This season has been filled with moments like these, games where everything felt like it was on the line, hanging in the balance, waiting to tip one way or the other. But this one was different. This was the moment. Temple was the only thing standing between us and a trip to the state tournament, and everyone in the gym knew it. There was no tomorrow if we didn’t take care of business. It was win or go home. And the Lions had no intention of going home.
The game didn’t start exactly how it should’ve. We had already proven we could beat this team but we could not underestimate them. We came out slow, which kept them in the game for the first quarter, and after some words from Coach Schilling, we put our foot on the gas and never looked back. Possession by possession, we began to look more like ourselves, like the championship caliber team we knew we were.
By halftime, the Lions had taken control. The scoreboard read 14–22, giving us an eight-point lead heading into the break. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was enough to show that momentum was in our favor. The team was focused on the task at hand. There was no time for celebration or satisfaction, we knew the job wasn’t finished. This game was our ticket to the state tournament, and we weren’t about to let it slip away.
Coming out of halftime, the Lions put their foot on the gas and never looked back. The system was clicking. Passes were crisp, shots were falling, and the defense was relentless. Every player knew their role and executed it perfectly. This wasn’t just talent on display, it was chemistry, discipline, and trust in one another. As the lead continued to grow, the Lions looked every bit like the team they had worked all season to become.
As the game wore on, Temple began to show signs of fatigue and frustration. The pace was too much. The pressure was constant. And the Lions capitalized on every opportunity. Missed shots turned into fast breaks. Turnovers turned into points. The energy on the bench spilled onto the court, and the gap on the scoreboard widened with every passing minute.
By the fourth quarter, there was no doubt left about the outcome. Coach decided this was a great time to let the practice squad get some live in game reps, and they didn’t disappoint. The first possession they had Calab Pagan hit a 3 pointer which made the bench and crowd erupt into cheers. The Lions continued to build their lead, staying locked in until the final buzzer. When the game ended, the scoreboard told the story: a dominant 25–50 blowout victory. With that win, the Lions officially punched their ticket to the state tournament.
The celebration that followed was well-earned, but it was also measured. The Lions knew what this win meant, but they also knew it was just the beginning. Advancing to state was the goal, but it wasn’t the finale.
The next stop was the state tournament, a stage that wasn’t unfamiliar to the Lions. Two years earlier, they had come painfully close, falling in the championship game. But that history didn’t weigh on this team. There was no baggage being carried, no past regrets holding them back. This was a new group, fueled by a renewed hunger and an unshakable drive to finish what had once slipped away.
Now, all eyes are forward. The mission is clear. Mark your calendars. February 19th and 20th will be the days the One School Lions take the floor with one goal in mind, to bring home a state championship. This team is ready. There is a championship waiting to be claimed.
