A cold shooting hand in the third quarter sunk the Mineola Yellowjackets hopes for a bidistrict title. A 4-point third quarter proved too much to overcome as the Jackets fell 57-55 to the Redwater Dragons last Tuesday in Marshall.  

Although the Yellowjackets regrouped and came very near to stealing the game back in the final quarter, it was not to be. The loss will malign what was one of the most exciting games of the season in scholastic basketball in any class.

The four periods mirrored each other. Redwater won the opening quarter by  6 points and dominated the third quarter by 14 points. Mineola outscored Redwater by 13 points in the second quarter and 5 points in the last stanza.

Each team featured a talented post player – Braydon Alley for the Jackets and 6’6’’ sophomore Tyris Crowell for Redwater. These headliners shined. 

Alley finished with 23 points and a ton of rebounds, while he provided the on-court persona of the Jackets. Crowell and Alley had some great battles in the paint, and both demonstrated amazing talent handling the ball and driving. 

After each side faltered in their initial possessions, the Jackets took a 10-8 lead with an Ainsley Steward jumper from a Keke Martin assist. Following a Redwater time-out,  the Bowie County team finished the first quarter on a 7-point run.  

In the second quarter, the full-court Mineola pressure began to have an effect. The Jackets put up 21 points, many of those fueled from turnovers. Caden Rupert registered a steal and score, as did Alley. 

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Steward put the Jackets up 24-21, three minutes before the half. The Jackets’ scoring continued apace after a Redwater time-out. Alley, Steward, Martin and Rupert added buckets. Rupert scored a driving basket just before the half expired to give Mineola a 32-25 lead.

Then the third quarter happened.

Redwater rattled off 16 unanswered points. Despite two Mineola time-outs, the Dragons just had a scoring fest. It included jumpers, drives and an offensive rebound put-back from a missed free throw, steals, and a hopeful tip of an errant drive shot from under the basket. Redwater took a 9-point lead with one minute to play in the quarter on a Crowell dunk. Mineola managed four points at the end of the quarter to stabilize the ship.

Those were four important points, as they communicated that the game was far from over.

The Yellowjackets willed their way back into the game with sheer fortitude, led by Braydon Alley. 

Each team lost key players down the stretch. Redwater’s Crowell fouled out with 6:26 to play and Jacket point guard Martin with 4:55 on the clock. 

In that final push Zane Phillips had a critical score on a great follow-up and Rupert added a drive. Aidan Shepherd gave great minutes underneath and hit two timely free throws. And Alley relentlessly continued his strong performance, chalking up 8 points in the quarter. 

The Dragons executed a snowbird to beat the press with just over two minutes to play to make the score 53-46 and seemingly decide the game. The Jackets, however, were not done.

Drives by Steward and Alley, a score off the press by Rupert and a free throw from Phillips made it a one-point game with :13 showing.  

Mineola got the ball back with ten seconds remaining and down by two points.  

It was a moment of pride to watch Braydon Alley drive the ball into the offensive zone and take it down the right side of the paint. He wanted the ball and deserved it – he had been the face of Mineola basketball all season. 

There was congestion in the lane, a contested shot, and the chance slipped away. No whistle. The ball went out of play. Redwater killed the last second on the inbound.