The clock struck midnight on the Pilot Point Bearcats boys basketball Cinderella season, with the Bearcats losing to the No. 1 ranked Dallas Madison Trojans, 84-42, on Tuesday night.
The Bearcats kept things close early, but the Trojans used their length and athleticism to overwhelm the Bearcats in the second half and left the arena with the bi-district championship.
“Our kids played hard, but [Dallas Madison] is really athletic,” said Jeff Price, Pilot Point head boys basketball coach. “Things got away from us there at the end of the second quarter. … If we could have kept it to 8-10 [points], I think we could have made a better showing in the second half, but I was really proud of our kids’ effort, which is something they did all year.”
The two squads traded buckets to open the contest, with Pilot Point taking the lead briefly before Dallas Madison opened a 22-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Trojans added to their lead in the second quarter, outscoring the Bearcats 19-10 and sending the teams into halftime with Dallas Madison up 41-21.
Dallas Madison kept up the pressure in the second half, forcing multiple turnovers and converting them into instant offense and widening the gap with an 18-7 run in the third quarter.
The Bearcats continued to battle, but the Trojans continued to pull away and take the 84-42 win.
“They were really trapping and going at us defensively,” Price said. “… We’re not overly tall, and I think they were starting a bunch of 6-foot-2 guys and taller, so their length and athleticism really bothered us and forced turnovers, and we missed a couple gimmie layups that we really needed to keep the momentum and stay in the game.”
Luke Conner led the Bearcats with 14 points followed by David Juarez and Alejandro Phillips, who both scored 8 points in the contest.
Despite the loss, Price spoke highly of the Bearcats’ play this season.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the effort the kids gave me all year,” he said. “… We were picked to finish sixth in our district, so the kids played their butts off all season to get us to this point. We’re obviously sorry to see our seniors go, with what they’ve meant to this program, but hopefully what they’ve accomplished sets the precedent for the guys below them.”
Price thanked his players, Pilot Point ISD administration, and his assistant coaches, Raul Castorena and Jesse Hallmark, for making the season special.
Bearcats forward David Juarez pulls up for a jumper during Pilot Point’s bi-district matchup with Dallas Madison. Dallas Madison defeated Pilot Point 84-42 on Tuesday night.
Martin Edwards/ The Post-Signal
