SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diegans who got to witness the Aztecs historic tournament run up close are celebrating the men’s basketball team even though the players came home Tuesday without a trophy.
“I was speechless. I kept pinching myself realizing that I was one of the few that was granted the privilege of being able to photograph this historic game for the Aztecs,” said Don De Mars, a volunteer photographer with East Village Times.
De Mars shoots photos for the online volunteer-led site that covers sports in San Diego. He was still running on adrenaline when he spoke to ABC 10News Tuesday.
“I was blessed enough that I was in a second row for both games and for me being at San Diego State I’ve been on floor court side but not in the magnitude of this game. This game had such a historical significance to it that it was like a dream for me as a photographer.”
De Mars was in Houston Monday night to capture the Aztecs taking on the UConn Huskies men's basketball team. It was the first time the Aztecs ever made it so far in the NCAA Tournament. The UConn Huskies finished with a 76-59 victory over San Diego State.
“I was speechless. I kept pinching myself realizing that I was one of the few that was granted the privilege of being able to photograph this historic game for the Aztecs.”
Austin Bolton is the co-host of the Aztec Breakdown podcast. He too traveled to Houston to cover the game.
He thinks each player’s belief in one another helped them get so far.
“This team deserves the national respect that even when they’ve gone this far, I don’t think they’re getting.”
