Encinal varsity men’s basketball faced McClymonds (2-3) in a close home game that kept fans on edge of their seats until the final play. Encinal (6-1) came out on top with a 51-49 victory on Dec. 8.
“It was probably one of our biggest wins this year,” senior Amaru Guerra said. “Honestly, we’re just going to use the energy and momentum to help us win against Sonoma Valley on Thursday.”
With 23 seconds left, McClymonds had possession when Patrick Turner scored on a layup and was fouled. Turner missed the free throw, leaving the Jets trailing 49-48 with 18 seconds remaining.
Sophomore Max Busch received the ball for Encinal and, with five seconds left, banked in a 3-pointer to give the Jets the lead and secure the win.
“It was great hitting that game-winning three with five seconds left,” Busch said. “[It] felt pretty hype. I mean, I just won my team the game.”
After the first half, Encinal held a 30-16 lead. However, momentum shifted in the second half as McClymonds came out with intensity and went on a 12-0 run, cutting the deficit to 30-28.
“Our goal was to be the tougher and more aggressive team,” Busch said. “We wanted to break down the defense to get open shots, and we wanted to focus on limiting our turnovers, which we did well in the first half but not the second.”
The third quarter featured a high number of turnovers on both ends of the court, with neither team able to maintain consistent control for long stretches. Both teams struggled with ball security, leading to several lost possessions.
The quarter was also marked by frequent fouls that disrupted the flow of the game. Encinal committed eight fouls in the quarter, sending McClymonds to the free-throw line multiple times and narrowing the point differential.
“It felt amazing, you know, because last year we lost to them by four points,” junior Roman Funes said. “We got our get back and we’re gonna build on this momentum we have.”
With the victory, the Jets improved to 6-1 at the time and now stand at 7-3. Encinal lost 69-52 to St. Joseph Notre Dame on Dec. 17 but bounced back with an 83-27 win over Castlemont on Dec. 19, continuing to build momentum heading into league play.
