But, boy, it wasn’t easy.
Clay Crews scored the Lions’ final six points in CTCS’ TAPPS 4-3A finale against Waco Texas Christian Academy - including the game-winning basket with 24 seconds left - to seal the school’s first perfect district season with a 46-43 win.
The Lions (22-4 overall, 12-0 in 4-3A) trailed for the first time since early in the first quarter after TCA’s Xavier Denton hit a 3-pointer to give the Stars a 42-41 lead with 1:02 remaining.
CTCS had scored just once in the last 4 minutes as Crews - who scored a game-high 27 points - led the Lions in transition with half a minute left.
As Crews approached the free-throw line on the attack, he had a quick decision to make.
“I was thinking that I was trying to get it down and set up an offense,” Crews said. “I was open, so I decided to take it.”
Crews’ crossover dribble against TCA’s Zo Davis gave him just enough space to take a jumper just inside the free-throw line.
Crews nailed the jumper, scoring arguably the biggest basket in CTCS history.
The basket gave the Lions a one-point lead with 24.1 seconds left.
TCA had two shots with less than 10 seconds left, but missed both - a jumper by Denton and a layup by Ben Cash.
Crews was fouled with 2 seconds left and made two free throws to seal the win.
As the Stars’ halfcourt shot at the buzzer fell short, the Lions players mobbed coach Nuni Venegas near the team’s bench.
The Lions had already wrapped up the 4-3A title entering Friday. But considering that the Lions’ program had won just six games two years ago, the perfect district season certainly meant a lot.
“Satisfaction,” junior Crews said as he high-fived young children in the hallway outside CTCS’ gym. “But we’re not satisfied with where we are.”
CTCS hosts Dallas Lake Hill Prep at 7 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the TAPPS Class 3A playoffs.
The Lions led by as many as eight midway through the second quarter but struggled to pull away.
Texas Christian was able to stay in the game thanks to its considerable height advantage in the post. The Stars’ two post players - Evan Grimes and Ben Cash - combined to score 24 points, more than half of the team’s points.
“At the beginning of the game, it was kind of hard, but we worked on rotation,” Venegas said of defending in the paint. “We started doing that in the second half and they didn’t get many shots.”
CTCS’ post rotation did help limit the Stars’ shot attempts in the post in the second half, but the Lions struggled to rebound against the much taller Stars.
Those offensive rebounds led to easy layups or fouls. The Stars attempted 10 free throws in the third quarter but made only three.
The Stars’ press and trap near midcourt also caused problems for the Lions, but that fast-paced style actually played right into CTCS’ hands.
“I like it when they press us with Clay and Nash (Ingram),” Venegas said with a smile.
The Lions’ guards, especially Ingram, had quick hands and helped force 18 TCA turnovers.
Jordan Togami and Scott Rizvi finished as the Lions’ second-leading scorers, each with six points.
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
