San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Chaparrals bring halt to Cougars’ memorable run
NEW BRAUNFELS — Clark’s playoff run, which featured four wins by single digits, ended Friday with a 64-48 loss to Austin Westlake in the Region IV-6A championship game.
The size and strength of the Chaparrals’ frontcourt overmatched the Cougars’ smaller lineup, with Kansas commit KJ Adams and fellow post Nehikhare Igiehon combining for 36 points and 18 rebounds.
“We just lost to a great, great team,” Clark coach Steve Sylestine said. “We had to shoot so many contested shots because of their size and athleticism down low. (Westlake) coach (Robert) Lucero does such a good job with their game plan, putting them in good positions, so it’s really all about Westlake. We would’ve really had to play almost a perfect game to have a chance to beat them.”
Westlake (29-1) opened the game, played at New Braunfels Canyon High School, on a 7-0 run, with Adams getting involved on the glass and the scoreboard early with a pair of putbacks. Jordan
Mason scored Clark’s first four points after sinking a floater and a pair of free throws on the following possession. The junior finished with a team-high 16 points and two rebounds.
“He’s been doing that all year,” Sylestine said. “And he also takes the brunt of the defensive emphasis
every game, and he always responds really well on the offensive end and defensive end. And he’s a junior, so that’s a good thing. We’re proud.”
The Cougars (22-3) scored six consecutive points in the final couple minutes of the period, with Mason sandwiching an assist in between layups on consecutive possessions. Clark managed to keep the game close throughout the first half by playing a slower tempo and leaning on good ball movement.
“What we wanted to do was try to control (the game) with our offense and make them cover us and shorten the game, but we weren’t quite able,” Sylestine said. “And it had to do with Westlake and their pressure. We would’ve really had to shorten the game to have a shot at beating them.”
Mason buried a turnaround fadeaway jumper from the left elbow as time expired in the half to cut the deficit to 29-25. The Chaparrals, however, took control in the third quarter behind a surge from Adams, who showed off his athleticism with a pair of thundering dunks to energize the crowd.
Adams tallied a game-high 19 points with nine rebounds and four authoritative blocks, while Igiehon registered 17 points with nine boards.
“This is just amazing,” Adams said. “Everybody’s hyped up. The community’s hyped up. Football won a state championship this year, and we’re trying to follow with the same thing.”
The Chaparrals outscored the Cougars 17-9 in the fourth quarter and as the game approached its end, Sylestine subbed out his seniors one at a time to draw a final ovation for their efforts.
“They’ve meant everything,” he said. “To see them grow and develop over four years to get where they are now. And as young men, they’re even better than they are as basketball players. And they’ll remember this run for the rest of their lives.”
Clark’s top senior, Jason Osonma, finished with 14 points — 12 of which came in the second half — to go with six rebounds. Dalen Whitlock added five, and Al Emerllahu chipped in four.
“Our kids competed hard all year long,” Sylestine said. “We’re super proud of our guys. We were 22-3 for the year, got to the regional finals. It was a great year with a bunch of great kids.”