JAKOB LOPEZ | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
SAN ANTONIO — The McAllen High Bulldogs (30-8, 13-4) were defeated by the Schertz Clemens High Buffaloes (32-4, 9-2) 97-47 in a blowout in their Class 6A regional semifinal at the UTSA Convocation Center in San Antonio.
The postseason journey for the Bulldogs came to an abrupt end, after enduring a difficult game against the ninth-ranked Buffaloes.
“Schertz Clemens is a very good, very well coached team,” Bulldogs coach Ryan Flores said. “They can beat you from the outside, from the inside and defensively.”
Clemens had three players hit double figures, with senior Mitchell McMullen ending the game with 10 points, senior Cayne Edwards with 17 and junior Nuwachyah Hawkins with 10. In addition to the three players with double figures, Clemens had 10 more players get on the score sheet.
After hanging on throughout much of the first quarter, McHi succumbed to the full court pressure the Buffaloes employed, committing five turnovers in the second. After ending the first with the score 26-16, Clemens proceeded to outscore the Bulldogs 23-11 in the second, to bring the score to 49-27 at halftime.
“It threw us off on a couple possessions,” Flores said of Clemens’ full court press. “Our guys looked like they got a little tired there. We took a couple timeouts early, tried to settle them down and get some air in their lungs. They were a little faster than expected. They sped us up on offense and we didn’t convert on a couple opportunities that we had early on.”
The third quarter saw Clemens put the game away, as the Buffaloes went on an 11-3 run within the first three minutes. The Bulldogs committed five turnovers in the third quarter as the Buffaloes increased their lead to well over 30 points. With the Bulldogs only able to muster four points in the third, the game was all but over.
“We have to think about where we need to go as far as building our program up — to compete at this level,” Flores said on the loss and his team’s outlook. “The seniors did a great job all season. Our season is not judged on this last game. We won 30 games, a district title, went four rounds deep; can’t take anything away from these guys.”
Senior guard Joan Lopez was a notable bright spot for the Bulldogs during the loss. The guard led McHi with 15 points, helping his team stay competitive despite an overwhelming opposition.
“Joan Lopez is one of the best players in the valley,” Flores said. “He led us up here and did a great job with his ball handling and his shooting. He’s one of our leaders on the offensive and defensive end. That kid has come a long way from his freshman year to his senior year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he continued his play at the collegiate level.”
In addition to Lopez’s stellar play, the Bulldogs had two players end the game with double figures. Senior forward Deon Ellis and senior guard Jose Garcia each ended the game with 11 points.
“It was very emotional,” Lopez said. “We’re 11 out of 13 seniors and we’re done with high school basketball. We gave it all we got. We’re disappointed with the score and that we lost but it is what it is; God has a plan for us. It’s such an accomplishment that we made it to the sweet sixteen and made history for our school.”
The Clemens High School Buffaloes are slated to compete against the Alexander High Bulldogs in the Regional Championship game on Saturday with tipoff set for 6 p.m. at the Convocation Center.