By T. Scott Boatright
Choudrant took the District 2-B boys basketball title Saturday night as the Aggies powered their way past Downsville 66-34 inside the CHS Gym.
“It really does mean a lot,” said Aggies coach Ryan Smith. “We’ve been able to do it the past couple of years and it’s something you can take with you. All-District honors I think are great as well. I’m proud of the team. I’m proud of where we are as a program. So the fact we get to say we’re district champs is pretty cool, something cool for the community so we’re not taking it for granted at all because we’ve been in a challenging district before and we’ll go back to a challenging district next year.
“So, anytime you can celebrate with your team like this is a cool thing.”
The Aggies wasted no time in taking control, opening with a 27-0 run before Downsville scored its first basket 22 seconds into the first quarter.
Carson Carrico, who finished with 12 points for the Aggies, first at last for Choudrant in the opening stanza, laying the ball up and in 34 seconds into the game and hitting a mid-range jumper in the final seconds of the period to give the Aggies a 29-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Choudrant led 54-18 at the half, setting up a running clock that began in the third quarter.
“I think it hit the seniors that this was the last chance they’ll get to play here,” said Aggies coach Ryan Smith. “So we wanted it to be a special night for them and I’m glad they took that challenge early on tonight by playing really strong defense. I know the mood kind of lightened up as the game went on, but this game said a lot about them.
“For me, what I loved the most is that they were excited for each other. They were playing hard for each other. Cheering for each other. The fact they did that just shows their relationship and their maturity.”
The lopsided score early on allowed Smith to give his bench extended minutes early on, which he said is something he’ll always do when he has the chance.
“I think tonight, we felt comfortable with that lead,” Smith said. “As long as I can remember, I’m a big believer in game experience for the other guys. So I always try my best to get everybody in there as often as I can. Mr. (Chris) Jones, our principal, calls me the king of 12-point games because I like to do that.
“We did that (Friday) night. It was senior night. We had three freshmen who are just now starting to dress out. And they were on the court in less than a 10-point game. You can’t replicate the energy and the nerves in a practice. So as long as they give me the chance, I’m going to get as many as I can in there for as long as I can.”
Senior Brayden Pye led the Aggies with 18 points while Turner Rhodes chipped in with seven and Benton Case, Jackson Ambrose and Cole Rinehard each added six points while Clarence Menywether totaled five and Hagen Davis hit for four while Tobey Cooper rounded out the Aggies’ scoring with two.
Now the Aggies look toward Tuesday’s regular season final at Quitman before focusing on the playoffs, which will begin in late February.
“I think it was unfortunate we lost our Friday night game (against Florien), and we finish at Quitman, so going over there is going to be kind of a first round (playoff) game for us. So getting to play in an atmosphere like that is going to feel like a playoff game.
“But there is a legit concern because of the amount of time we’ll have off (before the playoffs begin. We’ll just have to see how to attack that — kind of start back over and go through the basics, make sure we get enough conditioning in because it’s going to be almost two weeks until we get to the playoffs, and then you jump right to the second round, and that’s very hard. I don’t think it’s ideal, I don’t like it. I wish more kids had the opportunity to play in playoff games, but it is what we have to deal with and we’ll try to make the best of it. But I’m not a fan of taking that much time off.”
