On Feb. 19, the Bulldogs played their second playoff game of the season, facing No. 1 seed Destiny Christian as the No. 16 seed. They knew it was going to be a tough game.

The first half was rocky, with the Bulldogs scoring only 22 points and trailing by 14. Despite the deficit, they remained hopeful, knowing their season was on the line and what they had to do to keep it alive.

“As a senior, this year was a big growth for the program. Our playoff goals were accomplished, even though I wish it was a deeper run,” senior Joe Akamien said.

To start the third quarter, Jaden Martinez hit three 3-pointers in an attempt to cut the lead. However, it wasn’t enough. The Bulldogs played the best defense they could, but Destiny Christian’s size and strength proved too much.

As the fourth quarter got underway, the Bulldogs made one last push to mount a comeback. Max Russell hit a 3-pointer followed by an and-one layup, bringing energy to the team. Senior Dylan Hazelbaker then sank another 3-pointer to keep the momentum going, but the Bulldogs ultimately fell short. Their season ended with a 53-81 loss.

“As a senior, coming off a losing season and flipping it into a playoff run—upsetting teams nobody thought we could beat—I couldn’t be more proud of the team,” Martinez said.

The Bulldogs showed tremendous improvement from last season, finishing with a 17-11 record after going 7-20 the year before. With more than half the team returning, the future remains uncertain, but valuable players like Ahmad Hardman, Jaden Martinez, Joe Akamien, and Dylan Hazelbaker will be missed. The team now looks ahead to offseason work in hopes of another strong run next year.