the line. He split the attempts and followed it up with a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Van Gundy. He missed the free throw, leaving thes core, 54-49. Soliz scored a lay-up in transtion to make it a three-point game, but on the other end, Garcia was fouled on an attempt by Ramage. He made the first and missed the second, but was able to get his own rebound with the score, 55-51.
Allcorn picked up a steal with 1:49 remaining, but on the offensive end, Ramage was called for an offensive foul. With under one minute to play, senior, Aldo Vasquez picked up a steal and took it the other way for a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Salinas. He converted the free-throw to make it a one-point game, 55-54.
With 39.2 seconds remaining, Garcia was fouled on the floor by Israel Santillan in the double bonus. He converted both free throws to make it a three-point game, 57-54.
Olton had one last shot with 2.4 seconds remaining to tie the game and force overtime, but the shot by Vasquez was no good, as Rails stunned the Mustangs in the Bidistrict match-up, 57-54.
Urbina and Israel Santillan led the team in scoring with 12 points apiece, while Soliz joined them in double-figures scoring with 10 points. Ramage finished with seven points, while Allcorn chipped in five points, Alex Santillan and Vasquez each finished with three points and Huguley added two points in the contest.