Pete Luna|Leader-News
Uvalde High School head coach Alex Oyola (left) looks on from the bench as Joseph Flores (No. 1) puts up a long-range shot for three points. Flores’ shot came last Friday night during the third period of the game between the Coyotes and the Bulldogs.
The Uvalde Coyotes struggled offensively, defensively, and in rebounding last Friday night, but they still nearly won their basketball season home opener.
Down 31-19 at the end of the first half, the young Uvaldeans cut the scoring deficit to seven points by the end of the third period.
They rallied to take a two-point lead with two-and-a-half minutes left in the ball game.
But Bandera’s Bulldogs outscored the Coyotes, 8-0, the rest of the way to escape Uvalde High School’s Harvey Kinchlow Gym with a 56-50 win.
Early on in the game, missed close-range shots, turnovers, and a lack of rebounding plagued the Coyotes as the Bulldogs got off to a 12-2 lead.
The Coyotes rallied to cut the deficit to 14-10 by the end of the first period.
Bandera began the second period with a 9-0 scoring run as they upped their lead to 23-10.
Jarrett Hernandez hit on a baseline jumper for three points to end a lengthy scoring drought for the Coyotes.
During the final half of the period, the Bulldogs outpointed the Coyotes, 8-6, to take a 31-19 lead by the end of the half.
Joseph Flores nailed a pair of three-field goals to lead an eight-point comeback by the Coyotes early in the second half.
Brian Reading downed a pair of free throws late in the period to cut the Bandera lead to 38-29.
In the closing seconds, Joseph Flores downed a pair of free throws on a technical foul assessed against the Bulldogs.
Early in the final period, Isaiah Rodriguez drained a three-point field goal to trim the deficit to 38-34.
Bandera scored six unanswered points, before Joseph Flores netted a three-point shot.
Flores later sank two free throws to trim the Bandera lead to 45-42.
Brian Reading converted on a three-point play and later fed a pass to Joseph Flores, who scored on a layup to tie the score at 48-48.
Gabriel Larralde hit on two free throws to give the Coyotes a 50-48 lead with 2:39 left on the game clock.
Bandera tied the score with a field goal.
The Bulldogs then scored on a field goal and four free throws during the final minute of the game to wind up with their six-point victory.
Joseph Flores led individual scoring in the game. He netted 25 points for the Coyotes.
Flores downed four three-point field goals.
Brian Reading also scored in double figures for the Coyotes. He posted 10 points.
Others scoring for UHS were Daniel Perez with five points; Jarrett Hernandez and Isaiah Rodriguez each with three points; and Garrett Sendejo and Gabriel Larralde each with one point.
Tyler Moore scored 20 points to top the individual scoring for Bandera.
