By PETE BANDA
Special to the NEWS
A monumental regular season for the Greyhound basketball team came to a dramatic end on Tuesday night when San Benito defeated Rivera 49-46 to claim their first outright district championship since 1961. It capped off a 9-1 district season that saw the ’Hounds win eight straight games at one point.
“It feels unreal,” said second-year head coach Luis Garza. “For it to be so long since the last time it happened, instantly gives it so much more meaning. I’m overwhelmed with happiness because of how much this means to the boys and the whole community…This is also for every player who has ever put on that Greyhound uniform. We’re just taking it all in right now.”
It was a magical season for Garza, who helped turn around a program that was more accustomed to finishing near the bottom of a loaded District 32-6A.
It took just two years for Garza to capture the district crown with a team that turned in a 1-11 district record the year before he arrived. It’s even more impressive considering the ’Hounds’ rocky start to the season – one that included an 0-6 start – had many projecting San Benito to miss the playoffs altogether.
Despite Rivera struggling this season with a 1-9 district mark, the Raiders put up a fight for San Benito which needed a win to avoid a shared championship with Hanna.
While rolling into the playoffs with a blowout victory might have created more momentum, the hard test following their first loss of the calendar year could help to bring out the best in the Greyhound players.
“We need to stay focused on whomever our next opponent will be, and I think this game showed us that we need to play our ‘A’ game no matter whom we’re facing,” said Garza. “This is a huge accomplishment, but I think our guys are hungry for more.”
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