Marble Falls boys basketball squad hosting tourney
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School boys basketball team will conduct its annual Subway Shoot-out tournament Dec. 5-7 at the high school gymnasiums, 2101 Mustang Drive.
The tournament is a popular destination for several old rivals as well as some new teams from the Houston area.
Among the 15 teams are San Antonio Alamo Heights, ranked No. 1 in the Class 4A poll of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches; Houston Wheatley, ranked No. 6 in Class 4A; Killeen, Kyle Lehman, Fredericksburg, Austin Crockett, Austin Hyde Park, San Antonio Edison, Jarrell, Sugarland Dulles, Houston Kingwood Park and Houston Victory Prep; and District 25-4A members Cedar Park Vista Ridge and Dripping Springs.
Victory Prep freshman shooting guard Jarred Vanderbilt is considered one of the top five players in his class nationally.
“I’m very happy,” Mustangs head coach Neil Laminack said. “We’ve got some really good teams coming.”
Each team is guaranteed six games during the three-day event because of the rule change by the University Interscholastic League that allows 20 games and three tournaments or 22 games and two tournaments.
“People want as many games as they can get,” Laminack said. “The trend is moving toward six games.”
The Mustangs take the court against Alamo Heights at noon and Kingwood Park at 6 p.m. Dec. 5; Wheatley at 1:30 p.m. and Edison at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6; and Crockett at 1:30 p.m. and Hyde Park at 6 p.m. Dec. 7.
Alamo Heights and Wheatley will play each other at 3 p.m. Dec. 7.
Laminack said the goal is for the players to improve each game.
“We’re getting to play some really good teams,” he said. “We want to get better at what we’re trying to do to get better for district play. The teams we’re playing in our tournament are like the teams we’ll be playing in our district.”
The Mustangs won back-to-back games before enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday.
Laminack said the players are getting comfortable with each other.
“There’s some sense of where they need to be and when they need to be there,” he said. “We’re getting into our starting five and firming up our rotations. The guys are getting more confident with what they’re expected to do.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com