With Plano East ahead in the first quarter, Coppell saw a tie on the scoreboard during halftime as a clean slate. Coppell went on to steal back the ball and the game, which ended with their victory, 65-55, on Tuesday at the CHS Arena.

Plano East was consistently ahead during the first quarter of the game, with 12-17 at the end. Plano East’s lead followed them through the second quarter. However, by the time the buzzer called for halftime, both teams had the same score of 29-29. 

“We know we need to get better throughout all four quarters and remain consistent with how we play,” Coppell junior shooting guard Devank Rane. “We want to look back after every game and know we gave it our all”

Though Coppell had a difficult time shaking the Panthers’ lead at the beginning portion of the game after the buzzer ended half time the game took a turn to benefit the Cowboys. The tie acted as a clean slate for Coppell and essentially allowed them to hit the reset button. 

“The best thing we did during this game was step up when we needed to to get the job done,” Coppell junior point guard Nazir Brown said. “We were able to stay together, as a team, and obtain the win. 

Coppell came back strong after consecutive layups, a couple of three-pointers, and even a few steals. They quickly brought the score up to 52-40 at the end of the third quarter, which was its dominant quarter. Coppell was able to sustain the lead until the buzzer ran out.

“In the future, I would tell my team to take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way,” Brown said.

Throughout the game, point gains went back and forth, but in the end, Plano East couldn’t catch up with the scoreboard. 

The hard work and energy both teams brought to the court, made for excellent competition and a great game overall. Both teams are formidable opponents that challenge one another to bring out their best.

“No Coppell basketball team has won three consecutive district championships in the history of our school, so it would be exciting to be the first,” Coppell junior shooting guard Ryan Agarwal said. “However, at the end of the day with the chemistry that our team has, I think we can go further with playoffs, regionals or state championships. We have to enjoy the wins as we go, but those victories are just the beginning.”

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