SAN ANTONIO — The Columbus High School girl’s basketball team lost to Huntington High School Feb. 29 at the Ala -
modome by a final score of 47-33 in the semifinal of the UIL Girls Basketball State Tournament.
The Lady Cardinals were able to keep themselves within reach throughout the games entirety, but it was Huntington’s inside game that propelled them to the state championship game.
“I just thought we had a terrible second quarter,” said Columbus head girl’s basketball coach Mike Albers.
“That whole half, I think we made 4 out of 28 field goal at tempts. If you shoot that, probably gonna dig yourself a hole like we did. I thought we had some chances there in the second half. Probably just dug too deep to begin with.” Lady Cardinals senior guard Karlee Mathis scored a team high 14 points and will always be known as the team’s floor general and sharp shooter.
“Our coaches put us in a good position coming in here,” Mathis said.
“This morning, we went and practiced in a gym that had goals that were very, very similar. So I do believe that helped. We were just a little off tonight, unforturight nately.”
Mathis hit a three pointer for the first points of the game at about the five and a half minute mark in the first quarter. After Huntington responded with a few baskets to take a 5-3 lead, Mathis answered right back with another three to make it 6-5 a couple min utes later. Columbus freshman phenom Anaya Gardner then hit a three pointer of her own to put Columbus ahead 9-5. Two scores in a row from Huntington tied the game at nine at the end of the first quarter.
Huntington had a huge second quarter by hitting shots and feeding the ball down low to senior center Kyra Anderson. Anderson crashed the boards and helped make layups on the block to put Huntington ahead 19-12 at half time. The Lady Devils dominated the third quarter and it was mostly on baskets all from Anderson at the rim. Anderson made six total conversions on layups and a free throw and Gardner made a floater with 30 seconds to go for Columbus to make it 30-17 at the end of the third quarter in favor of Huntington.
Gardner made another huge basket, which was a three point- er, for Columbus at the 7:01 mark in the fourth quarter to put the score at 30-22. Mathis then add ed a three of her own near the wing about half a minute later to reach within seven at 32-25. The Lady Devils went on to hit a crucial three in response to go back up 10 points with 5:40 to go in the game. The baskets from beyond the arc continued to pour in as Gardner hit yet another three pointer for the Lady Cardinals to cut the deficit back to seven at 3528. Anderson helped close out the game for Huntington as she controlled the paint down low and put in a bunch of big time layups down the stretch to seal a trip to the state championship game with a 47-33 win.
