For the first time in five seasons, the Calallen boys basketball team is going to the playoffs.
And that’s a really big deal for a school known for football and baseball.
The Wildcats won a district title in 2014, the last time they made it to the postseason.
The Cats are 7-3 in district play and are facing their biggest game of the year Tuesday night when they travel to face Flour Bluff. Second place in District 29-5A will be up for grabs.
The Hornets currently are 7-2 in district and own a half-game lead over the Cats.
Calallen is coming off a huge one-point victory over Tuloso Midway Friday night. The Cats are led by senior Ethan Martinez, who averages more than 20 points a game.
But he’s just one of several key players that have helped reignite this basketball program.
The surge pleases Calallen shooting guard Parker Tennill.
“We have been known for more as a football and baseball school, but it’s good to get in the playoffs for basketball too,” Tennill said. “We have some really good shooters, of course. Ethan leading us and we are leading the district in height so that’s good. We are able to feed our posts and overall very athletic.”
Point guard Ethan Martinez says the Calallen offense is flowing.
“We are playing good together you know as a point guard, we have been moving the ball around very well,” Martinez said. “Great transition, we have been finding open teammates and finding easy buckets.
“Tomorrow we play Flour Bluff, it’s going to be a tough game, but if we keep playing like we have been playing we are going to do pretty good.”
Calallen coach Randy Lowrance can tell a difference in his team since midway in the season.
“We are finally kind of clicking together,” Lowrance said. “We had a lot of football kids come out and that was right about Christmas and I think we are finally getting into a basketball mode and out of a football mode.
“They are playing more as a team got some good height and some good shooters and it’s finally coming together.”
Calallen at Flour Bluff will be our marquee game tomorrow night. We will have your game coverage on KRIS – tomorrow night at 10 p.m.
