Marble Falls boys, girls basketball squads lose district matches to Leander

JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF

MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School boys basketball team lost 45-43 to Leander in a District 25-4A game Jan. 17.

The Mustangs trailed by as many as 11 points during the final period with three minutes and 16 seconds remaining in the game.

But that’s when Travis Walker went to work, nailing back-to-back 3-pointers in 64 seconds.

That forced the Lions into a stall. After Leander scored a free throw, Mustangs senior guard Zuri Buchanan scored two free throws to pull Marble Falls to within 43-39 with 1:02 left.

Leander went back to its stall and scored two free throws with 39 seconds left.

Walker found senior forward Cody Seelig for a 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining.

Leander missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Buchanan was fouled going to the basket. He hit a free throw, though Marble Falls trailed 45-43 with 12 seconds left.

Leander missed the front end of another one-and-one but rebounded the miss. The Lions held the ball as the final three seconds ticked away to end the contest.

“The effort was great,” Mustangs head coach Neil Laminack said. “We played hard, we went to the board hard, we rebounded fairly well.”

Leander ended the final minute of the first half on a 7-0 run to take a 23-16 lead into the locker room.

“We were trying to run an offense to grind the clock down to score,” Laminack said. “We had three or four missed opportunities in the first minute-and-a-half of the game. So at halftime, we told the players the same thing we said at the beginning: It’s a winnable game. You’re letting them dictate where you want to be and where you want to go. You catch the ball, you’re letting them dictate what you’re doing instead of us dictating what we want to do.”

Marble Falls trailed 28-18 early in the third quarter. A shot by senior forward Ben Stripling started an 11-0 run that spanned 6:41, though the Mustangs trailed 30-29 early in the final period.

Each team made 16 field goals, but the Lions were 10 of 17 from the foul line, while the Mustangs were 5 of 7.

“They shot seven in the first half, we shot zero,” Laminack said. “They’re being aggressive and attacking the basket, and we’re not.”

jfierro@thepicayune.com 

ON OFFENSE: points – Zuri Buchanan 14, Ben Stripling 10, Danny Rivara 6, Travis Walker 6, Aidin Parnell 4, Cody Seelig 3

RECORDS: Marble Falls is 10-17 overall and 0-6 in District 25-4A; Leander is 13-5 overall and 4-2 in district

UP NEXT: 7 p.m. Jan. 24, Marble Falls vs. Cedar Park, Max Copeland Gym, 2101 Mustang Drive in Marble Falls.

DISTRICT 25-4A STANDINGS:

Dripping Springs, 5-1

Vandegrift, 4-2

Leander, 4-2

Cedar Park, 3-3

Rouse, 3-3

Vista Ridge, 2-4

Marble Falls, 0-6

Leander girls 46, Marble Falls 40

LEANDER — Though the Marble Falls High School girls basketball team lost 46-40 to Leander on Jan. 17, senior guard Sarah Stripling had a night for the ages.

Thanks to her 17 points, Stripling moved into second place on the all-time list of Lady Mustangs scorers. She now has a total of 1,914 points, moving ahead of Kelly Clark’s 1,906.

“The girls gave Sarah a well-deserved round of applause,” Marble Falls head coach Chris Jost said.

Leander led 10-9 late in the first period but finished the quarter on a 9-0 run. The Lady Lions maintained the lead during the second quarter for a 24-12 advantage.

Marble Falls exploded for 22 points in the third for a 34-29 lead headed into the fourth period.

During the final four minutes, the contest was tied when Leander took the lead.

ON OFFENSE: points – Sarah Stripling 17, Molly Myrick 9, Reann Hall 6, Haley Stephens 4, Blanca Fonseca 2, Emily Klingsporn 2

RECORDS: Marble Falls is 14-13 overall and 2-6 in District 25-4A; Leander is 13-6 overall and 5-2 in district.

UP NEXT: 7 p.m. Jan. 24, Marble Falls at Cedar Park, 2150 Cypress Creek Road in Cedar Park

SUBVARSITY RESULTS: Marble Falls junior varsity won 36-33, while the Marble Falls freshmen lost 37-21.

DISTRICT 25-4A STANDINGS:

Rouse, 8-0

Leander, 5-2

Vista Ridge, 5-3

Cedar Park, 5-3

Marble Falls, 2-6

Dripping Springs, 1-7

Vandegrift, 0-7