Photos by Nicole Flowers
February 6, 2024
Bulldogs fall to Fred, stun Canyon Lake to stay alive in playoff race
By Sports Staff
The Bandera Prophet
The Bandera boys basketball team recorded one of the program’s most exciting wins in recent memory last Tuesday night, stunning Canyon Lake at the buzzer to stay alive in the District 27-4A playoff race late in the season.
The win avenged a 62-41 loss to the Hawks earlier this season and sent Bulldog fans flooding the court in celebration after Isaac Segura connected on a put-back attempt as time expired in the fourth quarter to give Bandera a 44-43 win.
The final minute of the game was hectic, as junior Elijah Salas connected with Segura on a nice assist for a go-ahead basket with just 23 seconds remaining to make the score 42-41 in favor of the Bulldogs. Canyon Lake answered right back, however, regaining the lead at 43-42 on a layup with just 10 seconds remaining.
After a foul by the Hawks, the Bulldogs had 5.2 seconds remaining on the final possession of the game. After two missed game-winners, Segura secured an offensive rebound and put it through the net just before the final buzzer.
“It was one of the most exciting endings I’ve ever been a part of,” Bandera head coach Brady Keane said. “I thought we got a great initial look at the win, but Isaac did a phenomenal job of staying with it and fighting to create a second and third chance at the win. We had a blast celebrating with our fans after the game, and it was a lot of fun to celebrate such a hard fought win with such a big home crowd.”
It was a wild end to a back-and-forth game that featured six lead changes and saw neither team lead by more than seven points. Senior Corben Gonzales (15 points) and Salas (15 points, three rebounds, three assists) led the way offensively for the Bulldogs while Segura (four points, two rebounds), Beau Bergfeld (two points, five rebounds), Cale Barnett (three points, five rebounds), Bryson Holden (two points, eight rebounds), Jeffry Thomas (two points, two rebounds) and Layne Bourgeois (one point, two steals) all contributed to the win.
“Our guys did a great job of controlling the tempo of the game from start to finish,” Keane said. “We let them dictate the pace at their place earlier this season, and we did what we needed to in order to flip the script on our home floor. I was most proud of how we never wavered, even when we gave up a go-ahead basket with less than 20 seconds left. Our guys were focused and ready for whatever came next, and they stuck together when it mattered.”
The Bulldogs proceeded in district play on the road Friday night at Fredericksburg and fell to the Billies 65-50 on what was an off night defensively for Bandera. After trailing by just six at the half, the Bulldogs struggled to keep pace in the second half as Fredericksburg held on for the win.
Salas had 13 points, five rebounds and seven assists against Fredericksburg while Segura had 12 points and seven rebounds. Holden added nine points and three rebounds, Gonzales had six points, Barnett had five points and five rebounds, and Thomas had five points and a rebound for the Bulldogs.
“Fredericksburg played like their season was on the line, and it was,” Keane said. “They had to win to stay alive, and we just didn’t make enough plays on either end of the floor to be successful. Our defensive intensity must be better, and we must do a better job of taking care of the ball on offense. I think our guys reset well after the tough loss, and we had a good practice Monday. Now it’s just about taking care of business these last two weeks.”
Bandera now sits right in the thick of a four team battle for the final two playoff spots in District 27-4A. The Bulldogs need a win over Davenport Tuesday night or a win over Boerne next Tuesday night in order to clinch a spot in the postseason. Boerne is locked in to the No. 1 seed while Davenport has clinched the No. 2 spot.
Tip-off against Davenport is set for 6:30 p.m.
“A lot of people have already counted us out of Tuesday night’s game and I think that’s lighting a fire for our players,” Keane said. “We didn’t have a great showing at their place, but we are 8-1 at home this year and have done a great job of executing on our home floor. We’re looking forward to doing that again Tuesday night in front of a big crowd of Bulldog supporters!”
The win avenged a 62-41 loss to the Hawks earlier this season and sent Bulldog fans flooding the court in celebration after Isaac Segura connected on a put-back attempt as time expired in the fourth quarter to give Bandera a 44-43 win.
The final minute of the game was hectic, as junior Elijah Salas connected with Segura on a nice assist for a go-ahead basket with just 23 seconds remaining to make the score 42-41 in favor of the Bulldogs. Canyon Lake answered right back, however, regaining the lead at 43-42 on a layup with just 10 seconds remaining.
After a foul by the Hawks, the Bulldogs had 5.2 seconds remaining on the final possession of the game. After two missed game-winners, Segura secured an offensive rebound and put it through the net just before the final buzzer.
“It was one of the most exciting endings I’ve ever been a part of,” Bandera head coach Brady Keane said. “I thought we got a great initial look at the win, but Isaac did a phenomenal job of staying with it and fighting to create a second and third chance at the win. We had a blast celebrating with our fans after the game, and it was a lot of fun to celebrate such a hard fought win with such a big home crowd.”
It was a wild end to a back-and-forth game that featured six lead changes and saw neither team lead by more than seven points. Senior Corben Gonzales (15 points) and Salas (15 points, three rebounds, three assists) led the way offensively for the Bulldogs while Segura (four points, two rebounds), Beau Bergfeld (two points, five rebounds), Cale Barnett (three points, five rebounds), Bryson Holden (two points, eight rebounds), Jeffry Thomas (two points, two rebounds) and Layne Bourgeois (one point, two steals) all contributed to the win.
“Our guys did a great job of controlling the tempo of the game from start to finish,” Keane said. “We let them dictate the pace at their place earlier this season, and we did what we needed to in order to flip the script on our home floor. I was most proud of how we never wavered, even when we gave up a go-ahead basket with less than 20 seconds left. Our guys were focused and ready for whatever came next, and they stuck together when it mattered.”
The Bulldogs proceeded in district play on the road Friday night at Fredericksburg and fell to the Billies 65-50 on what was an off night defensively for Bandera. After trailing by just six at the half, the Bulldogs struggled to keep pace in the second half as Fredericksburg held on for the win.
Salas had 13 points, five rebounds and seven assists against Fredericksburg while Segura had 12 points and seven rebounds. Holden added nine points and three rebounds, Gonzales had six points, Barnett had five points and five rebounds, and Thomas had five points and a rebound for the Bulldogs.
“Fredericksburg played like their season was on the line, and it was,” Keane said. “They had to win to stay alive, and we just didn’t make enough plays on either end of the floor to be successful. Our defensive intensity must be better, and we must do a better job of taking care of the ball on offense. I think our guys reset well after the tough loss, and we had a good practice Monday. Now it’s just about taking care of business these last two weeks.”
Bandera now sits right in the thick of a four team battle for the final two playoff spots in District 27-4A. The Bulldogs need a win over Davenport Tuesday night or a win over Boerne next Tuesday night in order to clinch a spot in the postseason. Boerne is locked in to the No. 1 seed while Davenport has clinched the No. 2 spot.
Tip-off against Davenport is set for 6:30 p.m.
“A lot of people have already counted us out of Tuesday night’s game and I think that’s lighting a fire for our players,” Keane said. “We didn’t have a great showing at their place, but we are 8-1 at home this year and have done a great job of executing on our home floor. We’re looking forward to doing that again Tuesday night in front of a big crowd of Bulldog supporters!”