Tigers nip Mustangs
Sweetwater in the span of just one week has gone from a team with 11 straight wins to finish non-district play to an 0-2 start in District 5-4A, though it is 17-8 overall.
Sweetwater began 5-4A boys action last Friday with a 12-point loss at Levelland. But Tuesday’s 40-38 home loss by the Mustangs to rival Snyder hurt more.
Sweetwater had a pair of five-point leads over Snyder — which is 2-0 in district — during the first two quarters but the Tigers went up 15-12 following an 8-0 run.
Sweetwater was back up by a point, 20-19, at intermission but its last lead was early in the third quarter as Snyder gradually opened its biggest lead, 36-26. That went away thanks to a 10-0 run by the Mustangs capped by Stason Hernandez’s basket with 1:40 left for a 36-all tie in the fourth period.
Sweetwater found itself trailing 38-36 with 56.8 left after a Snyder basket, but two free throws by Tate Thompson tied it again with 40.4 left. The Tigers had a shot blocked with 3 seconds left, but the ball managed to find the hands of Snyder’s Dyllan Angeley, who hastily laid it off the glass with approximately 0.4 to play. The Mustangs got off about a 75-footer as time expired, but it was no good as Snyder celebrated on the court.
Sweetwater will now play at Big Spring, which is 0-2 and 5-14 after a 60-45 loss at Lake View (1-1, 6-17).
Head coach Evan Grantham said his team didn’t deserve to win.
“They didn’t turn it over and we did. (Friday at Big Spring) is pretty important for us.”
Damarrius Walker paced Sweetwater with 12 points. Thompson, Korda Moore and Jadyn Forbes had seven and Hernandez five.
With the win Snyder is tied with Estacado for first in 5-4A and Levelland is 1-1 in district to tie Lake View for third place. Sweetwater plays its next two games away from home before the Mustangs play host to Lake View on Jan. 27.
GIRLS: Snyder 56, Sweetwater 40
Sweetwater was leading Snyder, 28-27, early in the third period until a 17-3 run put them in a 13-point hole as the Lady Mustangs fell to 1-3 in district, while Snyder improved its record to 3-1 and trails Levelland (4-0) by a game in District 5-4A. The Lady Tigers and Lubbock Estacado are in a tie for second place. Sweetwater — which will play at Big Spring on Friday — used a 5-0 run to start the third quarter to go up 28-27, the go-ahead points coming on a 3-pointer by Jenika Fuentes. The Lady Mustangs also led 11-10 after one period of play but after that led just twice. Trinity McGee scored nine points, Fuentes eight, Aunisti Griffin seven, Kendall Daniel six, Toreyna Saddler four, Hanna Vera three, Lauren Biera two and Marisssa Garcia one.