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By Scarlett Cooney and Shailey Klein
In Friday night’s high school boys basketball matchup between the Santa Fe Raiders and the Buchholz Bobcats, the Raiders pulled out a tough win over the Bobcats as the clock ran down to the wire.
A Slow Start
In the first quarter, the Raiders started slow, overwhelmed by turnovers and the inability to make shots in critical moments. With 2:46 left in the first quarter, Santa Fe Head Coach Glen Banks called a timeout to help his team regroup and focus. The timeout brought the spark the team needed, as Raiders junior guard Dontrell Jenkins brought the crowd to its feet with a massive slam at the end of the first quarter.
Spark of Energy
Big slam by Santa Fe’s Dontrell Jenkins gives the Raiders a spark of energy heading into Quarter 2
Santa Fe: 8
Buchholz: 13@ESPNGainesville— Shailey Klein (@shaileyklein) January 22, 2022
The Raiders dominated in the second quarter, scoring seven unanswered points to extend the lead to 22-16. Buchholz called a timeout with 4:03 left in the half. Despite Santa Fe’s lockdown defense, Buchholz rallied and closed out the half with a three by senior guard Daryus Boyd. The Raiders entered the locker room at halftime holding onto a 26-21 lead.
Throughout the third quarter, the Bobcats slowly chipped away at the Raiders’ lead until senior forward Colson Orth knocked down a three-pointer to grasp a 37-36 lead over Santa Fe.
Can the Raiders Hold On?
In a nail-biter of a fourth quarter, Jenkins nailed a mid-range jumper to extend the Raiders’ lead to 43-40 over the Bobcats. Jenkins had a stellar performance throughout the entire game, ending the night with 20 points, head and shoulders above the rest. Despite Jenkins’ performance, the Raiders’ lead didn’t last long. Buchholz’s Boyd made a layup with just over a minute left in the game, tying up the score at 48.
Buchholz’s Daryus Boyd makes a layup to tie the game
1:03 left in Q4
Santa Fe: 48
Buchholz: 48@ESPNGainesville @buchholzbkb @GNVpreps @ThePrepZone— Shailey Klein (@shaileyklein) January 22, 2022
With just 11 seconds remaining, Santa Fe snatched back the lead when junior forward Mason Brown and junior guard Makhi Lewis both converted shots from the free-throw line, resulting in a 51-48 win over the Bobcats.
The Raiders were able to hold on for a clutch victory, and when asked about the heart of his team, coach Banks affirmed, “We preach play until the last buzzer.” Banks added that the difference in the game was the crucial defensive stops.
What’s Next?
The Raiders take on the Columbia Tigers on Tuesday, January 15. In order to pull out a win, Banks knows his team must improve defensively and focus on crashing the boards.
