Aransas Pass

[nutcrackin]

Does anyone have any insight on AP. I am from region II and was just wanting a breakdown of their team.. Thanks.

[pirate44]

never heard of 'em..

[District303aPastPlayer]

amazing, he wants info on them after he said they stand no chance...

[AP Panther Fan]

No offense, but I read your other thread and it appears you are fairly self-confident in your team's abilities, so why bother?

If you truly are interested though, you can go to the Corpus Christi Caller Times website and do a little homework. The Aransas Pass ISD website also give various game results.

[Phil C]

Beware of the Howling Panther!

[AP Panther Fan]

Wish I felt better today....I would normally take this ball and run with it....just not in the mood!

[nutcrackin]

i guess you didnt' read to well.. my team is gilmer and i just relayed what i have seen... obviously i believe these two teams will meet but what does that have to do with providing info on others... you must be worried or insecure one.

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by nutcrackin
i guess you didnt' read to well.. my team is gilmer and i just relayed what i have seen... obviously i believe these two teams will meet but what does that have to do with providing info on others... you must be worried or insecure one.

Excuse me, I guess you are fairly confident in Van's abilities. I am not worried or insecured....BUDDY!

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by AP Panther Fan
Excuse me, I guess you are fairly confident in Van's abilities. I am not worried or insecured....BUDDY!

Uh-Oh -- she really isn't feel well. Look out.



















P.S. Hope you feel better soon.

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by pirate4state
P.S. Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks, I am going to stick it out a bit longer and probably head home soon.

[big daddy russ]

I'll throw you a bone...

I was the sports reporter for the paper down there a while back and the core of juniors that are on the team now were just freshmen back then. They had three that got regular PT even on their State Tourney run back then: C Matt Hall, PG Daniel Hayes and one of their wings... can't remember his name for the life of me... Marcus Hernandez, maybe? They've been to the State Tourney now for three out of the last four years and this junior class is probably their most talented class to date. Depending on what they have as far as a supporting cast, next year may actually be the year they're looking forward to.

Hayes is the Coaches' son, excellent handles and a great understanding of the game. He knows how to move with the ball and how to put teammates in a position to score... and that's a description of him as a freshman. He's matured two years since then. The thing that he needed most back then was to work on his offense. He's a gifted athlete and can do a lot of things, but his shot was still coming around back then.

Hall is a tall, lanky kid with decent-to-good athleticism but great hops. He was schooled by former AP All-State post Tommy Blake (who now plays football at TCU). Learned how to use his length against his opponents practicing everyday against the 6-4, 230 pounder. Tommy may have had an inch or two on Matt back then and was definitely more athletic and had more hops, but from what I hear Matt's grown to 6-6. He's a long center with a huge wingspan, but he definitely wasn't a banger in his younger days.

Hernandez was the prodigy of the group. About 5'10" or so last I saw, he could handle the ball, shoot, score inside and knew how to move and where to be when he didn't have the ball. I'd like to get to see how much he's developed and grown. He got more PT than any of the other freshmen.

Their coach, Glen Hayes, has sent his teams to the playoffs the past seven straight years (I think) and has made the Regional Tournament during four of those years. Also, they come out of District 30, which I could safely say is the best basketball district in Region IV. In his last four Regional Tourney visits, Hayes has taken his team to Austin three times.

District 30 has had at least one team in the Regional Final for each of the past 10 years, 12 of the last 16 years, and has had at least one team in the Regional Tourney every year since 1987. By my count, the district has only lost two Regional Finals in the last 10 years: in 1998 Ingleside lost to Stafford and in 1996 when West Oso lost to District Rival and eventual State Champ Sinton. One had to lose.

But saying that District 30 is the toughest district in the state would be a huge stretch. Their only championship in that 14-year stretch was Sinton's in 1996. They have tradition and they have consistency, but they just don't have "greatness."

So yeah, you'll win.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by District303aPastPlayer
amazing, he wants info on them after he said they stand no chance...

Well, most years region IV doesnt do anything at the State Tournament

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Depending on what they have as far as a supporting cast, next year may actually be the year they're looking forward to.

So yeah, you'll win.

They are all seniors this year, so this is the year...next year we will probably be re-building.

Thanks, Russ.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by AP Panther Fan
They are all seniors this year, so this is the year...next year we will probably be re-building.

Thanks, Russ.

Dang, was it that long ago? I must be getting old.

And no problem, AP.

[AP Panther Fan]

Nice article in today's paper!

Aransas Pass seniors have sights on title

But first, Panthers have to get past Van in semis

By STUART DUNCAN Caller-Times
March 8, 2005


Thursday’s game
# What: Class 3A boys basketball state semifinal
# Who: No. 11 Aransas Pass vs. No. 2 Van
# When: 3:30 p.m., Thursday
# Where: Frank Erwin Center, U. of Texas, Austin


The dream is alive at Aransas Pass High School this season.

And the Panthers seniors cannot wait for that dream to become a reality when they take to the court Thursday afternoon in Austin. Those nine seniors lead No. 11 Aransas Pass (29-9) into Thursday's Class 3A boys basketball state semifinal game against District 15-3A champion and second-ranked Van (36-2) at 3:30 p.m. at the University of Texas' Frank Erwin Center. The winner earns the right to play either Graham or Diboll in Saturday's state championship game at 10:30 a.m.

"We've been thinking about it since we were in middle school," Aransas Pass senior post Matt Hall said. "We knew if we worked hard enough, someday we would go to state as a senior class. This is what we've been waiting for - forever."

"It's the best feeling in the world," Panthers senior post Eric Mingus said of returning to the state tournament. "We want (to win the state championship) bad. We want it (more) than anybody else in the state."

Aransas Pass intends to prove that this week on a court that hasn't been too kind to it in recent years. The Panthers - who will make their third state semifinal appearance in the past four years - hope the third time will be the charm for them in Austin.

"We've lost both times, so I don't know," Aransas Pass coach Glen Hayes said with a laugh when asked what it would take to get past the semis. "I guess we'll have to figure it out as we go."

The Panthers have certainly mastered the Region IV-3A tournament in Kingsville, winning the crown there three times in the past four years.

And Aransas Pass hopes to carry the momentum gained into this year's state tournament.

The Panthers used two second-half comebacks in the regional tournament against state-ranked Yoakum and Ingram Moore this past weekend just to advance to the state tournament.

That never-say-die mentality and the team's senior leadership have carried the Panthers on more than one occasion this season.

"You look up at the clock and see we're down by nine, and then they make a play, and all of a sudden it's a new game," Hayes said.

In the regional semifinal game, it was 6-foot-3 post Mingus and 6-foot-7 Hall stepping up to combine for 25 points, 15 rebounds and a game-preserving blocked shot to carry the Panthers over No.6 Yoakum, 45-43. Then in the regional final, senior guards Marcus Hernandez and Daniel Hayes combined for 28 points and four 3-pointers to help Aransas Pass avenge last season's playoff loss to No.5 Ingram Moore, 43-37.

Now the Panthers have a chance to leave their mark in Austin and turn the team's recent state tournament fortunes around in the process.

"I'm excited (about returning to the state tournament) but it's not over yet," Daniel Hayes said. "We've still got two more games left."

Apparently, just getting to Austin won't be enough for the Panthers this season. Rather, it's all or nothing for this senior-laden Aransas Pass squad playing in their final high school basketball tournament this week.