Rambelle Basketball Goes 2-0 Before Holiday Break

The Angelo State Rambelle basketball team went 2-0 after defeating the UT-Permian Basin Falcons 68-59 on Dec. 16 and the Schreiner Mountaineers 101-65 on Dec. 19.

ASU 68-59 UTPB (Game 1)

The Falcons would have a great start in the first quarter, taking the lead in the first few minutes. A 3-pointer by junior forward Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant would lessen the Falcons' lead to 11-8 with just under 5 ½ minutes remaining in the quarter.

Sophomore forward Madeline Stephens would score 6 points in a row, putting the Rambelles 1 point behind the Falcons, 18-17, with just over one minute to go in the first quarter. Stephens hit a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to lessen the Falcons’ lead to 21-20 going into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Stephens, McGhee-Pleasant and junior guard Sawyer Lloyd all scored for a 9-0 run to pull ASU ahead 26-21. The shots would go cold, however, as both teams would only score two points making the score 28-23 with ASU still in the lead. 

Stephens would break the dry spell with a layup for her 13th point of the first half. The Falcons would have a small run to trail the Rambelles by 1 point, 30-29, going into halftime.

The Falcons had a strong start in the third quarter, scoring the first 8 points in under three minutes to pull ahead 37-30. Freshman guard Briley Merket would score a 3-pointer to bring ASU within 1 point of the Falcons, 42-41. The Rambelles would then score 7 points to take the lead 48-44 with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter. Lloyd would make another 3-pointer to end the quarter with ASU ahead 53-48.

In the fourth quarter, McGhee-Pleasant would score a 3-pointer to extend the Rambelle’s lead to 7 points. A 7-0 run by ASU would put the game out of reach at 64-50. Lloyd and Merket would seal the deal with free throws to defeat the Falcons 68-59. The Rambelles moved to 8-2 on the season and 4-1 in Lonestar Conference play.

ASU 101-65 SU (Game 2)

In the first quarter, Lloyd and McGhee-Pleasant would quickly score 4 points to put the Rambelles ahead 10-2 early on.

Freshman center Keniah Williams would make a fast-break layup to keep ASU’s lead of 8 points, 19-11, with just over three minutes in the quarter. The Mountaineers would then go on an 8-0 run before Stephens would make a layup to keep the Rambelles ahead 21-19 at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, Lloyd would expand ASU’s lead to 10 points, 35-25, with just under 6 ½ minutes to go in the quarter. SU would bring the game back to to within 3 points, 35-32, with just under five minutes on the clock. The Rambelles would respond with a 20-0 run to close out the second quarter leading 52-32.

In the third quarter, sophomore guard Kyla Cobb would hit a jumper to extend the Rambelles’ lead to 26 points, 63-37, with just over five minutes left in regulation. The Mountaineers would get within 11 points, 68-57, until freshman forward Aicha Ndir and Stephens would each score to give ASU a lead of 72-57 going into the fourth quarter.

Freshman forward Olivia Pedigo would score to put the Rambelles up by 30, 87-57, with a little over five minutes remaining in the fourth. Cobb, Ndir and freshman forward Kenslee Konarik would all score in the last minute to get the Rambelles over the 100-point mark. This would be the first time the Rambelles have scored over 100 points since 2019. The Rambelles would go on to defeat the Mountaineers 101-65.

The Rambelles move to 9-2 on the season and stay at 4-1 in LSC play after a nonconference game against the Mountaineers. They will play again against the Western New Mexico Mustangs on Dec. 30 to continue LSC play.