Boys hoops ready for playoff opener

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
Will host Chatfield for a 2nd time.
It’s here for Mullen boys basketball. The Class 5A playoffs. The time to deliver. And the time to enjoy.
The Mustangs will open the big-school postseason on Wednesday at Hutchison Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. with a rematch against Chatfield. They downed the Chargers 91-58 in the Mullen Christmas Classic on Dec. 22 in a memorable outing, one in which senior guard Christian Davis erupted for 55 points, including 15 3-pointers.
Calling his anticipation and excitement while at practice this week “uncontrollable,” senior guard Brady Parris said “I was already watching Chatfield film … everyone knows the story. It’s very exciting.”
Mullen is 14-9 and was 7-7 in the Centennial League, arguably the top big-school group in a season in which the race to next month’s title game is wide open. And the Mustangs smell opportunity.
“We have a good chance (to progress in the bracket),” Mullen head coach Bob Caton said. “I think this year is one of those years that you could probably have 15-to-16 teams that could win the state championship. Not the top 15 or 16 seeds, but a lot of them have chances.
“You now the adage: If you can win while having a bad game … there is a lot of depth.”
Davis tops Mullen scoring at 14.0 points and junior Isaac White, after a slow start, has been a regular contributor (11.2). Junior center Isaac Ondekane is averaging a double-double, 13.3 points and 12.4 rebounds.
Wednesday’s winner will move to the second round to face Castle Rock’s Castle View on Saturday, 5 p.m.
“Everyone is really on edge,” Parris said. “For these seniors, this group, it’s what we’ve waited for for four years, and we’re ready to go out there and prove ourselves and see what we can do.”
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