The Final Buzzer!
The Retrograde
Cypress Springs Panthers came out on a 5-0 run to start the game off. Langham Creek Lobos didn’t get rattled and continued to work out their offense. The Lobos would eventually go on a nice little run to take the lead and didn’t look back in the first quarter of play, as they closed out the quarter with a five-point lead. The Lobos continued to pound it out on the interior offensively for easy looks and finished well as they would go on to increase their lead in the game. The biggest margin would be a 14-point deficit. The Panther's star player Stoney Hadnot couldn’t get anything to fall his way in the first half of play. The Panthers also had 10 big turnovers in the first half of play, which the Lobos capitalized on. The third-quarter comeback by the Panthers was big as they came out the gate with a full-court press that had the Lobos turning the ball over left and right. The Panthers quickly erased an 11-point deficit and eventually took the lead back in the third quarter of play as they scored 25 points in the quarter, however, the Lobos took the lead back and went into the fourth quarter with a 1-point advantage. The fourth quarter was like watching a heavy-weight bout as both teams were exchanging slugs with one another. Neither team would allow the opposing team to get over a 3-point advantage to keep the game within one or two possessions. The Panthers find themselves down by three with time ticking down in the game. Daveon Johnson takes a three-point shot and drains it tying up the game with just seconds remaining. Everyone in the stands is up on their feet and Tyrus Rathan-Mayes has the ball. He attacks the rim and misses the shot attempt. He grabs his own rebound and on a fadeaway jumper he hits it right as the buzzer sounds to win the game for Langham Creek. I can’t wait for part two of the district matchup.
Players who Stood Out
Tyrus Rathan-Mayes 6’6” SG | Langham Creek | Jr. BSH40
Tyrus was big in the first half for the Lobos. He also was a menace on the offensive glass as he pulled down 6 offensive rebounds in the game; 3 per half. He displayed his athleticism on a nice chase down block in the game. He also did well guarding a D1 signee as he gave him fits.
Iheirian Harrison 6’4” PF | Langham Creek | Jr.
Iheirian is a physical player. He looks like a gridiron player but he’s not. He was always available around the rim on the offensive side of the ball. He also was a reason for a lot of missed shots as he contested everything.
Hector Duran 6’5” G | Langham Creek | Fr.
This freshman was big for the Lobos. He hit some big trey balls. He found teammates for easy buckets. He also finished well around the rim. Defensively he used his wingspan to his advantage.
Stoney Hadnot 6’6” SF | Cypress Springs | Sr. BSH80 South Dakota State
Stoney struggled in the first half of the game as he went 0/5 from the floor. Although offensively he was struggling he was still a menace on the defensive side of the ball as he was swatting shots and getting steals. The second half he started to make an impact on the offensive side of the ball.
Landon Veal 6’7” F | Cypress Springs | So. BSH20
Landon displayed his ability to score on two levels in the game. In the first half it was the interior and the second half it was from the perimeter and interior. Defensively he is a shot altering and shot blocking machine.
Royal Mayfield 6’5” G | Cypress Springs | Jr.
Royal looked like a big guard. Has a solid feel for the game. If he gets a tough handle on the ball and work on his quick twitch he could be really tough next year as a senior. He makes plays for others and is their play initiator. He also can guard multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball.
Be sure to also watch the Full Game Highlight Recap that complements the article.
