Though the Coppell boys basketball team has a three-point lead over Plano, it’s anyone’s game with 11.3 seconds left on the clock. Coppell junior guard James Faison draws a foul from Plano and sinks the first free throw, extending the Cowboys’ lead to two possessions.
Plano senior Stephen Reindorp scores off a rebound, 0.4 seconds before the buzzer resounds, ending the game. Reindorp’s last-ditch effort was ultimately not enough. The teams were tied on six different occasions throughout the night but Coppell defeated Plano, 64-62, at CHS Arena.
“There were some moments in the game that didn’t go our way, but the guys did a good job of fighting through that adversity,” Coppell coach Clint Schnell said. “At the end of the day, they made enough plays to win the game so that’s ultimately what matters.”
Plano held a two-point lead over the Cowboys by the end of the first quarter, but a 3-pointer by Coppell senior guard Arhan Lapsiwala put the Cowboys at the lead throughout the second quarter and into halftime. Plano finished the third quarter at 47-45 over Coppell, the lead alternating throughout the fourth quarter from there: Plano, Coppell, Plano, Coppell.
Heading into the game, Coppell prepared for Plano senior UNT signee Tyran Mason. Though the Cowboys double-teamed him most of the night, Mason was still the Wildcats’ leading scorer, finishing at 21 points.
Alongside the victory, Coppell celebrated its Senior Night, recognizing eight graduating seniors from its roster of 13.
“I’ve known a lot of them for most of their childhood so to see them grow up and become the young men they are, it leaves an empty space in my heart, too,” Schnell said. “I hate to see how fast it goes from when they arrive as freshmen to this point now but I just hope they have enjoyed their experience here.”
As for the remainder of District 6-6A play, Coppell travels to Plano West on Friday at 7 p.m. and Flower Mound Marcus on Tuesday at 7 p.m. According to Schnell, the Cowboys need to win both to have a shot at playoffs, as Coppell is currently in sixth place.
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