Under the bright lights of the San Jacinto Invitational, held Dec. 6-7, the Pin Oak Chargers basketball team competed in the tournament, finishing in fifth place. This year, the Chargers reached a milestone by advancing from the bronze to gold bracket, securing their place among Houston’s top teams.

Founded in 2004, the tournament provides a platform for teams to demonstrate their abilities and compete against district opponents that may not be on their regular season schedule. Last year’s dominant performance in the bronze bracket, where the seventh-grade Chargers won every game by an average of 30 points, earned the now-eighth-grade team a spot in the gold games. 

This year at the invitational, they faced some of Houston’s top teams, including Deer Park, McNair, and Dickinson Middle School. The Chargers’ gold bracket debut began on Dec. 6 with a 42-29 loss to Dickinson. Adam Savoie, one of Pin Oak’s co-captains, carried the team through the game with a team-high 20 points in each game.

Following their loss to Dickinson, the team took time to evaluate their performance. 

“We did just okay and definitely have room for improvement,” Savoie said.

The team overcame their initial loss and rallied to win their remaining three games. They achieved a victory against Deer Park with a score of 46-37 and then defeated McNair, winning 43-21. This comeback highlighted their hard work and determination throughout the invitational. Reflecting on their comeback, the team acknowledged the need to reduce errors.

“If we want to win, we can’t make any more mistakes and need to be more confident,” Savoie said.

Support the Pin Oak Chargers as they continue their pursuit of the district championship with matchups against West Briar on Jan. 16 and Pershing on Jan. 30.