Home tournament gives Mustangs key reps ahead of district season

Nixon-Smiley used its home tournament as a measuring stick ahead of district play, finishing 2–2 against a competitive field while continuing to build toward its goals later in the season.

The Mustangs entered the weekend with a 13–3 record and opened tournament play with back-to-back wins, defeating Jourdanton 56–42 and Waelder 65–50. Nixon-Smiley then dropped its final two games to D’Hanis and St. Joseph, closing the weekend second overall and moving to 15–5 on the season.

Despite missing a sweep on the final day, head coach Jordan VanAuken said the tournament accomplished exactly what his team needed as district play approaches.

“I think this tournament had a lot of good teams in it,” VanAuken said. “We obviously would have liked to be a little better than 2–2, but we were in every game and played hard in every game. Our mindset is to take one game at a time, one rep at a time, and just get better daily.”

Senior Omar Abundis echoed that sentiment, noting that the results mattered less than the growth his team continues to show.

“I think it went very well,” Abundis said. “Of course we wanted a better outcome on the last day, but we’re a really good team and we’re still getting better. This tournament is preparing us for district, which is what really matters.”

Senior Zechariah Munoz said leadership and effort remain the foundation of the Mustangs’ identity as they head into the heart of the season.

“Being a senior, I’ve got to be a leader and set the example,” Munoz said. “We’re not the biggest team, but we’ve got a lot of heart. We play with a chip on our shoulder.”

VanAuken credited the team’s strong start to the season to consistent work habits and a focused approach dating back to the offseason.

“We have really good kids that work hard every day, and we have a really good staff,” he said. “We put in the work over the summer, and our expectation was to come out and play well. Now we just have to keep getting better so we can beat some really good teams.”

The coach said the tournament also highlighted areas the Mustangs will continue to emphasize, including attacking the basket, playing aggressively in the paint, and sharpening fundamentals before district competition begins.

“This is the time to work through some growing pains,” VanAuken said. “We’re going into a short break, but for us it’s a break and then right back to work.”

Both seniors emphasized long-term goals beyond wins and losses, with Munoz pointing to a deeper postseason run as motivation.

“One of our biggest goals is to try to make it to state,” Munoz said. “We’ve got a pretty good team, and that’s what we’re working toward.”

VanAuken also expressed appreciation for the community’s continued support and said he hopes fans see the effort his team brings each night.

“I’m from here. I love it here,” he said. “These kids love wearing that Mustang name on their chest. We just want to be the toughest team out there and make sure our community sees how proud we are to represent Nixon-Smiley.”