This past Monday, Anderson played in the Bi-District stage of the UIL 6A basketball tournament against Stony Point. This was a tough matchup for Anderson, as Stony point came into the game with a 29-1 record, the number 5 basketball ranking in Texas, and the 2024 class 13th-ranked recruit in Texas, Josiah Moseley.
The Trojans got off to a slow start and were down 9-18 with under 40 seconds left in the first quarter, but this changed when Fred Dale hit a three and then converted an and-one to end the quarter on a 6-0 run and cut the deficit to 15-18. However, this burst of momentum did not carry over to the second quarter, as Stony Point went on a quick 7-0 run to start the period. For the rest of the quarter, Anderson kept the lead from growing but could not cut into it and went into the half down 31-21. The Trojans knew they would need a big third quarter to get back in the game. Unfortunately, this did not happen, as they were outscored 9-18 in the third, giving themselves an almost insurmountable 19-point deficit to erase in the fourth quarter. The Trojans battled their hardest throughout the fourth quarter but ended up losing the game 46-67. Anderson had to be at their very best in this game, and some costly turnovers, plus not being able to keep Joshiah Mosley in check, were not good enough to get the win.
Although this was a disappointing loss, it does not detract from Anderson’s remarkable success this season. With only two varsity starters returning from last year and key pieces leaving to play college ball, many people wondered if the Trojans had what it takes to make the playoffs. Anderson’s move to 6A accentuated these doubts as they were placed in a district with Texas basketball powerhouses like Westlake and Lake Travis. However, coach Pittsford had none of these doubts and was vocal about this to all the players in his program. He was confident that Anderson would be fine in 6A and that teams like Westlake and Lake Travis would be scared to play the Trojans come playoff time. Anderson’s playoff hopes were not looking bright with a slow start to the non-district and district season, but suddenly, it seemed that the mentality Coach Pitt had been preaching since summer workouts finally manifested. The Trojans completely flipped the trajectory of their season and went on a very impressive 8-3 game run to close out district play. This locked in the number four spot in the district standings and the fourth playoff berth in a row for Anderson. Even though the playoffs did not go how the Trojans would have liked, this season was undoubtedly a success, and the whole Anderson team should hold their heads up high.
