Public Notice - Subscribe

Plano East picks up pieces after heartbreaking loss, gears up for playoff run

by | Feb 7, 2023 | Sports

As Plano’s Justin Buenventura’s final shot sank through the hoop at the buzzer, Plano East’s players collapsed to the floor in agony while their rivals celebrated on their home court.

A battle between the No. 8 Plano Wildcats and No. 12 Plano East Panthers for the second time this season came down to the final possession. Plano went the length of the court in 4.5 seconds to sink the game-winning 3-point field goal as time expired, winning the game 52-50.

Head coach Matt Wester quickly had to pick up the pieces for his team.

“I told the guys that the difference between our locker room and their locker room is one play,” Wester said. “One mistake, one shot is all the difference between winning and feeling great and losing and feeling down. We’ve played some of the best teams in the state and competed with them and I think we proved again we can do just that.”

It was a quick change of emotion after Plano East took a 50-49 lead on an alley-oop layup and foul from Jordan Mizell with 25.5 seconds left. It was a play the team had run a few times earlier in the game and earlier in the season but capitalized on the Plano defense losing Mizell at the rim.

“We had run it before and sometimes as the season goes along you have to adjust plays as teams begin to scout you a little more,” Wester said. “We didn’t think the lob would be there for us, so the plan was to have Jordan pop back out and reverse the ball around the perimeter for a shot, but it was good recognition from Isaiah [Brewington] to make the pass and great on Jordan for finishing it.”

Despite the momentary high, Plano East missed two free throws down the stretch that could’ve helped seal the game and opened the door for Plano late. The Wildcat’s win put them at 10-1 in the district, one game ahead of the Panthers who they have now defeated twice by a combined score of three points.

Despite the loss, the Panthers continue to impress as one of the surprise basketball teams of the season, climbing the state rankings as they continue to win games. They’re currently 27-4 on the season and 9-2 in District 6-6A after the loss, good enough for second in a competitive district. The high win numbers aren’t for a lack of being battle-tested either, as a look across the state rankings would see Plano, Lake Highlands, San Antonio powerhouses Brennan, Veterans Memorial and Reagan, along with several other competitive programs. While the Panthers have managed to scrap a few wins against some of the best, they’re ready to take the next step and make a playoff run this season.

“Whatever it takes to make the next step, I think we have it and we just have to prove it,” Wester said. “We’ve proven we’re very good and it’s one of the most highly-rated teams in school history. We’ve lost four games to teams ranked in the top eight, but we’ve competed and we’re hoping to rebound from the disappointment of that game.”

Plano East wraps up the regular season with two more games, hosting Hebron this Friday before traveling to Flower Mound next Tuesday, Feb. 14. With just a couple of games left to recover before the end of the regular season, the Panthers have already clinched a playoff spot but are battling for district seeding.

“It’s a tough battle for playoffs, with some competitive teams ahead of us,” Wester said. “The last time we lost to Plano, I was really impressed with how the players responded and played well in their next game. I’m hoping we can do that again this time.”

For the full story, subscribe here.

For more sports pictures, see here.

Public Notice - Subscribe

0 Comments

Public Notice - Subscribe

Related News

Pitching leads way for talented Plano East baseball team

Pitching leads way for talented Plano East baseball team

Despite a nine-year postseason drought, there’s a lot of optimism for the new season of Plano East baseball. With several returning starters from last season, including key young players who suffered through some growing pains last season. While the team finished 3-11...

read more
Local athletes sign National Letters of Intent

Local athletes sign National Letters of Intent

High school athletes around the country are signing their national letters of intent this week for national signing day. While the festivities in the DFW Metroplex were delayed because of the storms last week, several local athletes from Wylie, Wylie East, Sachse and...

read more
Plano East finishes second at district

Plano East finishes second at district

Wylie, Wylie East and Plano East all competed in District 6-6A championships at the Allen Freshman Center Saturday morning, Feb. 4, after a multi-day weather delay. Coming out of the meet, several wrestlers from each school will have a chance to continue their season...

read more
Plano East beats Lewisville, Udo sets career mark

Plano East beats Lewisville, Udo sets career mark

The Lady Panthers are one win away from a playoff berth after beating Lewisville Friday night. Plano East is now 7-4 in District 6-6A, tied with Flower Mound for third place with just three games remaining. Sema Udo and Destiny Jones were in double figures for the...

read more
Plano East shuts down Hebron in second half

Plano East shuts down Hebron in second half

The No. 18 ranked Plano East Panthers shut down the Hebron Hawks in the second half, winning their fifth district game Tuesday night. The Hawks were held to just 15 points in the second half, as Jordan Mizell scored a game-high 21 points in the Panthers' 57-43 win....

read more
Plano East Senior High School 2022 sports year in review

Plano East Senior High School 2022 sports year in review

2022 was a new beginning for Plano East Senior High School. With several new coaches, standout athletes and even state champions, the athletics department wanted to set the tone for a new culture of Panthers. That was a success, with participation increasing and teams...

read more
Plano East season closes with road loss to Marcus

Plano East season closes with road loss to Marcus

Plano East (0-7, 3-7) wraps up their 2022 season winless in district play, losing to Flower Mound Marcus (5-2, 6-4) 50-7 on an unusual Thursday night at Marauders Stadium in Flower Mound.  The Panthers again struggled with their passing game as the playoff-bound...

read more
Public Notice - Subscribe