CL Hawks Have Just Enough in Win Over Eagle Pass, 57-53
Rylee Spaulding helped in winning CL’s inside game in win over Eagle Pass, 57-53. (photo by Karen Holmes)
Canyon Lake ran their winning streak to 3 games after surviving Eagle Pass before their Christmas Break, 57-53.
Go Hawks!!
“We had some big buckets and responded when we needed to,” Head Coach Lucas Chapman said. “We were lucky they started pressing us as that allowed us to get the ball in the middle for some easy buckets….we were trying to get the ball inside and our game plan was to shut down their #1 player (Juan Flores).”
This was a game of 5 vs. 2 as this Eagle team had two players combine for 41 of their total 53 points which translated to 77% of EP’s scoring.
That allowed Canyon Lake to concentrate on two players defensively while the Hawks used an assortment of players to work the lead to as many as 12 points in that first half.
After a sluggish first quarter, Canyon Lake would enjoy a 5 point lead after holding EP to a 21% shooting percentage during the opening 8 minutes of play.
With the start of the 2nd half, Eagle Pass had found the basket and started a run that cut the Hawk lead of 10 points to a, 29-27 advantage with still over 5 minutes remaining in that 3rd period.
In earlier games this season, that might have folded CL’s chances as that had happened in earlier contests that resulted in a loss. On this night The Lake would respond with a spurt of their own.
Trent MacRoberts got things going sinking one of two free throws and then a Rylee Spaulding inside hoop after a MacRoberts assist had CL with breathing room again, 32-27.
Peyton McMullen and Rylee Spaulding were the key in win over Eagle Pass.
That run continued though, when Nic Rivera found MacRoberts for a short jumper and another Spaulding post-up had Rico Griffin with an assist. A Rivera steal and lay-up would put Canyon Lake up 11 points before EP broke the run after sinking two free throws to end the 3rd quarter that had the Hawks up, 38-29.
“It felt like we had a perfect game plan…it was just like we practiced and finishing plays,” Spaulding said while looking down at The ReSporter. “Every team has runs but we are a new team and we are coming into fruition. (The ReSporter has nominated Spaulding for, The Word, of all the student interviews this year.)
Canyon Lake would continue their dominance and work their lead to 14 points, 49-35 with 4:44 remaining in this contest.
That had Juan Flores for EP, starting his scoring binge, which would turn this battle to a 4 point Hawk lead at the 2 minute mark. Flores brought a 29 point scoring average into this affair and on this night finished with 26 points.
CL would have an answer each time The Pass would cut the Hawk lead to 4 points which would be the final score, 57-53.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
Peyton McMullen and Spaulding were the go-to guys in this game as the Hawks continued to feed these two post players that responded with 23 combined points in this win.
McMullen finished high point (15) and Griffin was right at his per game average (13) as the only two players to reach double figure in points.
“We knew we would have a size advantage,” McMullen quipped. “We just fed it to the post and that turned to success.”
In entering the game, McMullen had the worst team free throw percentage but changed that ominous record in making all but one down during this stretch. “I was happy they went in and that helped put the team in a better position to win the game.”
Canyon Lake (55%) has upped their shooting as this was their 3rd game with over 50% in that department.
Another good sign was the low turnover (10) number as those little things can spell doom for teams. That did not present itself, as taking care of the ball, helped in setting up that half-court offense.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
Canyon Lake will have a short break before they prepare for a tournament on December 27th-28th with 2 games on each of those days.
New Braunfels Christian/Legacy Christian Academy on the 27th and Faith Academy/San Marcos Home School that next day.
CL’s next home date will be January 3rd when Comfort comes to the Hawk Nest, come out and support the Hawks!!
GO HAWKS AND MERRY CHRISTmas!!!!!
1 2 3 4 Final Eagle Pass 5 9 15 24 53 CL Hawks 10 14 14 19 57 3pt tot rebounds fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta pts or-dr tot a s b to Rico Griffin 6-12 0-1 1-3 13 1-2 3 2 1 0 3 Patrick McAuliffe 3-7 1-3 1-2 8 0-2 2 1 1 0 0 Trent MacRoberts 1-1 0-0 5-7 7 1-4 5 3 0 0 1 Tyler Pauly 0-1 0-1 0-1 0 0-1 1 2 0 0 3 Ben Rowe 0-4 0-4 1-2 1 0-0 0 1 0 0 1 Peyton McMullen 6-6 0-0 3-4 15 3-3 6 1 1 0 1 Nic Rivera 2-4 1-3 0-0 5 1-0 1 2 1 0 1 Rylee Spaulding 4-5 0-0 0-0 8 0-3 3 0 1 0 0 Totals 22-40 2-12 11-19 57 6-15 21 12 5 0 10 Percentages 55% 17% 58%
