It’s crunch time for the Angelo State men’s basketball team who will begin their journey to the trophy on Saturday.
After undergoing a tough 64-63 loss in the Lone Star Conference final tournament against West Texas A&M, the Rams are now seeking revenge heading into the NCAA South Central Regional.
“Definitely coming off that championship game, you know, obviously hurts a little bit, but we're definitely ready. We're excited. Kind of gives us a boost of new energy to light our fire under ourselves,” said guard Willie Guy.
High energy will be crucial for the Rams who are entering the contest as the fourth seed. The Rams will face off against Colorado Mesa first and head coach Vinay Patel knows no matter who they are facing, they can win or lose on any given night.
“It's a completely different style of basketball than what we play in the Lone Star, and that's where the challenge is going to be for our team. You know, it's not so much, hey, is Godwin healthy? I think we proved in the second half for us that, you know, it's just next man up,” said Patel.
The phrase “Next man up” is one of the many principles Patel has been preaching to his team since day one. For senior leaders like Steve Webb bringing home the trophy would be the icing on the cake to this great season.
“This is my last one, so you know, I just want to go out with a bang, you know. I mean, I've got great teammates around me and great players on both sides of the ball. This is my family so it would mean a lot to just go out on top with my family.
The Rams will tip off at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in Canyon, Texas.