Friday, May 3, 2024
Waco La Vega got a basket on a runner from Qwae Willis in the closing seconds of regulation to sneak past Gatesville 64-62 in Tuesday’s District 23-4A boys basketball contest.
Gatesville’s Hornets (26-6, 5-3) took a 62-59 lead with 39 seconds left in the game on a layup from Tyler Shea before the Pirates scored the final five points for the win. La Vega’s Eythan Thompson converted a three-point play with 26 seconds left to tie it at 62.
Following a timeout, Willis took the inbound pass, scooted down the sideline, and hit a running 10-foot shot for a 64-62 lead. Gatesville’s final desperation attempt at a game-tying bucket came up short.
For the second time in three games, the Hornets found themselves on the opposite end of last-minute magic after falling to Waco Connally Jan. 31 in double overtime. They’ve also picked up three district wins by virtue of their own last-minute heroics. The Hornets rallied from nine points down in the final minute to beat Salado in January, beat La Vega on a last-second bucket in the first matchup, and held off Robinson’s last second game-winning attempt in their first encounter.
Banner Allman scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Tuesday’s loss. It was his fifth 20-point game in district play, and the senior guard leads 23-4A in scoring with an average of 20.5 points per contest.
Shea scored 19 points, pulled down six rebounds, and had five assists in the loss. Trae Miller turned in his second straight strong effort, scoring six points and dishing out eight assists with just one turnover.
The loss dropped the Hornets into a tie for second place in District 23-4A play with the Pirates (18-11, 5-3). If both teams win their two remaining district games they will have a one-game playoff to determine the district’s No. 2 seed for the playoffs.
A win over Robinson on Friday coupled with a China Spring loss to Connally would assure the Hornets of finishing no worse than third place in the district. Losses to Robinson and China Spring in the district finale would mean the Hornets would finish fourth.
The Hornets will honor departing seniors Shea, Allman, Carter Williams, and Ethan Nichols prior to Friday’s game against Robinson.
