The Bowie Jackrabbits lost their first district game on Tuesday when they ran into a buzz saw that is City View.
The Mustangs won with little issue 72-47 as the Jackrabbits looked overwhelmed at times, especially starting the game.
City View came in on a four-game win streak, a ranking among the top 25 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll and a blowout win against rival Nocona. It did not take long to see how.
The Mustangs’ long and springy athletes were tough for Bowie ball handlers to dribble and pass around thanks to their full-court press.
“We were ready for the press,” Coach Andy Atkins said. “We watched film on them and knew exactly what was coming, but in person that press felt a little bit more suffocating than really any of the other pressing teams we have faced this year.”
City View was firing from 3-point range in the first quarter and hitting, making four in the quarter.
As the game went on though, the Mustangs abandoned shooting from deep and instead tried to isolate defenders and drive to the basket.
City View had several different players who did this so the Jackrabbits had trouble keying in on any one player.
Bowie’s post defenders started trying to help by sagging off their man in the perimeter, but the Mustangs players did a good job of finishing through contact if not drawing free throw attempts.
“Part of that was them deciding, we are a little bit bigger,” Atkins said. “We are going to go bully this and I don’t think we were quite ready for that and it showed. They got a lot of shots at the rim and they finished. They are really good.”
The Jackrabbits fell behind 21-9 in the first quarter and never really got back into the game down 43-22 at halftime.
Bowie did a better job in the second half overall, but down 21 points only a miracle of a comeback would have been enough for the Jackrabbits to claw their way back into the game.
Playing about even in the second half did not allow them to get close at any point.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.