AP Panther Fan
03-10-2005, 09:36 AM
Here's an article from our local paper that gives some history on both Van and Aransas Pass in their quest for a state championship. I think fans of both teams will enjoy it!:) Don't forget that the game will be broadcast today on tsrn.com if you want to listen.
Road to Austin is all part of plan for Aransas Pass
By Stuart Duncan Caller-Times
March 10, 2005
It is not every year that a father gets to coach his son at the UIL state basketball tournament.
It must seem that way for Aransas Pass boys basketball coach Glen Hayes, however, who will be doing so for the third time in four years when the No. 11 Panthers (29-9 overall) take on second-ranked Van (36-2) in today's Class 3A state semifinals in Austin. The game will be played at the University of Texas' Frank Erwin Center at 3:30 p.m. and the winner will meet either eighth-ranked Graham (30-4 overall) or No. 13 Diboll (27-5) in Saturday's state championship game at 10:30 a.m.
Hayes appears to have this father-son state tournament thing down pat after coaching his son Chris Hayes on the Panthers' 2002 and 2003 state tournament teams.
Both those runs ended in the state semifinals, so coach Hayes is hoping for a longer stay with Chris' younger brother Daniel, who is a senior guard for Aransas Pass this season.
"It's been great coaching both my sons - it's a dream come true," Hayes said. "We missed out last year but Daniel's senior year has been much better. You always want to see your kids do well and when you're right there with them - it makes it that much better. But they're all (the Aransas Pass basketball players) my kids. I'm coaching all 15 of my sons."
Daniel received a taste of state tournament experience in 2003 but will get his first start in Austin on Thursday.
"My brother did it a couple of years ago and I'm putting myself in his shoes now," Daniel said. "Ever since I was little, I wanted to (play as a senior for his dad at the state tournament). I always knew I'd be playing there.
"We know we can win it," Daniel Hayes added. "We know what we want to do. In our minds, we want to win the state championship and not just get there. This is a different team (than the ones of the past) and we're going to do what we need to do to win."
Aransas Pass enters play with the most state tournament experience of any of the four teams in this year's Class 3A field. The Panthers also boast the 3A's tallest player in 6-foot-7 senior post Matt Hall. Yet because of nine losses - four of which were to either Class 4A or 5A teams - the Panthers drew the team with the fewest losses and yet the least amount of state tournament experience in Van, which hasn't been this far since 1942.
The Panthers are used to playing state-ranked teams, as they beat two Top Six teams just to reach the state tournament. That included No. 6 Yoakum in the Region IV-3A semifinals, which only had three losses coming into that game.
Aransas Pass is also on an 11-game win streak since dropping its first District 30-3A encounter to Goliad.
Van also has won 11 games in a row since dropping an 80-66 District 15-3A decision to Bullard. The Vandals rely on an up-tempo game, which has produced 80 points or more nine times this season. That includes a 94-point effort against Pittsburg in the area playoffs and a 101-point eruption against Dallas Wilmer-Hutchins during the non-district season.
"I didn't care if they're ranked No. 1 or No. 51," coach Hayes said, "this is the state tournament and we're still going to have to play a great game to beat them.
"We're just going to have to continue to play great defense and hit some shots (to prevail)," Hayes added. "In the playoffs, the team that shoots the best is the one that wins. So far, we haven't been hot in our shooting but we've been playing great defense. If we put both together, we'll be all right."
After averaging 44 points in the Region IV-3A tournament, the Panthers could use that to keep up with the run-and-gun Vandals.
Van is led by returning all-state guard Brandon Roberts, who signed a letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Louisiana at Monroe next season.
Like the Panthers, the Vandals feature an all-senior starting lineup. That includes forwards Kenny Ghormley - who is coming off a knee injury - and Anthony Thompson who combined for 33 points and 13 rebounds during their Region II-3A quarterfinal triumph against Gilmer. Reserve guard Chris Gossett - who was first-team all-district in 2003-04 and is coming off of knee surgery - connected for three 3-pointers in that game to help push Van to the Region II-3A tournament for the first time since 1976. Roberts and 5-foot-11 guard Cory Foster also combined for 27 points in the Gilmer game.
"Every one of their kids can score," Hayes said of the Vandals. "We can't focus on just one kid. (Roberts is) good but he's got four other teammates that can score. We can't worry about one kid like we did Ingram Moore (guard Dominick Adams during the Region IV-3A final)."
While Hayes wouldn't say whether the Panthers would slow it down and try to play a half-court game against the Vandals, the Panthers do have an advantage inside with Hall, who has three inches on Van's tallest player - the 6-foot-4 Thompson.
Hall said the Panthers' posts - including 6-foot-3 senior Eric Mingus - must hit the glass to stop the Vandals from getting any easy second chance points on offense.
"We're going to have to play good as a team and rebound," Hall said. "We have to block everybody out because (all of the teams in the state tournament) are athletic. We're going to have to play hard and hit our shots."
"We have to play good defense," Aransas Pass 6-foot senior guard Marcus Hernandez said. "Defense is the key to winning (at the state tournament)."
The Panthers have fared well in that department recently, as they've held their past two state-ranked playoff opponents to an average of 40 points per game.
The Vandals haven't scored less than 54 points in a game during the playoffs, although Daniel Hayes said that could change in Austin.
"Van might be in awe because playing in that gym can be pretty overwhelming," Hayes said. "We've been there before - we know what it is like."
And after Thursday, Hayes will know what it is like to play in Austin as a starter for his dad - just as he had planned.
Road to Austin is all part of plan for Aransas Pass
By Stuart Duncan Caller-Times
March 10, 2005
It is not every year that a father gets to coach his son at the UIL state basketball tournament.
It must seem that way for Aransas Pass boys basketball coach Glen Hayes, however, who will be doing so for the third time in four years when the No. 11 Panthers (29-9 overall) take on second-ranked Van (36-2) in today's Class 3A state semifinals in Austin. The game will be played at the University of Texas' Frank Erwin Center at 3:30 p.m. and the winner will meet either eighth-ranked Graham (30-4 overall) or No. 13 Diboll (27-5) in Saturday's state championship game at 10:30 a.m.
Hayes appears to have this father-son state tournament thing down pat after coaching his son Chris Hayes on the Panthers' 2002 and 2003 state tournament teams.
Both those runs ended in the state semifinals, so coach Hayes is hoping for a longer stay with Chris' younger brother Daniel, who is a senior guard for Aransas Pass this season.
"It's been great coaching both my sons - it's a dream come true," Hayes said. "We missed out last year but Daniel's senior year has been much better. You always want to see your kids do well and when you're right there with them - it makes it that much better. But they're all (the Aransas Pass basketball players) my kids. I'm coaching all 15 of my sons."
Daniel received a taste of state tournament experience in 2003 but will get his first start in Austin on Thursday.
"My brother did it a couple of years ago and I'm putting myself in his shoes now," Daniel said. "Ever since I was little, I wanted to (play as a senior for his dad at the state tournament). I always knew I'd be playing there.
"We know we can win it," Daniel Hayes added. "We know what we want to do. In our minds, we want to win the state championship and not just get there. This is a different team (than the ones of the past) and we're going to do what we need to do to win."
Aransas Pass enters play with the most state tournament experience of any of the four teams in this year's Class 3A field. The Panthers also boast the 3A's tallest player in 6-foot-7 senior post Matt Hall. Yet because of nine losses - four of which were to either Class 4A or 5A teams - the Panthers drew the team with the fewest losses and yet the least amount of state tournament experience in Van, which hasn't been this far since 1942.
The Panthers are used to playing state-ranked teams, as they beat two Top Six teams just to reach the state tournament. That included No. 6 Yoakum in the Region IV-3A semifinals, which only had three losses coming into that game.
Aransas Pass is also on an 11-game win streak since dropping its first District 30-3A encounter to Goliad.
Van also has won 11 games in a row since dropping an 80-66 District 15-3A decision to Bullard. The Vandals rely on an up-tempo game, which has produced 80 points or more nine times this season. That includes a 94-point effort against Pittsburg in the area playoffs and a 101-point eruption against Dallas Wilmer-Hutchins during the non-district season.
"I didn't care if they're ranked No. 1 or No. 51," coach Hayes said, "this is the state tournament and we're still going to have to play a great game to beat them.
"We're just going to have to continue to play great defense and hit some shots (to prevail)," Hayes added. "In the playoffs, the team that shoots the best is the one that wins. So far, we haven't been hot in our shooting but we've been playing great defense. If we put both together, we'll be all right."
After averaging 44 points in the Region IV-3A tournament, the Panthers could use that to keep up with the run-and-gun Vandals.
Van is led by returning all-state guard Brandon Roberts, who signed a letter of intent to play basketball for the University of Louisiana at Monroe next season.
Like the Panthers, the Vandals feature an all-senior starting lineup. That includes forwards Kenny Ghormley - who is coming off a knee injury - and Anthony Thompson who combined for 33 points and 13 rebounds during their Region II-3A quarterfinal triumph against Gilmer. Reserve guard Chris Gossett - who was first-team all-district in 2003-04 and is coming off of knee surgery - connected for three 3-pointers in that game to help push Van to the Region II-3A tournament for the first time since 1976. Roberts and 5-foot-11 guard Cory Foster also combined for 27 points in the Gilmer game.
"Every one of their kids can score," Hayes said of the Vandals. "We can't focus on just one kid. (Roberts is) good but he's got four other teammates that can score. We can't worry about one kid like we did Ingram Moore (guard Dominick Adams during the Region IV-3A final)."
While Hayes wouldn't say whether the Panthers would slow it down and try to play a half-court game against the Vandals, the Panthers do have an advantage inside with Hall, who has three inches on Van's tallest player - the 6-foot-4 Thompson.
Hall said the Panthers' posts - including 6-foot-3 senior Eric Mingus - must hit the glass to stop the Vandals from getting any easy second chance points on offense.
"We're going to have to play good as a team and rebound," Hall said. "We have to block everybody out because (all of the teams in the state tournament) are athletic. We're going to have to play hard and hit our shots."
"We have to play good defense," Aransas Pass 6-foot senior guard Marcus Hernandez said. "Defense is the key to winning (at the state tournament)."
The Panthers have fared well in that department recently, as they've held their past two state-ranked playoff opponents to an average of 40 points per game.
The Vandals haven't scored less than 54 points in a game during the playoffs, although Daniel Hayes said that could change in Austin.
"Van might be in awe because playing in that gym can be pretty overwhelming," Hayes said. "We've been there before - we know what it is like."
And after Thursday, Hayes will know what it is like to play in Austin as a starter for his dad - just as he had planned.