North Shore Mustangs Basketball Head Coach Sam Benitez (left side)
and players with Texas UIL State Semifinalist trophy, at the San Antonio
Alamodome, Friday, March 8, 2019. Mustangs end playoff run, Duncanville
Panthers won 63 – 56.
Pictured above: North Shore Mustangs Head Coach Sam Benitez and
players, #0 Joshua Cooper, #1 KJ Smith, #2 Oriekose Egbule, #4 Deveon
Taylor, #5 Joseph Murray, #10 Keiman Capers, #11Bruce Scott, #13 Randy
Woodard, #15 Jalen Means, #20 Colton Price, #21 Colby Francis and #22
Jakari Marshall.
Assistant Coaches, Trainers and Managers: Trey McDowell, Jonathan
Dillon, Theadis Reagins, Reggie Wallace, Lamon Atkins, Anthony Boutte,
Dvonte Davis, Ashley Maxey, Kalynn Gray, Chyna Rogers, Mariah Washington,
Samantha Nila, Tim Chavanne and Kyle Rice.North Shore Mustangs Basketball Head Coach Sam Benitez (left side) and players with Texas UIL State Semifinalist trophy, at the San Antonio Alamodome, Friday, March 8, 2019. Mustangs end playoff run, Duncanville Panthers won 63 – 56. Pictured above: North Shore Mustangs Head Coach Sam Benitez and players, #0 Joshua Cooper, #1 KJ Smith, #2 Oriekose Egbule, #4 Deveon Taylor, #5 Joseph Murray, #10 Keiman Capers, #11 Bruce Scott, #13 Randy Woodard, #15 Jalen Means, #20 Colton Price, #21 Colby Francis and #22 Jakari Marshall. Assistant Coaches, Trainers and Managers: Trey McDowell, Jonathan Dillon, Theadis Reagins, Reggie Wallace, Lamon Atkins, Anthony Boutte, Dvonte Davis, Ashley Maxey, Kalynn Gray, Chyna Rogers, Mariah Washington, Samantha Nila, Tim Chavanne and Kyle Rice.
By Allan Jamail
San Antonio, TX. – Alamodome — On Friday, March 8, 2019, the North Shore Mustangs, playing in the 2019 Boys State Basketball Championship – 6A Tournament, took the court against the Duncanville Panthers and got off to a good start and a halftime 5 point lead, 26-21.
At the beginning of the third quarter, the Mustangs increased their lead, and with four minutes left in the third period, they led by 10 points, 35-25. By the end of the third quarter, the Panthers stepped up their pace and were only behind 2 points.
One minute into the beginning of the final fourth quarter Duncanville tied the game 41-41. The remaining seven minutes, the Panthers took the lead and held a small lead until the final seconds ticked off.
The East Side Boys were eliminated by the team that went on to win the state title. They can be happy knowing they ended up with a better record than the state’s championship team. Mustangs’ season ending record is 33 wins, 5 losses, and the Panthers ended with 33 wins, 7 losses.
After the game, Coach Sam Benitez said he was proud of the East Side Boys for having accomplished what they did. He said, “There were many who felt this year’s team wouldn’t go this far because most of the players were on the junior varsity team last season. As a coach I’m very proud and honored to be a part of their young lives and have had the opportunity to have a positive impact on their future.”
On the next day Duncanville mounted another second-half comeback en route to the 6A championship to win the state title over Houston’s Klein Forest Eagles, 73-69.
