Faith advances to state tournament

The Faith Academy of Marble Falls boys basketball team is making history.

The Flames beat Galveston O’Connell College Prep 89-78 on Saturday, March 6, to advance to the semifinals of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Class 2A playoffs.

This is the furthest a Faith boys basketball team has ever advanced. The Flames (10-3 overall, 5-0 District 4-2A) will face Houston Grace Christian Academy at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, at A&M Consolidated High School, 1801 Harvey Mitchell Parkway South in College Station. 

Faith is ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A private schools poll of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, while Grace Christian Academy is No. 3. 

Against O’Connell in the regional matchup, Flames head coach Zakk Revelle said his squad led the whole game and had a 48-31 advantage at the half.

In the second half, O’Connell showed why it was ranked No. 5 in the state.

The Buccaneers began hitting shots, but every time they scored, Faith Academy answered.

“Towards the end of the game, it came down to making free throws and layups,” Revelle said. “We did both and ended up being the victor.”

The coach said he and his players haven’t reflected on making program history as one of the last four squads left in the Class 2A playoffs, noting they are too focused on Houston Grace Academy.

But he did say what motivated his players was the hurt and the feeling of unfinished business from the 2019-20 season when Faith lost in the regional final. Seven Flames from that squad are on this year’s team.

Revelle said that on the first day of practice for this season, he put 76-60 on the scoreboard in the Faith gym. It was the score of Faith’s loss to Yavneh Academy of Dallas in the 2019-20 regional game. 

“When we left the locker room that day, we made the decision that we’re coming back and we’re not coming back emptyhanded,” the coach said. 

jfierro@thepicayune.com