Wylie’s Henry Stark (3) passes the ball while being defended by Wylie East’s Brayden Doolan (30) and Amir Porter (3) at Williams Center on Tuesday. Photo by Oladipo Awowale / C&S Media
By Mark Saldana
The Wylie Pirates used a red-hot start from three-point range and steady second-half control to defeat the Wylie East Raiders 47-32 in a District 9-6A rivalry game Tuesday night at the Williams Center.
Wylie entered the game at 19-11 overall and 10-3 in district, while Wylie East came in at 15-11 overall and 9-5 in district play. With postseason positioning on the line, both teams brought intensity to the final stretch of the season.
Wylie wasted no time setting the tone in the first quarter. Camden Love buried an early three-pointer, followed by another from Henry Stark as the Pirates raced out to a 10-0 lead. Wylie East responded behind a three from Praise Olufemi and three free throws from Josiah Ward, but Wylie still led 12-8 after the first quarter.
The Pirates took full control in the second. Darian Romano opened the frame with a deep three, and Wylie dominated the offensive glass before knocking down another long-range shot to extend the lead to 18-8. Noah Dzurenko added a triple of his own, and Chase Hughes drilled two threes — including one at the buzzer — that sent Wylie into halftime up 35-16.
Wylie East came out with urgency in the third quarter. Preston Samuels scored on a slick pass from Olufemi, and the Raiders tightened their defense to pull within 35-22. Wylie steadied itself with timely buckets and strong team defense to carry a 40-24 lead into the fourth.
In the final quarter, Brayden Doolan hit an open three to spark a brief Raiders push, but Wylie steadied the game with free throws after a technical foul and controlled the clock down the stretch. The Pirates closed out a 47-32 win behind smart possessions and disciplined defense.
After the game, Wylie head coach Stephen Pearce praised his team’s composure.
“That’s what rivalry games are all about — you never know how either team will respond,” Pearce said. “Tonight, I really loved how our guys responded. We played hard and didn’t let any emotions get in the way.”
Wylie East head coach Kortney Smith credited his team’s fight despite the loss.
“I’m proud of the way our guys competed,” Smith said. “We didn’t start the way we wanted, but we kept battling and showed a lot of character.”
Smith added that the focus now turns to preparation for the playoffs.
With the win, Wylie strengthens its position in District 9-6A. The Pirates will travel to North Garland on Friday, while Wylie East returns home the same night to host Lakeview Centennial. Wylie can clinch the district title with a win.
0 Comments