The varsity boys basketball team slipped past McCallum with a 57-51 overtime win, Tuesday, Feb. 21. This was the first time a team advanced to the playoffs and the first playoff win for the school.
“It was an awesome game, [our] first playoff game, first playoff win,” head coach Shane Krause said. “There’s going to be a lot of playoff games at Rouse but only one first.”
At the Delco Center in Austin, the team led by six at halftime, 28-22. But a five-point lead at the beginning of the fourth dwindled as the Raiders turned the ball over several times to allow McCallum to hit shots and catch up. With less than a minute left, the Knights had pulled ahead 45-42.
Coming back down the court, senior Matt Martinez hit a three-pointer to tie the game.
“The shot that Matt made was just an incredible shot, a clutch shot from a clutch player,” Krause said.
McCallum got the ball back with time, but couldn’t score in regulation, sending the game into a four-minute overtime. With 1:12 left, the Raiders were down by one. With less than a minute left, Martinez was fouled and hit a free throw to tie the game at 49. McCallum got the ball back with 33.4 seconds, but let the clock wind down, not getting a shot off in time, and sending the game into a second overtime.
“We were so thankful we got one more chance,” Martinez said. “We all ran to the bench, and we’re [saying] we didn’t want it to end.”
In the second overtime, the momentum shifted to the Raiders when senior Johnny Bush hit a three-pointer to put the team ahead by one.
“I just got in the game and was helping the team out,” Bush said. “I was open and I got a good look. It felt good. I knew we had a one point lead and I know there was lot of time left.”
The Knights would then pass the ball out of bounds and be forced to foul Martinez who hit both of his free throws. McCallum would then travel and have to foul junior Wesley Lewis who hit one of two free throws to make the score 57-51.
“I missed the one [free throw] before so I wanted to seal the game and be home free,” Martinez said. “It was satisfying and a great feeling to seal the game and get the win.”
The Raiders are now 26-6 overall and will play San Antonio Brennan in the area round Friday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. at San Marcos High School.
“We played as hard as we good,” Bush said. “We didn’t want to lose in the first round, we’ve worked four years. We felt that would be a disappointment.”
