On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the number two seed Archie Williams boys varsity basketball faced the number one seed in the Marin County Athletic League, the Marin Catholic Wildcats. The game took place in the Freitas Memorial Gym at 7:30 p.m. The gym was packed with students and families from both schools, as spectators anticipated an exciting game.
Straight off the jump ball, it was obvious that both teams were determined to win. The Falcons made quick plays and pushed the ball down the court taking the lead early to end the first quarter 21-13.
According to Senior forward Brian Wright, the team was very excited for this game and put a lot of preparation into it.
“Thanks to the crowd and the student sections, I feel like we were really excited to play this game today. I think we came out with energy,” Brian said.
The second quarter maintained the same aggressive energy. Both teams were flying around on defense, grabbing every loose ball. The student sections were both filled and electric, making for a loud and passionate game.
Toward the end of the second quarter, The Wildcats crept back, tying up the score. Senior team captain James Butler made a quick fade-away shot, putting the Falcons up one point. Marin Catholic followed with a fast break layup, finishing off the first half 38-37.
During halftime, Dance Troupe came out to perform a clean, organized, and energetic dance, exciting the student section and uplifting the crowd.
As the second half began, the whole gym could sense how hungry both competitors were to win. The aggressive defense from both ends of the court created a lot of quick plays and fast-paced play. The third quarter wrapped up with a score of 61-59 with the Falcons in the lead.
Junior shooting guard Alex Gadiel felt that the whole team played with grit.
“Everyone was playing with heart and effort. In these big games, it really shows,” Alex said.
The fourth quarter began with both teams eager to score. The Wildcats gained some momentum and took the lead early in the quarter. With numerous crucial calls from the officials, the game quickly became heated and passionate.
With three minutes left in the game, The Falcons were down by three points. Senior team captain Grady Stuart shot a contested three-point shot, then, after a foul, headed to the free throw line for a chance at three points. After making one of the three, Marin Catholic was up by two points.
Senior Ephraim Sohn made a crucial three-pointer to put the Falcons ahead by one point. Not long after, Marin Catholic rushed down the court to finish a layup, putting the Wildcats back in the lead at 73-72.
Both teams called timeouts, fighting to secure the win. With only 30 seconds left on the clock, Archie Williams fouled in hopes of getting the ball back for a quick shot. Marin Catholic made one of the free throws, putting them up by two points. The Falcons fumbled the rebound, allowing the clock to run down to 5 seconds with Marin Catholic still in possession of the ball.
Head Coach Mike Clagett believes that the fourth quarter was a valuable learning experience for the team.
“It was a great game, kind of what we expected. They’re a good team, we’re a good team. Someone had to lose it, and not to take credit from them at all, but I feel like we kind of bit ourselves in the foot in the fourth quarter, and we’ll just learn from it,” Clagett said.
Immediately after the ball was inbounded, senior Devin Moss strategically fouled a Marin Catholic player with only two seconds left in the game. The Wildcats made both free throws, putting them up four points with only two seconds left. The Falcons were unable to score in the final seconds, and Marin Catholic won 76-72.
“[It was a] really good game. I hope we’re not hanging our heads, but we had a chance to win it,” Clagett said. “I feel like we should have won it, but they played great, so hopefully we see them again and get our redemption.”
