By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Tuesday night’s Rams basketball regular season finale will carry more drama than the team had hoped this late in the season.
For the Rams, it’s win and you’re in as Del Rio hosts District 30-6A co-leader Laredo United South at 7 p.m. at the Carl P. Guys Memorial Gymnasium. Del Rio was in firm control of fourth place after a solid 69-65 win over Laredo Alexander on Feb. 2, but back-to-back road losses against Eagle Pass and Laredo LBJ, teams they beat in the first round of district play, leave Del Rio in a sticky scenario headed into Tuesday’s finale.
Rams head coach Joe Nieto summed it up as follows: “We’re one game ahead of both LBJ and Eagle Pass heading into the last game. Best case scenario – we win, we’re in. We lose and they both lose – we’re still in. Worst case – we lose and one or both of them win and there is a tie for the last playoff spot,” Nieto said.
Eagle Pass is set to host Laredo United Tuesday night while LBJ will travel to the Dawg Pound to face Laredo Alexander.
The key for the Rams against South will be the health of the squad. Injuries and illnesses have depleted the starting unit for Del Rio and left them at a disadvantage the last two games. Those absences led to a 77-49 loss at Eagle Pass, whom they beat 101-54 in their first meeting this season, and a 51-38 loss at LBJ Saturday afternoon. They beat the Wolves 69-59 in their first meeting.
“We’ve been depleted. Alan was out with an ankle injury and Brandon and Alexis tried their best to play through illness and we just couldn’t overcome that against Eagle Pass,” Nieto said. Some of the same effects carried over against LBJ.
Should there be a tie for fourth place, a play-in game would be held between the teams. The time and date for that game would be determined by the coaches.
Tuesday night’s game at the Carl P. Guys gym will also be Military/Law Enforcement and First Responders Night. Fans are asked to wear blue as part of a Blue Out Night in support of the Rams.
Tickets for the game are available online or through the GoFan app. Tickets can be purchased at the following link: https://gofan.co/app/school/TX22694
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
