HUNTSVILLE — The Hornets did not practice long after school Thursday. Huntsville coach Larry Carlson went over a few things with his players, then he sent them home to rest.
Carlson knows the Hornets are going to need fresh legs tonight if they want to run with the 25th-ranked Panthers.
“They play more our style,” Carlson said of the Panthers. “They’re a little bigger than San Marcos, but they’re not huge. I talked to some coaches and we worked up a scouting report on them. I think they’re more of a run-and-gun team. Some people have tried to slow them down, but they like to run.
“Really, they may be a mirror image of us.”
Hours after rallying past San Marcos 53-34 in a bi-district contest, the Hornets were back in the gym preparing for tonight’s area-round game against C.E. King. The game will be played at Dekaney High School in Spring at 7:30 p.m.
“We worked on our press break mainly, but we also took a look at our halfcourt man-to-man offense,” Carlson said. “We worked on our zone defense a little bit and shot some free throws. We only went for about an hour. At this point in the season, that’s all we need.”
On Tuesday, C.E. King cruised past Livingston 77-57 in a bi-district game. Senior Bennie Batiste, a 6-2 forward, led the Panthers’ balanced offensive attack with 17 points. Senior Ja’Tavius McCardell added 16 and junior De’Marcus Emanuel contributed 14.
Carlson said his players are excited about playing the Panthers. The Hornets thrive when the pace is fast and the game is tight.
“Our guys seem really upbeat about this game,” Carlson said. “They paid attention a little more than usual today when we went over the scouting report. They really listened.
“They’re excited because it should be a quicker-paced game.”
On Wednesday night in Rockdale, San Marcos slowed the game to a snail’s pace. The Rattlers, the third-place team from 17-4A, stayed close because they patiently picked their shots and played a confounding brand of defense.
Down by two at halftime, Huntsville cranked up its offense and went on a 15-0 run to start the third quarter. The Hornets never trailed after sophomore Kriston Minor connected on a 3-point shot early in the second half.
Minor and senior Jeremy Laday led the Hornets with 14 points each. Laday grabbed nine rebounds, while senior Justin Gilbert yanked down seven more boards to go along with his eight points, two steals and three blocks. Senior Marvin Dunbar tossed in 10 points, had five boards and two assists.
Carlson said the Hornets shook off a little rust caused by a long layoff between the final regular-season game and Wednesday’s first-round playoff game. The Hornets should be more prepared for tonight’s match with C.E. King.
“We’re ready to go. I feel a little more confident going into this one because of the style of play,” Carlson said. “I’m not that familiar with San Marcos. C.E. King plays that North Houston-type ball. We like that.”
Today: Houston C.E. King vs. Huntsville, Spring Dekaney HS, 7:30 p.m.
Records: Panthers are 27-8; Hornets are 22-14
Tickets: $5 for adults; $3 for students
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