Rattlers Get Competitive Early, Fade in Fourth in Loss to Southwest Legacy 

By Santos Gonzalez
KTSW Sports Reporter

SAN MARCOS, Texas– The San Marcos Rattlers boys basketball team stayed competitive through three quarters but could not keep pace in the final frame, falling 56 to 41 against Southwest Legacy on Dec. 16. 

The game opened as a defensive battle, with Southwest Legacy holding a slim 13 to 10 lead after the first quarter. The Titans maintained control going into halftime, extending their advantage to 28 to 21, but the Rattlers refused to go away. 

San Marcos delivered its strongest push in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to just three points. The Rattlers entered the fourth quarter trailing 40 to 37 and appeared poised to challenge for the lead. 

That momentum shifted quickly in the final period as Southwest Legacy took over from the perimeter. Outside shooting combined with forced turnovers allowed the Titans to pull away, while San Marcos struggled to find an offensive rhythm down the stretch. 

Despite the loss, head coach Miller pointed to positives, especially on the defensive end with adjustments made throughout the game. 

“You know, we did some good things tonight,” said Miller. “In our zone, we mixed it up a little bit today and did some good things. We just got to clean up our turnovers. Our turnovers led to their points when they extended their lead. If we just do not have those careless turnovers, we are right there.” 

Turnovers and offensive execution became costly in the fourth quarter, according to Miller, as the Rattlers were unable to generate consistent looks at the basket. 

“Just on offense, we were not getting in a good flow,” said Miller. “We were playing too high. We got to get that ball below the free throw line and have a better chance at the rim.” 

San Marcos will look to rebound in its final game before the holiday break when the Rattlers return home to face Victoria West on Friday. The Rattlers are playing fine basketball at the moment but there is still some fine tuning to do if San Marcos is going to be competitive in District 29.