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The Cards’ varsity basketball team had a big game on Jan. 17 against the Edna Cowboys, the second-place team in the district. The winner of the matchup would claim an advantage in the chase for the district title. The game came down to the wire, but Cristian Reyna ensured the Cards remained in first place with two big shots in a row punctuated by a fast break floater with seconds left in the 58-56 win.
Columbus struggled to find an advantage over the quick and pesky Cowboys, playing the first half to a stalemate with a tie on the scoreboard. The second half came with more offensive success for the Cards as they scored 20 points in the third quarter. Their four-point lead to start the fourth had evaporated by the final minute of the game after Edna scored on a big three pointer to take the lead. The Cards allowed Reyna to take the reins following a timeout, and he paid the decision off with a huge stepback three to tie the game. After a stop on the other end, Reyna grabbed a rebound and raced to the other end to shoot and convert a contested floater in the lane with around three seconds left. Edna missed the heave at the buzzer and the Cards escaped with the win.
Reyna led the team in scoring with 21 points. Trevor Berger was the team’s next leading scorer with 20 points of his own. Colton and Camdon Pitchford scored six points each and were key pieces to breaking down Edna’s full court pressure.
