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Snyder senior Jayden Samaniego shot a layup as an Argyle defender got in his way during the Tigers’ 44-28 loss Friday. Samaniego finished his career as a three-year letterman for the Tigers. -
Snyder senior Corey Landin ran down the court. Landin was one of six seniors on the 2020 basketball team.
CISCO — The suffocating defense of the No. 8 Argyle Eagles proved to be the Snyder Tigers’ downfall. The Eagles eliminated Snyder in a 44-28 loss in the area found of the basketball playoffs.
It is the second year in a row the Tigers’ season came to a close at the hands of the Eagles.
“It stings,” Snyder head coach Lee Scott said. “We just didn’t make enough shots today. We had a lot go in and out. We held the eighth ranked team in the state to 42 points, so you can’t ask for better effort. I can’t ask for any more from these kids. They fought hard, they competed and they gave it their all.”
Snyder’s offensive struggles were evident early on. Argyle started the game on an 8-0 run and did not allow the Tigers to find any open lanes. Over the first six minutes of the game, the Eagles held Snyder scoreless until senior Jayden Samaniego fought his way into the paint and got the contested layup to fall. On Snyder’s next possession, sophomore Eber Murillo got his first two points, but Snyder trailed 10-4 at the end of the first quarter.
Neither team scored over the first two minutes of the second quarter until Murillo made a contested jumper, trimming the Argyle lead to 10-6. Argyle responded by putting the clamps on the Tigers, holding them to just two more points in the quarter. Argyle closed out the half on a 9-2 run, putting the Tigers in a 19-8 hole at the half.
The Tigers had more success offensively in the second half, but struggled to match the Eagles’ pace. Junior Michael Jaramillo scored the Tigers’ first two points of the second half and Snyder went on to put up a 6-point third quarter. The Eagles hit a pair of 3-pointers and put together an 11-point third quarter, extending their lead to 30-14 heading into the final eight minutes of play. Argyle opened up the fourth quarter with five straight points.
Samaniego answered with a pair of 3-pointers, one of which came after crossing up a defender. Argyle held on to close out the 44-28 win, ending the Tigers season.
Their 28-points were the Tigers’fewest in a game this season.
“They’re a good team and we hadn’t faced anybody with that height and length,” Scott said. “It affected us a little bit. We rushed some shots and in the end, we had some good shots that just didn’t go in. This is a game where you have to put the ball in the hoop and tonight, it just didn’t go in.”
Snyder finished the season 18-14 with a 7-1 district record. Seniors Jayden Samaniego, Teafale Lenard and Sammy Sosa and Corey Landin finished their careers as two-time district champions. Scott said he told his team they had plenty to be proud of.
“I told the kids not to hold their heads down,” he said. “With Jayden and (Teafale), they have been there since they were sophomores. They were a part of the team that got the first district championship since 2008. This team came back and got another district championship this year when no one thought we’d be able to. These guys have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to be happy about and proud of. They have accomplished a lot.”