Goldthwaite boys topple San Saba in OT for 29-2A hoops lead
GOLDTHWAITE – Goldthwaite boys’ basketball coach Jeffrey Head was asked what his Eagles’ 52-48 overtime win Tuesday night over the two-time defending district champion San Saba Armadillos meant. After all, seven games still remain in the District 29-2A boys’ schedule, including a rematch with the Armadillos on Feb. 11 in San Saba.
“It means nothing,” said Head, whose Eagles improved to 5-0 in district while San Saba fell to 4-1.
“Then why are you so excited?” someone asked.
“Because this game was the way basketball is supposed to be played,” Head said. “We had to play tough and hardnosed and aggressive. We treated every possession like the game was on the line. We had to run and keep making hard cuts and setting screens for four quarters – actually four and a half.”
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Cason Guthrie, Luke Sanderson and Seth Gardner combined to make six of seven free throws in overtime, and Guthrie added an inside basket as Goldthwaite outscored San Saba 8-4 in the four-minute extra period. Trailing 50-45 in overtime, the Armadillos allowed the Eagles to spread the court and expire 1:13 of the final 1:21 before fouling.
Sanderson made two free throws that extended Goldthwaite’s lead to 52-45 with eight seconds to play, and even though San Saba guard Reagan Mejia hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer, it only pulled the Armadillos within 52-48.
The win gave the Eagles (13-10 overall) their second straight win over the Armadillos (12-8), following last year’s 48-45 decision – also in Goldthwaite – over the then-reigning Region IV-2A champion San Saba club.
The game between longtime rivals located just 22 miles apart was a knockdown, drag-out physical affair in which both teams played tight defense. Goldthwaite had made 24 3-point shots in its previous two games, but San Saba face guarded Sanderson and Jackson Patrick, the Eagles’ top 3-point threats. Patrick managed to make three 3-pointers and scored 15 points, but Sanderson was held without a trey.
The 5-foot-9 freshman found other ways to score, though, posting up for inside baskets and making free throws. Sanderson’s two free throws with 15 seconds left in regulation tied the score at 44 and forced overtime. Sanderson finished with 14 points, and Guthrie added 11 points, including five in overtime.
Mejia, the reigning district Offensive MVP, scored 19 points for San Saba. But when Goldthwaite switched to a zone defense in the final 15 seconds of regulation, Mejia dribbled out the clock without attempting a shot.
Dylan Ware, the Armadillo’s 6-foot-6 post, was limited to nine points as Goldthwaite’s shorter post players tried to keep a body on the slender center in the paint. Noah Martinez added 11 points for San Saba.
The Eagles fell behind 12-4 in the first quarter against the Armadillos’ aggressive defense that was limiting open looks for Patrick and Sanderson. Goldthwaite led only once for 14 seconds in the first half, and it took until the 5:18-mark of the fourth quarter for the Eagles to build a 42-37 lead.
But Goldthwaite’s next six possessions included two turnovers and five straight missed field goal attempts. San Saba rallied for a 44-42 lead on baskets by Martinez, Drake Bryant and Mejia.
San Saba girls 45, Goldthwaite 34
Madison Shahan and Landri Glover scored 11 points each to lead a balanced offense as the No. 21-ranked San Saba Lady Dillos turned back the Goldthwaite Lady Eagles 45-34 in their District 29-2A girls’ game Tuesday.
San Saba was coming off a district loss Friday to Mason, and Tuesday’s win kept the Lady Dillos (22-6 overall, 6-1 in district) tied with No. 15 Harper and No. 20 Mason for the 29-2A lead.
The Lady Dillos’ quick defensive pressure forced 30 turnovers by the Lady Eagles, who managed to remain in contention until a 3-point shot by Shahan and two free throws each by Glover and Nojemi Martinez extended San Saba’s lead to 43-31 with 1:58 to play.
“This was what we needed after a tough loss,” Lady Dillos’ first-year coach Chris Jost said. “We came back with a great defensive effort tonight. We didn’t shoot that great, but we made some timely free throws and got some key rebounds to keep them (Lady Eagles) at bay.”
Goldthwaite fell to 18-10 overall and 3-4 in district. The Lady Eagles were the fourth state-ranked team from District 29-2A until a loss to Harper last week.
“I like being in a district with a lot of tough teams,” Jost said. “It makes those games more meaningful. They have a playoff atmosphere, and they help you prepare for the postseason.”
Goldthwaite got 10 points from guard Hope Hermesmeyer and nine points from guard Lainey Jernigan, but the turnovers forced the Lady Eagles to play from behind after the first quarter.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Goldthwaite boys topple San Saba in OT for 29-2A hoops lead
