Sachse senior Brayden Banks (5) and the Mustangs saw a furious rally fall short in a road loss to Rowlett on Saturday. Photo by Tina Lopez / C&S Media
By Mark Saldana
ROWLETT — In a tightly contested rivalry matchup between programs separated by just a stretch of highway, Sachse battled back from an early double-digit deficit but came up just short as Rowlett held on for a 62-57 win Friday night in a District 9-6A boys basketball showdown.
Rowlett came out with energy on both ends, opening the game with a 3-pointer before forcing a turnover that led to a dunk in transition. The Eagles used pressure defense to fuel a 10-0 run and continued to disrupt Sachse’s rhythm, pushing the lead to 16-1 midway through the first quarter.
Brayden Banks finally put the Mustangs on the board with a reverse layup, but Rowlett kept the pressure on and extended its advantage to 21-3. Banks added a putback late in the quarter, though Sachse still trailed 21-6 heading into the second.
The Mustangs began to settle in early in the second quarter after a technical foul on Rowlett led to free throws. Banks followed with a pull-up jumper, and Sachse gradually chipped away at the deficit behind improved ball movement and defensive effort. John DuPont provided a spark with back-to-back 3-pointers, pulling Sachse within five, but Rowlett answered before halftime to take a 30-23 lead into the break.
Sachse opened the second half at the free-throw line, trimming the margin to five, but both teams struggled offensively for stretches in the third quarter. Preston Shaw knocked down a wide-open 3-pointer to cut the deficit to three, and the Mustangs continued to apply defensive pressure. Jordan Anderson added two free throws late in the quarter to keep Sachse within striking distance, but a four-point play by Rowlett just before the buzzer gave the Eagles a 43-35 advantage entering the fourth.
The Mustangs continued their push in the final frame. An early basket made it a six-point game, and Matthew Hudgins connected from beyond the arc to bring Sachse within four. DuPont followed with an and-one, and after another Rowlett response, Hudgins and DuPont each knocked down critical shots to close the gap.
DuPont’s 3-pointer cut the deficit to three, and moments later he buried another from deep to make it a one-point game at 56-55. Sachse’s defense forced multiple empty possessions down the stretch, but Rowlett converted just enough at the line and added a late basket to seal the win.
“I was proud of our fight and our defensive effort in the second half,” Sachse head coach Micah Moore said. “We didn’t let the early run define us, and in a rivalry game like this, you have to keep competing. We gave ourselves a chance late.”
Dupont led the Mustangs in scoring with 16 points, followed by 11 from Hudgins.
Sachse fell to 11-11 overall and 4-2 in District 9-6A play, while Rowlett improved to 9-8 overall and 5-1 in district action. The Mustangs will look to bounce back Tuesday night at Garland.
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