HS boys basketball preview: Rayburn v. Memorial

Rayburn hosts Goose Creek Memorial in boys high school basketball on Tuesday.

Memorial is 8-6 on the season after beating Christian 89-55 on Friday. Junior Tyrone Smith scores 15 points a game to lead Memorial.

Head Coach Duane Fakic spoke with us before tonight’s game. "We are about halfway there as a team; we are playing hard but we are not playing smart. We have to learn to finish out games. We have lost literally two games to last-second shots as the buzzer sounded.”

"Rayburn is our last game before district play starts," he said, "so we want to use tonight’s game to work on being smart and strong for the whole game."

Following the Rayburn game, Memorial will visit North Forest on Friday.

Rayburn is 6-7 on the season after losing to Klein Oak 60-57 on Friday. Luis Rocha scores 20 points to lead Rayburn.

Head Coach Jeremey Mills spoke about tonight’s game. ”We have to be one of the smallest teams in 5A, and definitely one of the least experienced. We only returned one player from last year, and he was a role player who only averaged 0.7 point per game. So all I asked for was hard work out of this bunch, and I could not be more proud of them.”

“In facing Memorial tonight," he continued, "we know that they are very athletic, so we can’t afford any turnovers. We have to rebound well to be in any game.”

Following the Memorial game, Rayburn will visit Spring Woods on Friday.

Tonight’s tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.