On Tuesday, February 25, the Judson Rockets (26-9) faced off against the Hays Rebels (21-10) in the first playoff game. 

The game started off with a tech on the Rockets, letting the Rebels shoot for two, but they only made one. They got the ball after the shots and made a layup putting the score at 3-0. Senior Michael Chandler bodied his way into the paint for a layup, giving the Rockets two points. The Rebels capitalized on an overthrown pass, giving them a fast break layup to keep them in the lead. Chandler answered back with a fade-away shot to give the Rockets two points, putting the score at 5-7 with the Rebels up. The Rebels came back down the court with a layup for two. The possession after, senior Ambrose Johnson got a steal and slammed it down for two points. The Rebels again, owning the paint, got a contested layup for two points. The Rebels made a three after continued passing to make the score 8-14. Junior Davion Wilson got fouled and made only one shot but the Rebels were on fire as they walked up to the three-point line and made it for three and made another layup. Wilson made a floater ending the quarter at 13-25 with the Rebels leading. 

To start the second, Rockets missed a three and Rebels capitalized with a layup. Chandler got the ball in the corner and shot it for three and got it to fall. The Rebels answered back with a three of their own making score, 16-30. Chandler got the and-one call and missed the extra point. Then, senior Kyonte Holder found sophomore Anaris Brandon in the corner for a three, but the Rebels quickly answered back with a layup furthering their lead. Holder tipped a passed ball and was recovered by Chandler, who then passed to Brandon for another layup to inch closer, making the score 26-35. Senior Arthur Celestin found open space and slammed the ball down for two to inch the Rockets closer. Then, Chandler got fouled back-to-back and made all four shots, putting the Rockets down by six. Holder made a three after a rebound by senior Don Escobar, closing the gap at 37-38. The Rebels then got fouled and made both shots to end the half at a score of 37-40. 

To start the third, Celestin blocked a layup attempt, which led to Holder getting a fast break layup for two, forcing a Rebel timeout. Brandon came down the court for a fast-break layup and the and-one call, as he made the extra point. giving Judson the lead with a score of 42-40. The Rebels then made an inside shot for two, but Brandon bodied his way into the paint and made the layup when a foul should have been called making the score 46-42. Chandler made a floater and immediately afterward, Holder tried for a layup but couldn’t get it to fall. But Celestin got up and put the ball back in for two ending the quarter with Rockets in the lead at 50-48. 

To start the fourth, after numerous missed shots Brandon took action with and drove in for two. Escobar got a steal and passed to Holder for two, putting the Rockets lead at 56-50. Celestin was on a streak as he made two back-to-back dunks to put the score at 60-52. Johnson found Celestin on the lob as Celestin slammed it in for two followed by a fast-break layup by Holder after a steal by Brandon. Holder lobbed it up to Celestin for another posterizing dunk to increase the lead to 70-58. Rebels came back for two back to back threes to make the score 70-64. Holder got fouled and can only make one shot. Brandon got fouled as he got both to fall. Rebels found open space in the paint and got a layup to fall for two. Holder got fouled again and got both shots to fall, putting the score at 75-66. Holder got fouled yet again and he only got one to fall to put the game away. Then Brandon, with some disrespect, made a dunk to end the game at the buzzer with the score of 78-66. 

The Judson Rockets (27-9) will play the O’Connor Panthers (24-8) on Friday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Alamo Convocation Center in the second round of the playoffs. 

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