It was a situation Denton had experienced three days ago - a huge, fourth-quarter lead that evaporated under the fluorescent lights against Ryan, further crippling the Broncos' playoff chances.
On Friday night against Wichita Falls Rider, Denton almost had the same thing happen again, this time to a team winless in District 4-4A play. But in this instance, the Broncos made sure to hold on for the victory.
Denton held off a furious Rider rally in the fourth quarter for an 80-69 victory against the Raiders at the Purple Pit. The Broncos had four players score at least 10 points each, led by Manny Patterson's 16.
Denton withstood a 28-point performance by Rider's J.T. Barrett and 27 points by Matt Temple to pick up the much-needed district victory.
"Unlike Tuesday, we were able to make some plays down the stretch to give us some opportunities," Broncos head coach Harold Jackson said. "On Tuesday, Ryan made more plays than us and they won. This time at the end of the game we made more plays, and gave ourselves an opportunity."
Ryan Daniels and D.J. Hicks each scored 14 points in the victory, while A.D. Harris added 10 points for Denton.
The Broncos trail Wichita Falls by half a game for the fourth and final playoff spot in 4-4A. Wichita Falls lost to Ryan on Friday night.
Denton (12-15, 4-6) dominated throughout the game against Rider and took a commanding 14-point lead into the fourth quarter.
But Rider (8-18, 0-9) refused to buckle and reeled off 11 straight points to cut the lead to five. Rider's bench grew louder as its momentum increased with each made basket. The few Raiders fans who made the trek to Denton cheered their team on passionately during the run - similar to what the Broncos experienced at Ryan on Tuesday.
Daniels and Hicks each had huge baskets in the quarter to stifle the comeback attempt. The Broncos made the necessary free throws at the end of the game to maintain the victory.
Senior guard Ronny Garza said Tuesday's blown opportunity against Ryan served as a motivating factor for the Broncos.
"We took that in as a chip on our shoulder because that got taken from us," Garza said. "We came out and played to the best of our abilities."
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Broncos need a win and a little bit of help to reach the playoffs, something the school did in 2010. Denton closes its season with a road game at The Colony before a finale against Wichita Falls at home, a game that could decide the final playoff spot in the district.
Girls
Wichita Falls Rider 64, Denton 42
It wasn't just the Denton boys basketball team that experienced a devastating loss at Ryan on Tuesday. The Lady Broncos also lost a one-point contest to its crosstown rival, setting the them up for a matchup against Wichita Falls Rider on Friday.
For the second time this season, Rider (25-2, 9-2) thumped Denton, this time a 64-42 win at home for the Lady Raiders. Denton head Dennis Krishka didn't want to blame the loss on the hangover that still loomed over the Lady Broncos from their loss to Ryan. However, Krishka said the timing definitely wasn't in his team's favor.
"Rider has beaten us handily twice," Krishka said. "Both of them are right after very emotional games against Ryan. It's really difficult for our kids to get back up that next game."
The Lady Broncos and Little Elm are tied for the final playoff spot in District 4-4A. If the Broncos defeat The Colony next Tuesday and Little Elm loses to Ryan, Denton will reach the postseason. If both teams end the season tied, the two schools will play each other in a one-game playoff for the final postseason berth.
Denton couldn't recover from a poor shooting start and fell behind early in the contest. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the Lady Broncos were trailing by 14 points and had made seven of 32 field goals.
"We had some pretty good looks, and when you shoot the basketball like that, you're going to have a hard time against a team like that," Krishka said.
Starting point guard Jasmine Taylor led Denton (20-10, 5-6) with 12 points, a relatively low total for one of Denton's best players. Jamecia Brown scored 11 points and Le'Andra Johnson tallied 10 points.
Rider's only two district losses this season have come against Ryan. Ryan is currently in first place in 4-4A.
Friday night was also senior night at Denton, where the senior players and their parents were honored for the last time at the Purple Pit.
BEN BABY can be reached at 940-566-6869. His e-mail address is bbaby@dentonrc.com.
Boys
Denton 80, Wichita Falls Rider 69
Rider 11 18 23 17 - 69
Denton 18 24 24 14 - 80
Rider (8-18, 0-9) - John Hatch 5, J.T. Barrett 28, Amani Colbert 1, Matt Temple 27, Geoffrey Garrard 2, Alec Lemmon 2.
Denton (12-15, 4-6) - Ryan Daniels 14, Ronny Garza 5, Matthew Perry 4, Terrance Lucas 2, Chavis Johnson 6, J.J. Harper 7, Manny Patterson 16, Dentton Hudspeth 2, D.J. Hicks 14, A.D. Harris 10.
Girls
Wichita Falls Rider 64, Denton 42
Rider 17 12 20 15 - 64
Denton 4 11 10 17 - 42
Rider (25-4, 9-2) - Ashley Sissel 5, Jennifer Sissel 3, Abby Donnell 3, Erin Henderson 13, Taylor Caswell 10, Taliyah Brooks 18, Berkley Hoff 2, Caitlin White 6.
Denton (20-10, 5-6) - Sydne McDade 5, Myesha Taylor 2, Le'Andra Johnson 10, Jamecia Brown 11, Jasmine Taylor 12, Mariah Seastrunk 2.
