Coahoma ends playoff run with  loss against Cisco

ABILENE — The Bulldogs ended their season Tuesday night with a 39-68 loss in the bi-district championship game against the Cisco Loboes.

The evening was bittersweet for Coahoma Head Basketball Coach Joe Mireles who took over the struggling basketball team three years ago and brought them to their first playoff game in a number of years.

“I am really proud of the whole team, but it’s going to really hurt to let go of the seniors,” Mireles said. “Those are the guys that when I first got here we went through the 40 point loses, the 50 point loses, and I told them to stick with it, trust me and things would turn around. They trusted in the process and three years later we are in the playoffs.”

The game took place in Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum where both teams got to experience the atmosphere and luxury of a Division I basketball court. Mireles said his players were a bit starstruck when they first saw the court.

“It’s something new, and it’s an experience they will never forget,” he said.

The Bulldogs faced a tough Cisco team who were effective on defense and deadly accurate at the hoop all night long.

In the first quarter, Zack Schneider buried a jumper to pull within two points of the Cisco’s lead then Gage Clark-Burdell was fouled while shooting behind the arc. He nailed all three charity shots and the Bulldogs pushed ahead 7-6. A field goal by Gaige Hill bumped up the score 9-6 in the Bulldogs favor, but Cisco was quick to retake the lead by one after Cisco’s Israel Adame was fouled while successfully nailing a jumper. He converted the free throw to pull the Loboes ahead by one point.

A basket by Bryson Cline from a jumper put the Bulldogs back in the lead, but it was for the last time. The Lobes took control for the rest of the game.

Coahoma loses four seniors this year — Clark-Burdell, Cline, Joe Manning, and Brice Martin — all of whom have been instrumental in the Bulldogs successful run for the playoffs.

“We’ve got some young ones coming up that will fill their shoes but growing with these seniors I’ve had since I first got here, it’s going to be a hard loss,” Mireles said.

COAHOMA  39, CISCO 68

Coahoma: 11, 8, 13, 7 -- 39

Cisco: 17, 18, 17, 16 -- 68

Coahoma — Joe Manning 7, Zack Schneider 9, Gaige Hill 9, Bryson Cline 4, Gage Clark-Burdell 10.

Cisco — Gibson Hearne 27, Dawson Hearne 7, Cooper Witt 6, Dawson White 4, Israel Adame 11, Steven Bird 7, Caden Burleson 6

Free Throws — Coahoma 9-21, Cisco 12-16 ; Three-Point Goals — Coahoma 2  (Hill, Clark-Burdell), Cisco 4 (G. Hearne 2, D. Hearne, Adame); Total Fouls — Coahoma 20 , Cisco 19.