It appeared Mike Uffmann’s halftime speech had failed.

Trailing Mexico by 10 at the break, the Warrenton boys basketball team gave up a 5-0 to start the second half and it appeared Warrenton’s postseason drought would inch closer to a decade.

Uffmann called a timeout, the Warriors answered with an 18-5 run and eventually toppled Mexico Monday night in the first round of the Class 4, District 8 tournament, 60-55.

It was the first postseason win for the program in nine years.

“We kept saying, ‘One run and they’re going to give up,’ and we were resilient,” Uffmann said. “They’re bigger and more athletic, but we battled.”

Senior guard Braydan Chmiel knocked down a 3-pointer with three minutes remaining in the game to cap a 9-2 run and give Warrenton a 49-47 lead.

Mexico responded, but sophomore guard Randy McRoberts eventually found junior forward Trevor Alberternst for a layup in transition to push Warrenton ahead, 54-53, with 90 seconds left in the game.

It was a lead the Warriors would not relinquish.

“It feels pretty good,” Uffmann said. “The boys worked hard. We had kids come and help me scout, they bought in and they knew they had a chance to win.” 

The frantic fourth quarter was a departure from a slow first half that lacked pace.

“We looked timid in the first half, like the moment of districts was bigger than us,” Uffmann said. “And for a lot of our guys, it was the first time they were an impact player in a game like this, so the timidness could be expected. But we talked about attacking the basket at halftime.”

Junior forward Trevor Alberternst scored on the first two possessions of the game, and Mexico double-teamed him the rest of the night.

He passed out of double-teams but Warrenton guards settled for quick 3-pointers.

The Warriors were 0-12 from beyond the arc in the first half and finished with 22 points.

“We just wanted to play smarter in the second half,” Alberternst said.

Alberternst scored eight of his 12 points in the final two quarters. 

Sophomore forward Caleb Strauss led the team with 22 points, 13 of which came in the second half.

Both players benefited from the faster pace.

“We have the guys who can space the floor and get out and run,” Uffmann said. “Our bigs are athletic enough and our guards are a threat inside or out, too. Transition was big for us tonight.”

Uffmann credited his defense for the transition offense, and said his team will need another impressive defensive showing Thursday at 6 p.m. against Kirksville, the No. 1 seed.

Uffmann’s urgency was for good reason.

Kirksville beat Mexico Feb. 11, 80-42.

“They’re playing some really good basketball lately,” he said. “We’re really going to have to bring everything we’ve got for four quarters.”

Uffmann said he gave up trying to figure out how long Warrenton’s postseason streak lasted.

“I just started rounding it up and calling it a decade,” he said. “We want to enjoy this one, and we normally tell them to enjoy the win until midnight.”

But as they prepared for a 90-minute bus ride at 10:30 p.m., Uffmann made an exception.

“We’ll let them enjoy it a little bit longer tonight,” he said.