With 3:30 on the clock in the first half of the Mineola vs. Chapel Hill game last Tuesday, the score was tied at 18. The teams went into halftime tied at 26. Those three minutes of basketball before the break were exactly what high school hoops are meant to be. 

The Yellowjackets lost a close game, 56-50. Basketball fans who have seen really good basketball played at any level know it when they see it. Both teams provided that over those minutes just before the half. It went back and forth, cleanly played with no sloppiness. 

The lead changed seven times in that interval. For Mineola, Andrew Stinchfield scored on a backdoor play with an assist from Trevion Sneed. Dawson Pendergrass stepped up and scored with an offensive rebound put-back. Sneed took an assist from Pendergrass and laid-in a two-pointer with one minute left. Jonah Fischer tied the game at 26 with a drive.  

Those three minutes were pure basketball.

The remainder of the game was not too shabby either. Mineola got off to a great start, playing strong inside basketball. Pendergrass and Sneed dominated the boards early, and Pendergrass hit four shots in the paint as Mineola led by eight. 

The second quarter saw Chapel Hill come back with some unusual help from the Jackets. Two 3-second violations and some atypical turnovers gave the Red Devils a path back into the game. Chapel Hill took advantage and tied the score at 18.

The three minutes of basketball excellence took the game to the half tied at 26.

Emerging from the intermission, the Yellowjackets reverted to their workmanlike habits – creating turnovers, crisply moving the ball, driving the basket and rebounding. Mineola was up 39-33 near the end of the third when Chapel Hill clawed its way back. At the start of the fourth quarter Mineola led 43-39.

In the last play of the third quarter the Yellowjackets missed a wide-open lay-in on a beautifully executed back side cut. It portended of things to come. 

Seemingly nothing worked for the Jackets in the final quarter. They gave up two turnovers, a dead-ball foul and were out-rebounded. Only four field goals fell for Mineola. All calls seemed to go against them, and a sense of foreboding built. 

Chapel Hill won the last quarter and hence the game.

Mineola routed Winona Friday 81-31.