The Carl Hayden Falcons won a tight one against Mission Bay (San Diego) Friday morning in their 2024 Section 7 debut.

It was a close one down the stretch. Despite a 3-pointer at the buzzer for Mission Bay, the final score read 57-56 in favor of the Falcons.

“We just got to keep proving around the state that we can play basketball,” Carl Hayden head coach Rodney Brown said. “A lot of teams don’t really respect Phoenix Union. We’re here to represent.”

The Falcons, who had to win a qualifier bracket to advance to this weekend, had something to prove at State Farm Stadium.

The program has a historically prominent basketball program, playing in seven state championships over 11 years through the 80s and 90s and winning the title four times.

But despite its rich history, Carl Hayden struggled to find much success in the postseason in recent years.

“The last three years, we’ve been going to the qualifier, not qualifying, getting to the championship game, but just not fully getting there," Brown said. "So now, they finally get to be here and get to experience this whole weekend instead of just watching in the crowd. So this is everything for them and me also.”

From tipoff, the defensive intensity was on display for Carl Hayden. Sophomore guard Eli Slaughter's on-ball pressure forced the Buccaneers into a couple turnovers, which led to transition points for the Falcons.

Despite being outsized against Mission Bay forwards Clay Grebing (6-8) and Pablo Balderas (6-6), Carl Hayden pummeled its way inside and managed to get to the free throw line often in the first half. The Falcons held a 39-31 lead going into the break behind point guard Joseph Lindsey's 14 points.

"I felt like we had a good team effort. My shot was hitting and my teammates got me the right shots I needed," said Lindsey, who led his team in scoring with 17 points. "This is a great opportunity. There are a lot of college coaches out here. I want my team to win. I want my teammates to look good, and I want to look good.”

In the second half, Mission Bay showed its tenacity.

It switched to a zone defense, which threw off the Falcons' offensive flow and managed to take its first lead midway through the half. But a strong response from Carl Hayden, highlighted by back-to-back triples from Lindsey and senior Tamar Johnson, quickly erased the lead.

“I liked the energy and our effort. We didn’t back down. That was a good team right there," Brown said. "They put their shoes on just like we do. I’m proud of my kids. They went out there playing hard, played with great energy and played as a team. That was a team effort right there.”