Upsets Come Fast, Furious In Boys’ State Tournament
By R.V. Baugus
Part of the fun of experiencing the high school basketball playoffs is that you can depend on some upsets along the way.
For the boys’ side of the bracket, those upsets came fast, furious and early on the tournament trail.
Let’s start with the Class 5A bracket where defending state finalist Cedar Hill was eclipsed in the area round by Lewisville, 84-82, a game that left Fighting Farmers’ Coach Henry Thomas absolutely giddy as he called it one of his program’s best games ever. Many pundits were already looking ahead to a possible Cedar Hill-DeSoto neighborhood state championship, but … now not even DeSoto will be at the party after the Eagles tumbled to Temple in the regional quarterfinals, 57-52 in overtime. This came on the heels of a tough 72-69 overtime DeSoto win in the area round against Dallas Skyline.
There were other upsets sprinkled throughout Class 5A, including a true stunner in bi-district when 14-19 Pasadena Dobie beat 27-3 Port Arthur Memorial, 71-68 in two overtimes.
Want more? How about 28-5 Richardson Berkner falling to 12-17 Rowlett, 53-50? A milder upset was 28-5 Austin Westlake losing to 21-14 San Antonio Churchill, 84-77. Both of the above also occurred in the bi-district round.
From Class 4A, the earliest surprise was 26-8 Killeen losing a bi-district clash to 19-12 Dripping Springs, 70-63.
The big early news from Class 3A came in the area round when 28-3 Paris was toppled by 16-13 Carrollton Ranchview, 78-72.
Making History
Nederland’s Bulldogs had not exactly been known as a playoff participant, much less a playoff power, in recent years. Well, okay, let’s skip past recent years and be honest and say in decades.
That all changed this year when Doug English’s squad earned their first district championship since 1956 and won their first playoff game since 1955, a 65-49 win over Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill in bi-district. Nederland went another round with a 64-53 win over Magnolia before falling in the regional quarterfinals, 56-49 to Brenham.
The Bulldogs tied for first in district with perennial power Beaumont Ozen, but knocked off the Panthers, 70-64, in two overtimes to garner the top seed.
Coming From (Almost) Nowhere
The Waxahachie girls are proof that it’s not where you finish in district, it’s where you finish in the state tournament. Waxahachie is competing in the regional semifinals for the second consecutive year, and both years the team has finished fourth in district play.
Congratulations are also in order for the Ladonia Fannindel girls, who reached the playoffs for the first time since 1996 and won their first playoff game since 1991, a 60-39 decision over Cumby Miller Grove.
TAPPS Titlists
Rivals got after it in the TAPPS 5A Boys State Championship when Prestonwood Christian took a 50-45 victory over Trinity Christian Academy-Addison. Prestonwood finished 35-3 and was led by the 17 points of Julius Randle. Caleb Feemster, son of TCA-Addison coach Randy Feemster, had a game-high 20 in the loss.
Other championship scores: 4A—Houston Westbury Christian 78, Houston Second Baptist 59; 3A—Fort Worth Lake Country 73, Bullard Brook Hill 60; 2A—Kingwood Northeast Christian 50, Rockwall Christian 44; 1A—Tyler Street Christian 55, Spring Providence 42.
The remarkable Dallas Bishop Lynch girls picked up their ninth consecutive 5A title and 27th overall with a 56-47 triumph over Fort Worth Nolan. Lynch finished 31-8 and was led by a game-high 20 points from San Francisco signee Alexa Hardick.
Other championship scores: 4A—Houston Westbury Christian 73, Argyle Liberty Christian 68; 3A—Amarillo San Jacinto 53, Carrollton Prince of Peace 41; 2A—Sherman Texoma Christian 61, Shiner St. Paul 51; 1A—Boerne Geneva 69, Plainvies Christian 57.
State Tournament Schedule
Here is a look at the upcoming schedule for the girl’s state tournament:
Class 1A Division I Semifinals: Smyer (34-3) vs. Louise (26-6), 8:30 a.m.
Thursday; Martins Mill (32-4) vs. Muenster (29-6), 10 a.m. Thursday.
Class 1A Division II Semifinals: Valley (26-5) vs. Neches (35-2), 2 p.m.
Friday; McLean (28-4) vs. Leggett (26-9), 7 p.m. Friday.
Class 2A Semifinals: Brock (35-2) vs. Jewett Leon (25-6), 8:30 a.m. Friday; Wall (34-3) vs. Poth (28-5), 10 a.m. Friday.
Class 3A Semifinals: Madisonville (31-5) vs. Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (29-8), 2 p.m. Thursday; Abilene Wylie (30-9) vs. Giddings (30-7), 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Class 4A Semifinals: Del Valle (36-2) vs. Frisco Wakeland (29-6), 7 p.m.
Thursday; Mansfield Timberview (35-2) vs. Cibolo Steele (34-4), 8:30 p.m.
Thursday.
Class 5A Semifinals: Houston Cypress Fairbanks (34-1) vs. Cedar Hill (27-6), 3:30 p.m. Friday; Fort Bend Hightower (34-2) vs. Northside Jay (35-4), 8:30 p.m. Friday.
Texas: Fort Worth Dunbar Boys Reach Playoffs For 36th Consecutive Season
by R.V. Baugus
Special to MaxPreps.com
Of the hundreds of teams participating in the Texas boys’ and girls’ basketball playoffs, one name that has come to be expected as not just a participant but a frequent visitor to Austin and the state tournament is that of the Fort Worth Dunbar boys’.
Yes, once again Dunbar will be among the schools in Class 4A battling it out for the right to call themselves state champions, but this year’s Wildcats did not find their 36th consecutive appearance in the tournament to be an easy one. Dunbar, anchored by Texas football signee Darius White, knocked off Fort Worth Southwest, 92-66, in a tie-breaker game to decide the fourth and final playoff position out of District 7-4A.
So once again Coach Robert Hughes Jr. and his team will be on the playoff stage. But as evidenced by what Dunbar had to accomplish to reach the post-season, no one should ever take making the playoffs for granted.
Before looking at some playoff notes, we would like to congratulate the following schools, first from the girl’s side: San Angelo Lake View, Tyler John Tyler, Mexia, Amarillo Highland Park, El Paso Hanks, El Paso Austin, Mercedes, Samnorwood and Newton
On the boy’s side, congratulations are in order to the following: Fort Worth Southwest, Kerens, Clint Horizon, Kilgore, Orange Little Cypress-Mauriceville, Ennis and Nocona.
These are the known schools who in fact lost in tie-breaker games to decide a final playoff position. Congratulations on outstanding seasons!
Points Pinball In First-Place Seeding Game
While heartbreak was etched on those who just missed the post-season, some teams decided to play for higher seed positioning. One such contest took place for first place district seeding between Houston Wheatley and Houston Jones. By the time the scoreboard operator hit the final numbers from his weary fingers, the tally showed Wheatley with a riveting 125-119 overtime win over their rivals. Both teams entered the contest with 12-2 district marks and played the extra game to settle the seeding. The score was 97-97 after regulation and in the extra session Wheatley outscored Jones 28-22. Lakeytrick Quinn led the winners with 27 points while Kenneth Payne chipped in 25.
Cy-Fair Looks To Defend Title
Behind sensational senior Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair out of the Houston area looks to defend its Class 5A title. Coach Ann Roubique’s squad bolted from the playoff gates with wins over Round Rock Stony Point, 67-30, and Spring Dekaney, 70-48. In the Dekaney game Ogwumike notched 26 points, 18 rebounds, 7 steals and 3 blocks for her 28-1 team. Cy-Fair matches up in the regional quarterfinals against district foe Cy Creek with the winner facing Dallas Skyline or Mesquite Horn.
Another tantalizing quarterfinal contest comes when District 7-5A rivals Irving MacArthur (35-1) and Duncanville (33-3) face off. That winner draws another strong opponent from the victor of Mansfield Summit and North Crowley.
While scanning the remainder of the Class 5A bracket, we also see Bryan versus DeSoto from Region II and San Antonio Wagner versus Pflugerville from Region IV as must-see games.
Canyon Rolls On
Despite moving up to Class 4A two years ago, Canyon and Coach Joe Lombard have continued to run roughshod over opponents. This year’s team stands at 32-1 heading into a quarterfinal game against upstart El Paso Irvin and Coach Rita Minjarez, whose team is 31-2. Interestingly, while Irvin won a District 1-4A title, Minjarez’s brother, David Ortega, guided the Canutillo boy’s to a District 1-4A championship as well.
Back to Canyon: While the team is in the lower half bracket out of Region I, defending state champion Mansfield Timberview sits in the top part of the bracket and meets Stephenville’s Honeybees in the quarterfinals, with the winner getting either Plainview or Amarillo Palo Duro.
Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet?
There is always excitement come playoff time. You have the UIL brackets to ponder and analyze possible matchups. You get contests played on home courts and you get contests played at neutral sites. Inevitably, you’ll even get a mix-up.
Such was the case when the La Feria girls prepared to face Sinton in bi-district action at Riviera Kaufer High School. Only problem was the referees thought the game was being played at Brownsville Rivera High School, and thus a wait for over one hour ensued before the teams could locate some officials from the nearby Kingsville area to call the game, which La Feria won 63-59. The officials, by the way, never made it.
McAllen Leader Teresa Casso Steps Down
McAllen Coach Teresa Casso, an icon in the Rio Grande Valley, stepped down after her team’s bi-district loss against Laredo Alexander, ending a 32-year career with McHi that resulted in 841 wins, 29 winning seasons, 25 playoff appearances and 15 district championships. Casso, 64, said the decision was made prior to the season. She has been with the McAllen ISD for 42 years and graduated from McAllen High School in 1980.
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Looking Ahead to the Playoffs
by R.V. Baugus
As the high school basketball season winds down early this week, it is tempting to look ahead at the playoffs and all the intriguing scenarios and possible match-ups.
Much of the 2009-10 season has been spent discussing Houston Yates and their victory margins, Dallas Madison taking a grip on the No. 1 state ranking in Class 3A and never relinquishing it, as well as the overall wealth of talent on display at Class 5A No. 1 Houston Bellaire.
But there is one team out there in the Class 5A ranks that might be tempted to say, “Excuse me. Remember us?”
It is hard not to remember the DeSoto Eagles, last year’s Class 5A state champion, even if it seems like Coach Chris Dyer’s team has flown under the radar for most of this year. DeSoto had another grueling District 11-5A contest over the weekend on the road at the Lion’s Den but prevailed with a gritty 61-58 win over Tyler John Tyler to improve to 30-3, 9-0.
Superb freshman Matt Jones was the hero of the hour when he banked in a three-pointer with one second showing on the clock for the victory.
Yes, there are some teams with some gaudier statistics, but it would be a huge mistake for anyone to overlook DeSoto with the second season about to get underway.
Shocker Of The Week
When you talk winning streaks, you don’t talk much better than the one fashioned through the years in district play by Amarillo Palo Duro. The Dons have not only been a District 3-4A power over the years, but a statewide power as well. The one team through the years that has battled Palo Duro the best in district has been Canyon Randall.
The two got after it again last week, and a Palo Duro district winning streak that had reached 88 games and spanned over eight years was ended by the Raiders, 50-42. Palo Duro still stands 19-6, 10-1 after the loss, while Leslie Broadhurst’s club improved to 16-9, 7-3.
A side note of interest is that Randall was the last team to beat Palo Duro in district. The Raiders hope it doesn’t take another eight years to repeat the feat.
Coaching Milestones
A couple of coaching milestones in the girl’s ranks recently took place as both coaches notched their 500th career wins.
At Pflugerville, Nancy Walling hit the 500 mark with a 79-50 win over Austin Akins that moved her record to 500-237. Coach Walling has coaches for 23 years with the past 21 of those coming at Pflugerville.
At Lubbock Coronado, Shirlene Hughes recorded her milestone win to go to 500-155 with a 73-44 victory over Amarillo. Coach Hughes has coached the past 17 years at Coronado and before that spent three seasons at Friona.
Battles Amongst The State Top 25
A number of boys’ contests this past week pitted teams ranked in the TABC/Tex Preps Basketball state rankings. Based on rankings, the following would be considered upsets or at least mild upsets.
In District 25-5A, Austin Bowie’s Bulldogs came in at No. 17 and toppled No. 7 Austin Westlake, 49-40.
From District 19-3A, No. 15 Mexia edged No. 8 Waco La Vega, 60-57, leaving both teams at 6-3 in district. Interestingly, this came after earlier in the week La Vega had decisioned No. 14 Lorena, 59-55, in wild-and-woolly 19-3A.
From Class A Division I, No. 13 Clarendon topped No. 12 Wellington, 50-43, leaving both teams finished in the regular season at 7-1 in district. The two hooked up again over the weekend to settle the playoff seeding and Wellington got its revenge to go in as the district’s No. 1 seed.
Congratulations To Elgin
The Elgin girls go into the state playoffs with a pedestrian 15-17 record, but don’t think this is a team feeling blah about going into the post-season.
The 2009-10 playoffs mark the first post-season action for Elgin in 17 years. The last time the Lady Wildcats sniffed the playoffs was in 1993 and an 83-33 loss to Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.
After winning the District 21-3A title that year, the team took a lengthy nosedive despite successes of other sports at the school. The boy’s team, in fact, has had three consecutive playoff appearances.
But fortunes turned for the team when Jackie Bowman came to the school in 2005. That first year Bowman had only 14 players … in the school’s basketball program. That number increased to 35 this year, including 15 players on Coach Bowman’s varsity.
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Texas: Duncanville No Longer Under The Radar
Panthers derail Cedar Hill to re-emerge in district race, state rankings
By R.V. Baugus
If you haven’t thought much lately about the Duncanville Panthers’ boys’ basketball team, you are forgiven. The Panthers, after all, started out the season in the TABC/Tex Preps Basketball state rankings, but before district even started Duncanville had slid out of the top 25. Heck, even District 7-5A rival Irving had fought its way into the top 25 for a brief period of time. Then, of course, you have Cedar Hill, a team ranked in the top five all season.
No more.
Duncanville’s proud and tradition-rich program can no longer be called under the radar after last week’s thrilling 61-59 overtime win over Cedar Hill (24-4, 8-1), a game that dropped the Longhorns to No. 6 in the newest rankings and saw Duncanville (20-10, 8-2) re-emerge at No. 18.
The Panthers stormed to a 31-14 halftime lead before Cedar Hill scrambled back to force overtime by outscoring Duncanville 19-6 in the fourth quarter. Still, Duncanville had enough left in the overtime tank to take home a huge win.
Baylor signee Perry Jones paced the winners with 18 points, while Thomas Gipson of Cedar Hill led all scorers with 28 points.
Double The Pleasure
The Duncanville boys weren’t the only ones rejoicing after playing Cedar Hill. The Pantherettes got 15 points from Ashley Roberts and Ryah Lacey to upend Cedar Hill’s girls by a 58-46 score. Cedar Hill entered the contest ranked No. 3 in the state but dropped to 22-5, 10-1, while No. 4 Duncanville improved to 30-3, 8-3.
Duncanville also got off to a fast start in this contest and held an 18-8 lead after one quarter. The lead was six at halftime as Duncanville held on despite 20 points from Kansas signee Diara Moore.
Cayuga Also Brings It In Basketball
Everyone is familiar with the Class A football state champion Cayuga Wildcats, a dynamic outfit out of East Texas that featured Texas-bound record-setting running back Traylon Shead and sensational Texas A&M-bound quarterback Malcome Kennedy.
Well, those two stars traded in their cleats for sneakers after football season ended and now No. 1 Cayuga is blistering basketball foes in Class A Division I play. The team is 11-2, 7-0 after getting a late start following football, but the Wildcats have racked up 100 or more points in seven straight games and won 11 consecutive contests after starting the season 0-2.
The most recent conquest came at the expense of La Rue La Poynor, 101-54. This is the same La Poynor team that is ranked No. 16 in the state with a shining 23-4 record.
Cayuga jumped out to a 21-6 lead and by halftime had doubled up the Flyers, 44-22. Kennedy had a season-high 25 points to lead the scoring, while Shead chipped in 13 points.
Scarborough Drops Girl’s Team
Citing small participation numbers, Houston Scarborough has dropped its girls basketball team. Houston ISD Athletic Director Daryl Wade said that the team has combined all levels and is playing a junior varsity team this season and that the six varsity games that the team played this year will not count towards the District 22-4A standings.
Coaching Milestone
Navasota girl’s coach Tommy Gates recently won his 500th career game with a district win over Rockdale. Gates took over the program after five years as the head coach at the University of Nevada.
Unbeatens Go Down
Last week was a rough one for unbeaten teams. Tuscola Jim Ned and Wall always have spirited battles out of District 7-2A, and the most recent encounter was no different as the Indians handed Wall its first defeat of the season, 58-50. Jim Ned is now 25-4, 5-1 while Wall is 28-1, 5-1. Wall won the first district meeting between the two, 71-55.
Another Class 2A unbeaten, Hallettsville, stumbled against Hempstead, 81-71, in District 26-2A action. The Brahmas are now 29-1, 9-1.
The Austin area produced a couple of exciting games involving state ranked teams as Class 5A No. 19 Austin Bowie held off No. 23 Pflugerville, 70-67, in overtime. Bowie is now 24-4, 9-2 in District 25-5A while the Panthers dropped to 24-7, 7-4.
In Class 4A action, No. 20 Austin Reagan tripped No. 9 Austin LBJ, 80-79. Reagan is now 18-9, 8-1 and tied for first in district with the Jaguars, 19-7, 8-1.
Four ranked teams got it on in Class 3A action with No. 22 Stafford upsetting No. 18 Sweeny, 68-47. From District 19-3A, No. 15 Lorena topped No. 14 Mexia, 63-57, in overtime. The Leopards are now 24-4, 5-1 while Mexia fell to 20-6, 4-2.
Yates Update
It was another week and another pair of 100-point plus games for Houston Yates. The Lions have now won 47 consecutive games and have hit the 100-point mark 15 times this year after beating Houston Sharpstown, 107-66 and Houston Reagan, 121-94. Yates is now 24-0, 11-0 in District 21-4A play.
R.V. Baugus is editor/publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Texas: Houston Yates Keeps Rolling; Several In Top 10 Square Off
By R.V. Baugus
As the Texas high school girls’ basketball season churns toward the end of district play and boys’ teams jockey for positioning with a couple of weeks to go, last week’s play around the state didn’t do too much to shake up the landscape.
Of course, if you are talking about one team in particular for any week it is naturally those polarizing Lions from Houston Yates, the Class 4A juggernaut that usually not only hangs a hundred on opponents, but often beats them by 100 (or more). Last week saw Yates ramble past Houston Austin, 142-52, with Brandon Peters scoring 37 and Joe Young 32.
But the game everyone was waiting for was the Saturday District 21-4A game between Yates and Houston Lee’s Generals, a team Yates vanquished 170-35 earlier in district play to raise the ire of many across the nation for the perception of Yates running up the score while others came to the team’s defense of playing as hard as it could for the length of the game.
While less eventful, Yates still pinned a 125-26 loss on Lee to go to 22-0, 8-0 in league play. Along the way Yates picked up its 14th 100-point game and won its 46th game in a row.
One team that has designs on meeting Yates at the state tournament is Dallas Kimball, which lost to Yates in last year’s state championship game. The Knights were discussing a possible return engagement with Yates after knocking off Dallas Pinkston, 70-59, in District 11-4A play to go to 18-7, 9-0 while dropping the Vikings to 17-8, 7-2. Kimball entered the game at No. 12 in the state in the TABC/Tex Preps Basketball state rankings while Pinkston was No. 17.
Ozen Senior Breaks School’s Single-Game Scoring Record
Kendrick Perkins does his toiling manning the middle for the Boston Celtics and in his decorated past scored 43 points in a 2003 game against Houston Smiley while he center played for Beaumont Ozen. That scoring mark stood as the school’s best until it was broken last week by senior DeCarlos Frank, who pitched in 46 points in an 81-49 win over Nederland. Frank was on fire from long distance as he drained 12 of 16 three-pointers in the win.
On the subject of lighting it up, Fort Worth Eastern Hills senior Daylon Guy could not have picked a better time to score 47 points than in a pivotal District 7-4A game against Fort Worth Dunbar to lead the Highlanders to a 96-79 win. Eastern Hills is now 19-6, 11-2, while Dunbar is 11-13, 8-5. The Arkansas-Little Rock signee had 19 points in the first quarter and 30 points by halftime.
Key Contests
A number of games last week included match-ups of state-ranked teams. Staying in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, District 12-4A upstart Dallas Woodrow Wilson got to measure itself against perennial power Dallas Lincoln but came out on the short end of the stick, 65-54. The Tigers rode the vast talent of 6-7 junior LeBryan Nash and his 27 points and 10 rebounds to the win. Nash had 23 points and seven rebounds by halftime. No. 4 Lincoln moved to 21-2, 7-0 on the season while No. 7 Woodrow Wilson fell to 19-7, 5-2.
Another tilt involving a pair of teams both ranked in the top 10 in Class 4A saw No. 5 Austin Lake Travis top No. 8 Killeen, 48-46. Bob Carlton splashed a three-pointer at the buzzer to hand the Kangaroos their first loss at home since a 49-26 setback to Killeen Ellison on January 22, 2005. Lake Travis now stands at 25-3, 5-0 while Killeen dropped to 21-8, 4-1.
From District 27-5A, San Antonio Wagner showed why it is No. 2 in the state with a 66-41 thumping of rival No. 12 Converse Judson. The Thunderbirds advanced to 28-1, 9-0 despite trailing by 11 after one quarter. The turning point came with an 18-0 Wagner run in the third quarter. Jordan Clarkson had 20 to pace Wagner. Judson dropped to 24-4, 7-2.
Milestone Wins
Congratulations are in order for Brenham boys’ coach Bruce King, who won his 200th game last week. King has been at Brenham for eight years and his No. 14 team in Class 4A is 21-4, 9-0 this season.
Elsewhere, McGregor girls’ coach Kimberly Johnson got her 100th win as the Lady Bulldogs defeated Hamilton, 44-32, to move one win away from the District 16-2A title. McGregor is 20-6, 11-0 this year.
Seeing Double
From the Broken Record Department: In District 18-3A boys’ play last week, it was Lufkin Hudson 58, Jasper 47. In District 18-3A girls’ play last week, it was Lufkin Hudson 58, Jasper 47. Those aren’t typos, folks!
Welcome Back
Pflugerville welcomed back junior Nneka Enempkali, who played her first game last week since hurting her knee in last year’s state tournament. Enempkali, a Texas commit, scored 13 points to help her team to a 79-38 win over Austin High.
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Texas: Teams At The Top Stay True To Form
By R.V. Baugus
Texas high school basketball teams are fully engaged in district play, and this past week on the boys’ side saw the top squads maintaining their positions and rankings, although Class 3A No. 1 Dallas Madison was given a stern test by Carrollton Ranchview.
The Trojans, last year’s Class 3A state champions, have through the years enjoyed some tough tussles against Ranchview’s Wolves, and the two clubs got after each other again in a District 10-3A slugfest over the weekend with Madison narrowly prevailing, 75-72, to move to 18-5 on the season. The teams will meet once more next month with the Trojans playing host.
Otherwise, it was business as usual, which meant a standard Houston Yates district beatdown of an overmatched opponent. This time the MaxPreps No. 1 nationally ranked and undefeated Class 4A Lions administered a 154-39 pounding to Houston Davis in a game that saw Yates jump out to a 26-0 advantage just three minutes into the contest. Yates cleared its bench with 4:24 to go in the first quarter and after the starters came out to begin the second half, another bench-clearing occurred at the 4:58 mark of the third period with Yates ahead, 100-26. Joe Young led the way with 29 points for the 20-0, 7-0 Lions.
The top game of the week out of Class 4A took place at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center in Fort Worth in a District 7-4A tilt that saw Dunbar’s Flying Wildcats eke past Southwest, 104-103, in overtime. Dunbar has been scrambling all season to resemble Wildcat teams of old and this could be the signature win on the way to a possible district crown. Dunbar was led by the 34 points of Darius White and moved to 9-11, 6-4, while the Raiders fell to 14-9, 5-5.
Staying in Class 4A, No. 3 La Marque had a struggle before silencing Pearland Dawson, 69-67. The Cougars advanced to 22-2, 7-0 while Dawson slid to 10-15 on the season after at the beginning of the year being ranked in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches/Tex Preps Basketball magazine state rankings.
Other Class 4A games of note included Amarillo Palo Duro’s 75-53 thumping of Pampa in District 3-4A play. The Dons advanced to 16-5, 6-0 on the way to winning their 84th consecutive district contest. Michael Patterson led the attack with 19 points.
Brenham’s Cubs continued their winning ways in District 19-4A with a 55-51 decision over Huntsville to go to 19-4, 7-0 while the Hornets dropped to 15-13, 6-1. Terrell Reese notched 16 points in the victory.
Moving west, El Paso Chapin withstood El Paso Bowie in a District 1-4A skirmish, 71-68, to go to 13-11, 5-2 while dropping Bowie, No. 22 in the state, to 20-2, 5-2.
Class 5A had the week’s outstanding individual performance as North Crowley’s Kyan Anderson went off for 48 points in a 102-52 blasting of Abilene in District 3-5A play. North Crowley, No. 8 in the state, is now 23-4, 6-0. Anderson’s output was a new school record breaking the 45-point performance of current Oklahoma standout Willie Warren, who notched his mark in a 2008 region final against Midland Lee.
In District 25-5A, a pair of state ranked teams got it on with No. 7 Austin Westlake emerging victorious over No. 23 Pflugerville, 84-79.
A Valley clash of rivals took place in District 31-5A with Edinburg’s Bobcats hammering out a 71-57 decision over Harlingen’s Cardinals to go to 19-6, 7-0, while the losers dropped to 19-7, 6-1. Steve Guerrero had 18 in the win.
Moving down the rankings classification, in Class 3A No. 11 Lorena humbled No. 19 Waco La Vega, 46-39, to go to 21-6, 2-1 while La Vega fell to 18-4, 2-1. Tyler Underwood was huge in the win with 22 points, including four 3-pointers.
No. 15 San Antonio Sam Houston edged past No. 17 Somerset, 67-63, to go to 11-10 despite playing a rigorous schedule, while Somerset is now 23-2.
In Class 2A, Eastland’s No. 12 Mavericks edged past No. 19 Clyde, 41-28. Eastland is now 18-3, 3-0 while Clyde is 21-2, 2-1 in District 6-2A. Clyde played minus double-digit scorer John Allen Davidson, who tore his ACL the previous week. Eastland’s 6-9 monster Forrest Robinson had 23 points, 10 boards and three blocks in the win.
In the Central Texas region, No. 15 Hearne went to 13-7, 3-0 with a key win over No. 20 Rosebud-Lott (18-3, 2-1), 67-64.
Finally, moving up to the Panhandle region where some excellent lower classification ball is played, saw Wellington’s Skyrockets top Clarendon, 59-44, in a District 3-A Division I contest. No. 13 Wellington is now 15-3, 4-0 while No. 14 Clarendon is 15-5, 3-1. C.J. Nash had 20 for Wellington to lead the way.
In District 1-A Division II action, No. 4 Vega moved to 17-9, 4-0 with a tight 56-53 win over No. 20 Texline (12-7, 3-1). Eric Rohrbach netted 19 points in the win.
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com.
Texas: Longview’s Tommy Aldridge Joins The 900 Win Club
By R.V. Baugus, www.texprepsbasketball.com
Special to MaxPreps.com
Thirty-two year coaching veteran Tommy Aldridge of Longview joined a most exclusive club over the past weekend when his girl’s team beat Hallsville, 66-57, to give the coach his 900th career win, making Aldridge the 11th high school basketball coach in the United States to have that many victories.
Aldridge has spent his 32 years with the Lady Lobos and overall now stands at 900-179. Longview is 22-4, 6-0 this year in District 13-4A, although the last win did not come so easily. Tiana Poole scored 28 points in the win, and afterwards the coach enjoyed receiving a plaque from Longview ISD Director of Extracurricular Activities Pat Collins, and then what resembled something from a Harlem Globetrotters routine when a bucket of confetti was dumped on him.
This is a special year for milestone wins amongst East Texas coaches as Bullard Brook Hill boys coach Wally Dawkins earlier earned win No. 600 while Brook Hill girls coach Curtis Corley notched his 700th win.
District 7-5A Weeds Out The Weak
It doesn’t matter whether we are talking boys or girls basketball when the conversation turns to District 7-5A in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. When you have Duncanville, Cedar Hill and on the boys side Irving and Irving MacArthur and on the girls side MacArthur, you are going to get some bruising contests. That doesn’t even count before the last realignment when DeSoto was also in the mix.
The most recent installment of nerve-wracking ball played out of this district came last weekend when MacArthur’s girls were upset by Cedar Hill, 64-58, handing the Cardinals their first loss of the season (27-1, 5-1).
Nationally-ranked MacArthur has been untouchable behind Baylor commit Odyssey Sims and dynamic sophomore Alexis Jones, but Cedar Hill (18-4, 6-0) had a fourth quarter spurt to take the home win. Braylah Blakely was huge in the win with a school-record 24 rebounds, while Briah Blakely led the scoring effort with 20 points.
Top Teams Test Each Other
Aside from the fact that the games are meaningful and count towards who will win district championships, another fun thing about district play is that a number of schools who are ranked in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches/Tex Preps Basketball Magazine state rankings do battle with each other.
It is interesting that so many districts have multiple schools placed in the rankings. Several positives come out of this, including the fact that schools can bank on there being some close games played, which can only help come playoff time when the stakes are higher and the games closer. Another is that it gives teams an opportunity to become battle-tested when playing on the road in often hostile environments. Companies like Alka-Seltzer probably also like it because it spikes their sales from statewide coaches following these contests.
Having said all of that, the first noteworthy score comes with one of the teams not ranked, but likely deserving of consideration. In the Valley, No. 5 Laredo United’s boys (23-2, 5-0) knocked off perennial district stalwart Laredo Alexander (18-3, 4-1), 58-47 in the first meeting between the schools.
Out of the Houston Independent School District in Class 4A (with that lead-in you are waiting on us to say that Houston Yates was upset, right?), 14th ranked Houston Waltrip fell to 15-5 after losing to No. 1 Houston Yates (you knew better!), 103-68, the 11th time this year the Lions have topped 100 points. Yates is now 19-0.
Staying in Class 4A and the greater Houston area, No. 3 La Marque’s Cougars (23-2) proved way too much for No. 11 Friendswood (18-6) to handle with a 60-43 decision.
In Class 3A boys, a pair of games took place involving top 25 clubs. No. 15 Sweeny’s Bulldogs improved to 18-2 by topping rival Stafford, 65-55. Stafford sits at No. 20 and saw its record drop to 9-10, although many of the losses have come to schools from larger classifications.
Elsewhere, No. 19 Mexia upset No. 7 Lorena, 79-68. Sophomore sensation D.J. Weathers scored 36 points in the win, including a ridiculous eight three-pointers.
Moving west and moving down to Class 2A, one of the state’s best rivalries in any sport took place in 7-2A when Wall’s Hawks improved to 23-0, 1-0 by beating Tuscola Jim Ned (20-4, 0-1), 71-55. Justin Walling notched 26 points and torched the nets with five three-pointers in the win.
In Class A Division I, it was No. 23 Eula also stealing an upset over No. 9 Bronte, 43-34. Eula moves to 19-5, 4-0 on the season while Bronte slips to 13-4, 3-1.
R.V. Baugus is the publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Texas: When Is Scoring Enough, Enough?
Houston Yates draws national scrutiny after 170-35 demolition of Houston Lee
By R.V. Baugus
Talk about wavering all week about whether to weigh in on this column space about the high school basketball story drawing all the national hubbub, the 170-35 annihilation by Houston Yates over Houston Lee last week in district play. As a matter of fact, there was as much wavering about even addressing this in a column as there is wavering on exactly where I stand on this entire matter.
Yates, of course, is the Class 4A No. 1 team in the state according to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches/Tex Preps Basketball magazine state rankings. The Lions are 15-0 and nine of those wins have reached triple figures in scoring. Yates has already participated in non-district tournaments in Hawaii and Alabama and could easily get bored as they go through their district before the playoffs start.
Lee, meanwhile, has fielded a struggling program for years at a school that does not field a football team. Yates has the stronger numbers, the deeper bench, the more talented athletes and the chase of a mythical national high school basketball championship.
So it came to be that the teams met up last week and by halftime the score was already 100-12. Despite a running clock in the second half, Yates still tacked on another 70 points. The final buzzer could not come soon enough, and now writers and fans are weighing in from coast to coast about whether this was a running-up-the-score disgrace or a coach who even while playing the last players off his bench wants to see them giving maximum effort during their minutes on the court.
My mind has waffled more than Waffle House has waffles, because in a way I see both sides of the argument. Back-ups want to become starters or at the least earn more significant playing minutes, and they are not going to impress the coach by entering with a 100 point lead and instructed to pull the ball out and run clock. On the other hand, at what point is the victory margin enough? What does a press accomplish in the face of a 100 point margin against an overmatched opponent?
Maybe the answer is a middle ground compromise of sorts in games where literally everyone knows the winner before the game is played. Why not for the starting five mix in starters with some bench players, and when that group comes out some of the other starters come in with bench players. (Think the University of Texas might have been better served had Garrett Gilbert been in for a few first half meaningful snaps with the first team rather than relegated to mop-up duty and mostly just handing the ball off?) The result might likely be the same, but by starting some second team players (and maybe why not even an occasional third team player) those athletes are getting an opportunity to run and work with some first team members, which can only help the second unit performers in the future.
Coaches obviously build their team to peak come playoff time and it is understandable to want to work the starting unit as much as possible. At the same time, it doesn’t hurt to train an eye to the future by working in the bench earlier than usual to ready some players who will be starters the next year.
So there, we’ve talked about it and … I still do not know with 100 percent conviction which side of the debate I fall. Above all in UIL competition, though, the mantra of sportsmanship is and should be above all others. When everything is boiled down, the question will always be about this game was a show and display of sportsmanship. The answer is not as black and white as it would often appear.
Poll Position
As district play rolls around for all schools, last week did not offer many upsets in league play. But when it came to notching some impressive non-district wins, Class A Division I No. 1 Cayuga is at the top of the list. Cayuga, which won a state football championship behind Texas football commit Traylon Shead and Texas A&M football commit Malcome Kennedy, started 1-2 in basketball while playing schools in bigger classifications. Cayuga last week took on a pair of 3A heavies in Crockett and Van in non-district and knocked off both of their opponents. Consider Cayuga the most feared 3-2 team in the state.
Unblemished
In addition to Houston Yates, Fort Worth Arlington Heights remains one of two unbeaten Class 4A squads. The Yellowjackets keep rolling and are now 22-0 after topping Fort Worth Eastern Hills and Fort Worth Western Hills. East, West, North, South, Arlington Heights appears ready this year to beat teams from any direction.
In Class 2A, a pair of teams also reside at 22-0 in No. 5 Hallettsville and No. 7 Wall. The Brahmas from Hallettsville beat Schulenburg and Hempstead last week while Wall’s Hawks knocked off Hawley and Breckenridge to also remain unbeaten.
R.V. Baugus is publisher and editor of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Texas: FW Arlington Heights boys, Irving MacArthur girls win tasty district affairs
District kicks into gear as tournament play comes to a conclusion
By R.V. Baugus
Are you ready for some basketball? I said, are you ready for some intense, high-energy district basketball?
Now that the calendar has flipped to 2010, that means that for the most part the mind-boggling number of tournaments has concluded and teams can now get down to the nitty-gritty of district play, where every game counts on the way to a post-season berth.
No sooner had the last tournament played out last week that a number of district began play over the New Year’s weekend. A couple in particular are worth spotlighting, which we will do here.
On the boy’s ledger, District 7-4A and the Fort Worth Independent School District saw a pairing of upstart Arlington Heights against blueblood Dunbar. Was Heights’ 19-0 start a smoke screen that Dunbar would reveal? Or was Heights the real deal that would now find itself in the position of being the hunted rather than as a hunter?
Better yet, how many times has it been uttered that Arlington Heights would have to stifle a Dunbar upset bid? Well, this was one of those times, and the Yellowjackets passed the test with a thrilling 66-62 win. Actually, holiday tournament action broke up four wins that Arlington Heights had already accumulated in district play, so Gary Collier’s club is now 5-0 in league play.
A 13-point fourth quarter lead was chiseled down but the new kids on the block were able to hang on. Marquis Jackson had a game-high 22 points off the bench while Willie Byrd chipped in 17. Dunbar’s Flying Wildcats fell to an uncharacteristic 4-11, 2-3.
Staying in the Metroplex but turning to the girl’s side, District 7-5A saw a much-anticipated contest between another blueblood in Duncanville and relative newcomer Irving MacArthur. The Cardinals boast Baylor signee Odyssey Sims as well as sensational sophomore Alexis Jones, who had 32 points to lead her team to a 69-56 win.
Both clubs entered the game unbeaten and MacArthur improved to 25-0 while Duncanville stands at 23-1. The visiting Pantherettes held a 35-30 lead at halftime despite a 21-point outburst from Jones, but withered in the third quarter as MacArthur took over with an 18-8 surge. Sims took over the scoring slack for the winners in the second half with 25 of her 27 points.
But we haven’t forgotten the tournaments that took place last week, either, and following are championship final results from those contests around the state.
BOYS
Alley Hoop Tournament
Iraan 77, Kermit 58
Border Olympics Tournament
Laredo United 61, Laredo Alexander 53
Brazosport ISD Holiday Classic
Corpus Christi Pope John Paul II 67, Freeport Brazosport 59
Byron Johnston Holiday Classic
El Paso Montwood 34, Temple 32
Calallen Christmas Classic
Fort Bend Elkins 76, Corpus Christi West Oso 71
Cameron Christmas Classic
Cameron Yoe 56, Brenham 46
Dallas ISD Coca-Cola Tournament
Lancaster 77, Dallas Woodrow Wilson 54
Dan Noll Christmas Classic
Daingerfield 61, White Oak 59
East Chambers Tournament
New Waverly 71, Orangefield 33
Eula Holiday Classic
Clyde 47, Olney 31
Falfurrias Christmas Shootout
Banquete 54, Orange Grove 52
Fibermax Caprock Ambucs Holiday Classic
Red Division—Wall 62, Lubbock Christian 58
Fort Worth ISD Coca-Cola Classic
Arlington Bowie 85, Fort Worth Southwest 75
Gatesville Holiday Tournament
Bastrop 55, Liberty Hill 53
Godley Tournament
Fort Worth Nolan 43, Godley 40
Gulf Coast Classic
Houston C.E. King 65, Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill 60
Hallettsville Tournament
Hallettsville 85, Gonzales 57
James Gamble Classic
Port Arthur Memorial 51, La Marque 49
Kiwanis Classic
Kerens 81, Italy 65
Leonard Holiday Tournament
Itasca 51, Leonard 48
Littlefield Wildcat Classic
Littlefield 53, Anton 50
M.T. Rice Tournament
Austin Bowie 57, Killeen Harker Heights 38
Mary Tatum Holiday Classic
Big Lake Reagan County 55, Colorado City 51
Mineral Wells Tournament
Keller Fossil Ridge 50, Mineral Wells 49
Rosebud-Lott Tournament
Milano 56, Rosebud-Lott 42
Sherman Holiday Invitational
5A/4A—San Antonio Wagner 94, Sherman 91 (2OT)
3A/2A/1A—Crandall 40, Melissa 37
Sinton Rotary Classic
Rockport-Fulton 67, Hondo 64
T-Mobile Invitational
Houston Yates 108, Butler (AL) 77
Thorndale Tournament
Mumford 57, Thorndale 42
Underwood’s Christmas Classic Division II
Bangs 62, Palestine Westwood 43
Viking Invitational
Austin Akins 68, Bryan 57
Wagstaff Holiday Classic
Gold Bracket—Tyler John Tyler 75, Jacksonville 45
Apache Bracket—Bullard Brook Hill 46, Bullard 43
Weslaco East Christmas Classic
Weslaco East 83, Brownsville Lopez 63
Whataburger Tournament
Orange Division—Flower Mound Marcus 45, Long Beach Poly (CA) 40
Blue Division—Cleveland 63, Argyle 48
GIRLS
Alley Hoop Tournament
Barksdale Nueces Canyon 58, Fort Stockton 22
Alvin Noon Lions Club Holiday Classic
Channelview 42, Angleton 29
BISD Holiday Classic
Bay City 48, Clute Brazoswood 38
Border Olympics Tournament
Alice 72, Laredo Alexander 54
Boswell Holiday Invitational
Keller Fossil Ridge 58, Weatherford 34
Breckenridge Lions Club Classic
Lovington (NM) 45, Amarillo Caprock 40
Bush’s Chicken Holiday Classic
Copperas Cove 65, Killeen 57
Byron Johnston Holiday Classic
Midland 63, Amarillo Tascosa 49
Chapel Hill Tournament
Daingerfield 57, Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill 38
Dallas ISD Coca-Cola Tournament
Irving MacArthur 70, West Mesquite 50
EPISD Holiday Tournament
El Paso Chapin 41, El Paso Coronado 40
Eula Holiday Classic
Cisco 69, Smyer 49
Fibermax Caprock Ambucs Holiday Classic
Green Division—Lubbock Coronado 70, Shallowater 57
Red Division—Sudan 53, Nocona 36
G.M. Blackman Tournament
Del Valle 44, Buda Hays Consolidated 40
Gadsden (NM) Tournament
El Paso Eastwood 37, El Paso Bel Air 30
Gatesville Tournament
Brownwood 60, McGregor 50
Grady Tournament
Stanton 66, Roscoe Highland 30
Gulf Coast Classic
League City Clear Springs 53, Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill 40
Jostens Holiday Classic
Navasota 58, Harlingen 33
Kaufman Holiday Tournament
Mesquite Poteet 54, Paris 31
Kiwanis Classic
Kerens 56, Teague 41
Leonard Holiday Tournament
Emory Rains 37, Farmersville 29
Littlefield Wildcat Classic
Anton 49, Lockney 48
M.T. Rice Tournament
Hewitt Midway 60, Corpus Christi King 36
Martin’s Mill Tournament
Ben Wheeler Martin’s Mill 40, Hubbard 38
Mary Tatum Holiday Classic
Odessa Permian 42, Ballinger 38
McDonald’s All-Star Invitational
Bryan 62, Harrison Central (MS) 51
Meredith Hatch Memorial Mansfield Invitational
Mansfield Timberview 49, Canyon 47
NCTC Tournament
Howe 52, Callisburg 32
Oakridge Classic
Oakridge 49, Cedar Hill Trinity 34
Palacios Shark Tournament
Columbia 51, Van Vleck 44
Parish Episcopal Holiday Classic
Longview 57, St. Mary’s Dominica (LA) 46
Sandra Meadows Classic
Duncanville 38, Euless Trinity 35
Sherman Holiday Invitational
5A/4A—Edmond North (OK) 61, Van Buren (AR) 42
3A/2A/1A—Pittsburg 52, Whitesboro 44
Sinton Rotary Classic
Hallettsville 44, Corpus Christi John Paul II 40
Thorndale Tournament
Thorndale 62, Franklin 39
Trenton Tournament
Boyd 54, Valley View 50
Union Square Lady Bulldog Christmas Classic
Burkburnett 82, Mineral Wells 68
Whataburger Tournament
Blue Division—Brock 33, Peaster 31
Texas: What’s In Store For 2010?
Here’s a look at some surprises as well as some expected storylines
The new year always brings its fair share of surprises, as we all know. But why wait for 2010 to ring in before taking a sneak peek at some of the early-season, raise-your-eyebrow storylines that have taken place amongst the top three classifications of Texas high school boy’s basketball.
We have to begin with Gary Collier’s Fort Worth Arlington Heights Yellowjackets, a team that through the years has been an afterthought in District 7-4A but this year has bolted to a 17-0 start and No. 5 ranking in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches/Tex Preps Basketball state rankings. No other Fort Worth ISD team shows up in the top 25, but this hefty district of 10 teams will be a bloodbath with Fort Worth Dunbar expected to show its pride as the class of the city.
Elsewhere in Class 4A, No. 1 Houston Yates is anything but a surprise but is already a major storyline before its district even begins play. The Lions are 10-0 and demolishing opponents by ridiculous scores, with the occasional nail-biter thrown in for good measure. Yates has also earned frequent flier miles and is currently in Birmingham, Alabama to compete in the T-Mobile Invitational. This marks the second out-of-state tournament for Yates, which had the pleasure of traveling to Honolulu December 17-22 to participate in the prestigious Iolani Classic.
Coach Greg Wise, who is a sick 72-4 at Yates since taking over prior to the 2007-08 season, has his team rolling early. With all five starters back from a 34-1 state titlist and 11 lettermen in all, the surprise will be if Yates does not win it all again.
We don’t want to forget our friends out west in Class 4A, either. We mean way out west. There, El Paso Austin (No. 19) and El Paso Bowie (No. 25) have burst onto the scene with identical 13-1 records, giving that region of the state hope for a long playoff run.
In Class 5A, the surprise in the early going has been Laredo United’s Longhorns. Coach Archie Ramos has his team off and running with a 13-2 mark and No. 5 state ranking. Although unranked, perennial power Laredo Alexander is 13-1 and should lock up with United in a pair of district rumbles come the next month.
Elsewhere of note in Class 5A, the Garland ISD is rightly proud with Lakeview Centennial stationed at No. 4 in the rankings with a 12-2 mark while Naaman Forest has bolted up to No. 10 and is also 12-2. Again, look for fireworks and district rumbles when the Patriots and Rangers match up.
In Class 3A, Dallas Madison still is No. 1 despite three losses to bigger schools Pflugerville, Houston Westbury Christian and Killeen Harker Heights. The Trojans will look to defend their state title but will be challenged by Cleveland, Corpus Christi West Oso and Sour Lake Hardin-Jefferson, among others.
Coaching Milestone
Congratulations are in order to Bullard Brook Hill Coach Wally Dawkins, who picked up career win No. 600 against Tyler Chapel Hill with a 61-58 win. Interestingly, Dawkins coached Chapel Hill from 1982-87 and earned career win No. 100 while leading Chapel Hill. Dawkins is mostly know for his 29-year un at Whitehouse, where he coached until last year.
Thoughts With Injured Longview Player
Thoughts and best wishes are with Traci DeVance, the starting senior point guard for the Longview girl’s team. DeVance dislocated both of her hips in a one-car accident on Sunday and will miss the remainder of the season.
Longtime Longview Coach Tommy Aldridge said that DeVance was driving home after dropping off a cousin near Hallsville when her car collided with a tree near her home. Aldridge added that DeVance is expected to recover and that the car’s airbag probably saved her life.
DeVance has started at Longview since her freshman season and in addition to being named all-East Texas Newcomer of the Year in 2006-07 has been first team all-East Texas the past two seasons.
Tournaments Abound
As always, a slew of holiday tournaments are ongoing between Christmas and the new year. We will have a full rundown on tournament championship results in next week’s report. Until then, have a safe and most prosperous new year.
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Texas: Spreading Good Cheer This Holiday Season
Dallas Academy, Wayne Dickey, Fort Worth Arlington Heights and more give reason to celebrate
By R.V. Baugus
We’ve got your holiday stocking chocked full of goodies and not coal since everyone associated with Texas high school boys and girls basketball has been nice this past year. It is a time of reflection as well as a time of looking ahead, so shall we commence and do both?
A jolly congratulations is in order for the Dallas Academy Bulldogs girls basketball team. Academy, you might remember, was the reluctant newsmaker way back in January of this year when the team lost 100-0 in a game in which the winning coach was eventually dismissed amidst a hailstorm of debate about whether the score was run up.
Well, on December 18 the same Academy team defeated Johnson County, 34-33, for the school’s first win in eight years. This was not just any win and any celebration.
In a warming story written by Mark Dent of the Dallas Morning News, the team was met at a Schlotzsky’s after the game by half the boys team, who dogpiled the girls in celebration as soon as they got off the bus. Laughter was all around and undoubtedly a few tears of joy as well.
The game itself saw some miraculous plays, beginning with Lauren Oelke’s half-court shot that found the bottom of the net at the halftime buzzer. Oelke also notched 31 of the team’s 34 points and her outburst was more than double her career high. She nailed a free throw with under one minute to play for the final 34-33 lead.
After a defensive stop by Academy, the team dribbled and passed the ball until the long-awaited final buzzer rang and shouts of jubilation rang louder.
Said coach Deanna Civello: “That was the best minute they ever played.”
May there be more minutes like that one.
Congratulations, Wayne Dickey
Congratulations are in order to long-time coach Wayne Dickey, who recently picked up his 800th career win while leading San Antonio St. Gerard past The Winston School, 65-44. Dickey is the 22nd boys coach to hit the 800-win milestone in Texas high school basketball and accomplished the feat at a young 57 years of age.
Dickey, of course, is most often associated with San Antonio Sam Houston, where he won 751 games on the way to a record that now stands at 800-274. He led Sam Houston for 30 years and sent the team to four state tournaments and one championship. He is now in his third season at St. Gerard.
Dickey is also second in career wins in the San Antonio area, trailing only Central Catholic coach Joe Cortez and his 823 victories.
May there be more wins in coach Dickey’s stocking.
Congratulations, Arlington Heights
Okay, so we brought up Fort Worth Arlington Heights in last week’s column, but this bears a repeat. A fast glance at the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches/Tex Preps Basketball state rankings shows two undefeated teams among the top 25 in Class 4A boys play. One is No. 2 Dallas Lincoln, which sits at 13-0 and is no stranger to the rankings nor the state tournament in Austin.
The Tigers are led by sensational junior LeBryan Nash, who has every school drooling for his services after he graduates next year from Lincoln. Look for Lincoln to make a long playoff run and one can only imagine Nash and his mates facing Houston Yates in a Class 4A state championship.
But before we get to that point, let’s look at what is happening in the moment, and that moment now reflects that Arlington Heights is an unblemished 17-0 and has risen to No. 5 in the latest rankings.
A recent story remarked how around Heights the deal was always that when football season ended the team basically waited for baseball season to start. Forget the sport called basketball that bridges football and baseball. Well, no more. The entire community is behind this upstart program under Gary Collier and in addition to other teams in the area like Fort Worth Trimble Tech it can no longer be assumed that a District 7-4A crown will just be given to Fort Worth Dunbar as in years past.
So congratulations are in order to everyone on this brief list. May your wishes come true this holiday season.
And now, a look at last week’s tournament results:
BOYS
Academy Sports Holiday Hoopfest
Marshall 46, Hallsville 39
Atlanta Tournament
Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 64, Atlanta 42
Bloomburg Wildcat Tournament
Bloomburg 70, McLeod 67 (OT)
C.E. Vail Tournament
Mission Veterans Memorial 68, Harlingen 64
City of Palms Classic
Weslaco 62, San Antonio Fox Tech 57 (OT)
Hawkins Tournament
Big Sandy Harmony 48, Gladewater Union Grove 39
Houston ISD Tournament
Houston Bellaire 57, Alief Elsik 55
Medina Tournament
Harper 46, Medina 41
Sabine Last Man Standing Tournament
Gladewater Sabine 61, Rusk 50
GIRLS
Bloomburg Wildcat Tournament
Queen City 51, Waskom 47
Grand Saline Tournament
Brownsboro 47, Hawkins 34
Tis The Season For State-Ranking Party Crashers
Teams like Fort Worth Arlington Heights enjoy surprising starts
By R.V. Baugus
In the spirit of the holiday season, we present to you some notorious party crashers, those original miscast outfits who slithered into the festivities and have now comfortably made themselves at home and can mix and mingle with the best of them.
It’s something that happens every year and there is no getting away from it. This year we present to you as Exhibit A none other than Fort Worth Arlington Heights, a school in the FWISD throughout the years more known for their prowess on a baseball diamond than a basketball court. But midway into December here sit the Yellowjacket boys with a gaudy 17-0 record and a new TABC/Tex Preps Basketball state ranking that went from nowhere to No. 6 in the state.
Picked to finish fourth by the District 7-4A coaches, Coach Gary Collier’s team lurked under the radar after going 21-11/12-6 last year. Guard play has been huge for Heights, and now perennial favorite Fort Worth Dunbar is the one doing the chasing this year.
Arlington Heights is not the only newbie making noise just prior to district play. In Class 3A, Paris (9-1) and Rockdale (10-1) have also bolted out of the gate and are new to the state rankings at No. 16 and No. 18, respectively.
Expect more crashers to make their presence known before the new year rolls around. In the meantime, a wealth of holiday tournaments are still on tap leading into 2010, many of them storied and tradition-rich. But before we get to those, here is a recap of tournament championship results from games played on Saturday, December 12.
BOYS
Abernathy Shootout
Abernathy 34, Whitesboro 31
Bagg Invitational
Prestonwood Christian Academy 57, Bryan 46
Baytown Christian Academy Tournament
BVCHEA 52, Mount Carmel 42
Borden County Invitational
Lubbock Christian 79, Anson 57
Brownsville ISD Tournament
Brownsville Hanna 88, Brownsville Lopez 49
Catclaw Classic
Lubbock Trinity Christian 62, Tuscola Jim Ned 42
Cathedral Tournament
El Paso Bowie 51, El Paso Socorro 36
Centerville Tournament
Centerville 61, Buffalo 29
Clifton Tournament
Fort Worth Zion 84, China Spring 42
Dayton Tournament
La Marque 55, Conroe Oak Ridge 39
Fairfield Tournament
Melissa 71, Waco 58
Fayetteville Tournament
Mumford 85, Fayetteville 65
Fort Davis Mile High Classic
Fort Davis 50, Balmorhea 43
Frost Tournament
Waco Vanguard 34, Frost 24
Granbury ISD Tournament
Fort Worth Arlington Heights d. Killeen
Grandfalls-Royalty Tournament
Rankin 44, Grandfalls-Royalty 27
Great East Texas Shootout
Crandall 48, Brownsboro 46
Greenbelt Classic
Wheeler 60, Texline 56
Gregory-Portland Tournament
Lubbock Estacado 53, San Antonio Lanier 48
Gunslinger Shootout
Paris 64, Hope (AR) 44
Happy State Bank North Plains Invitational
Dalhart 63, Stinnett West Texas 16
Iowa Park/City View Tournament
Bowie 69, Iowa Park 46
Lee College Classic
Gold: Peabody 54, Deer Park 36
Silver: Westgate 74, Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill 69
Bronze: Crosby 59, Baytown Goose Creek Memorial 30
Leroy Romines Hoopfest
Dallas Pinkston 58, Fort Worth Trimble Tech 5
Meadow Tournament
Meadow 58, Ropesville Ropes 29
Miles Tournament
Eula 52, Winters 24
Monahans Sandhills Tournament
Big Spring 63, Monahans 40
Mountain View Tournament
El Paso Austin 63, El Paso Eastwood 48
New Deal Mean Green Classic
Idalou 67, Floydada 54
Orangefield Tournament
Port Neches-Groves 48, Orangefield 38
Ozona Tournament
Ozona 61, Midland JV 59 (OT)
Pflugerville Tournament
Pflugerville 72, Killeen Ellison 64
Plains Tournament
Lovington (NM) 61, Plains 40
Port Isabel Tournament
Mercedes 64, Harvest Christian 43
Pride of Texas Tournament
The Woodlands 64, Rosenberg Terry 48
Redwater/Scoreboard Invitational
McLeod 69, DeKalb 43
S&S Tournament
Bells 39, Era 15
Salado Coach Smith Tournament
Austin St. Michael’s 56, Brock 34
Santa Maria Tournament
San Isidro 58, Macadonia 44
Sealy Tournament
Navasota 91, Sealy 66
Sharyland Diamondback Classic
Weslaco 53, Hidalgo 36
Stanton Hooptown Classic
Wall 77, Lenorah Grady 44
Sulphur Bluff Invitational
Bloomburg 63, Yantis 60
Sundown Tournament
Anton 58, Denver City 53
Union Square Bulldog Classic
Burkburnett 66, Dallas Highland Park 65
Van Vleck Tournament
Sweeny 66, Van Vleck 50
Vernon Invitational
Memphis 54, Wichita Falls Heat 37
Water Valley Tournament
Water Valley 64, Eldorado 59
Whitharral Invitational
Olton 54, Welch Dawson 28
YMBL Tournament
Houston Westbury Christian 53, Port Arthur Memorial 40
Zavalla Jingle Bell Jubilee
Elkhart Slocum 38, Diboll 29
GIRLS
Altus (OK) Tournament
Cache (OK) 66, Iowa Park 49
Borden County Invitational
Gail Borden County 37, Forsan 30
Brownsville ISD Tournament
Hidalgo 45, Edinburg 40
Bynum Tournament
Rice 29, Waco Rappoport 28
Cap Herman Invitational
Campbell 46, Pattonville Prairiland 45
Catclaw Classic
Abilene Wylie 55, Wall 46
Celeste Tournament
Ladonia Fannindel 41, Sunnyvale 38
Centerville Tournament
Jewett Leon 57, Buffalo 41
Community Tournament
Burleson 46, Paris North Lamar 45
Fort Davis Mile High Classic
Terlingua Big Bend 28, Fort Davis 22
Fort Elliott Invitational
Wheeler 46, Texline 39
Franklin Tournament
Bryan Rudder 83, Franklin 53
Freeman Parish Invitational
Honey Grove 66, Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill 52
Frost Invitational Tournament
Dawson 26, Frost 14
Grandfalls-Royalty Tournament
Rankin 42, Monahans JV 41
Great East Texas Shootout
Winnsboro 65, Tyler John Tyler 48
Gunslinger Shootout
Arkansas High 76, Clarksville 25
Happy State Bank North Plains Invitational
Gruver 32, Claude 23
Harleton Tournament
Texarkana Pleasant Grove 53, Harleton 37
Meadow Tournament
Garden City 57, Ackerly Sands 26
Miles Tournament
Eula 49, Crane 33
Monahans Sandhills Tournament
Lubbock Trinity 67, El Paso Bowie 42
New Deal Mean Green Classic
Smyer 54, Littlefield 36
Plains Tournament
Plains 48, Sudan JV 41
Pride of Texas Tournament
Austin Westlake 51, Rockport-Fulton 24
Redwater/Scoreboard Invitational
De Queen (AR) 46, Simms Bowie 33
Salado Coach Smith Tournament
Lorena 38, Liberty Hill 35
Snook Tournament
Snook 58, Valley Mills 52 (OT)
Stanton Hooptown Classic
Stanton 44, Coahoma 37
Sundown Tournament
Anton 47, Sundown 31
Tommie Wiseman Tournament
Mission 54, La Feria 38
Vernon Invitational
Vernon Freshmen 43, Eldorado 42
Waskom Invitational
Hughes Springs 60, Waskom 23
Water Valley Tournament
Paint Rock 62, Menard 59
West Kolache Classic
Waco La Vega 38, Waco Connally 30
Whitharral Invitational
Whiteface 48, Whitharral 37
YMBL Tournament
Beaumont Central 63, Killeen Harker Heights 46
Zavalla Jingle Bell Jubilee
Woodville 42, Woden 29
R.V. Baugus is publisher and editor of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
The Covenant School Senior Savannah Smith Receives Full Scholarship From Abilene Christian University
It’s not often that small private school athletes receive full scholarships from NCAA Division II schools--but that is exactly what happened to The Covenant School's senior point guard Savannah Smith. This past week, Savannah signed a letter of intent to play basketball with Abilene Christian University.
 
Savannah chose to play for Abilene Christian under Coach Shawna Lavender after being recruited by many other universities such as Rice, TCU, Harvard, Princeton, Georgetown, University of Tulsa, Oral Roberts, California Baptist University, California State Fullerton, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech.
Abilene Christian has always been an important part of Savannah's life. Her great grandfather was vice president of ACU for 35 years and both her father, Chris Smith, and grandfather, J.E. Smith, attended ACU. Her grandfather also played basketball for ACU in the 1940’s and Savannah now looks forward to following in his footsteps.
Savannah has certainly had an impressive high school basketball career. She started for the Covenant Lady Knights her freshman year with the Lady Knights ending the year undefeated in district play and winning the area championship in the TAPPS playoffs. Averaging over twenty-five points per game, Savannah was named 1st Team All-State to finish her freshman year. In her sophomore year, Savannah led the Covenant Lady Knights to an undefeated season in district play and led the team to the TAPPS semi-final game. She again was named 1st Team All-State having scored 696 points and averaging 26.7 points per game. Savannah completed her sophomore year as the #5 scorer in the state of Texas for all high school girls and was #12 in scoring in the nation per MaxPreps.com.
Savannah once again led Covenant to an undefeated season in district during her junior year, losing only to Sherman Texoma in the regional playoffs. She scored 553 points while averaging 22.8 points per game, was named the Most Valuable Player of the district, and was once again named 1st Team All-State for a third consecutive year.
Not only is Savannah an excellent athlete, but she is also a strong student with a current 4.0 GPA. She is involved in the National English Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta and National Honors Society. In her free time she enjoys hanging out with friends and family, learning how to play guitar and attending youth group.
Tourney Action Heats Up Across Texas
New schools emerge in rankings after powerful tournament showings
By R.V. Baugus
From the Ama TechTel Tournament of Champions through the Whiteface Invitational Tournament, the past weekend was wrought with tournament action across Texas, which meant one certain thing … a number of the top teams in the state were busy knocking each other off as district play draws closer for some.
For some schools, it was an incredible moment to shine. The team that best took advantage of a romp through a strong tournament field came out of the Rio Grande Valley as Laredo United’s Longhorns knocked off state Top 5 squads San Antonio Wagner and Austin Westlake in the Lone Star Invitational. Expect United and Laredo Alexander to wage some spirited district play this year.
The good news is that “good” tournament losses do not punish teams, with Dallas Madison in Class 3A the best evidence of that mantra. The Trojans sit at 4-3 on the season but still atop the state ranking in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches/Tex Preps Basketball rankings. One reason for that is that two of the losses last week came to Class 5A power Pflugerville and private school juggernaut Houston Westbury Christian.
And, yes, some schools can still be 0-0 like Class A Division I No. 1 Cayuga. Until Traylon Shead and his mates finish football and trade in cleats for sneakers, there is no reason for Cayuga to not still maintain the top slot in the rankings.
And now a look at championship results from this past weekend across Texas for both boy’s and girl’s play:
BOYS
Ama TechTel Tournament of Champions
Lubbock Trinity 50, Plainview 37
Anton Tournament
Anton 72, Floydada 60
Arlington Classic
Arlington Bowie 65, Lewisville 60
Ballinger Tournament
Clyde 50, Colorado City 33
Big Sandy Tournament
Silsbee 53, New Waverly 44
Brewer Bear Classic
Everman 44, Burleson 33
Brian Tate Wilson Memorial
Alpine 48, Monahans 35
Bruceville-Eddy Tournament
Waco Vanguard 60, Bruceville-Eddy 42
Canutillo Tournament
Canutillo 49, Clint Horizon 41
Cedar Creek Lake Shootout
Rockwall 59, Mabank 53
Coolidge Tournament
Waco Rappoport 72, Methodist Home 41
Cotton Center Invitational
Turkey Valley 71, Spur 39
Corpus Christi Coaches Association
Corpus Christi West Oso 66, Houston Milby 49
Craig Smith Tournament
Victoria Memorial 69, Edinburg 55
Dairy Queen Van Invitational
Kennedale 50, Crandall 45
Denver City Shootout
Seminole 81, Denver City 28
Dime Box Tournament
Mumford 66, Lexington 49
Fox Country Classic
El Paso Montwood 41, El Paso Jefferson 40
Frankston Tournament
La Rue La Poynor 40, Frankston 30
Gene Messer Shootout
Lubbock Coronado 55, Ponder 50
Gym Bice Classic
Midland Greenwood 56, San Angelo Lake View 50
Huntington Coca-Cola Tournament
Paris 61, Huntington 27
James Bowie Pirate Tournament
McLeod 75, Hooks 63
James R. Morton Invitational
Mount Pleasant Chapel 77, Detroit 66
James White Invitational
Port Arthur Memorial 54, Beaumont West Brook 29
Joshua Tournament
Abilene Wylie 50, Midlothian 47 (OT)
KISD Classic
Houston Westbury Christian 53, Killeen 49
Kopperl Tournament
Bosqueville 74, Advantage Academy 42
Lindale Hoop Heaven Tournament
Texarkana Texas High 48, Lindale 36
Lorena Tournament
Lorena 47, Peaster 45
McDonald’s Fall Classic
Dallas Lincoln 65, Bryan 54
New Home Classic
Petersburg 49, Springlake-Earth 32
Ore City Tournament
Bloomburg 79, Diana New Diana 68
Riesel Tournament
Dawson 57, Snook 37
Rockdale Tournament
Rockdale 59, Robinson 38
Rusk Tournament
Mexia 69, Rusk 63
Shallowater Shootout
Littlefield 48, Shallowater 45 (OT)
Shepherd Tournament
Lufkin Hudson 52, Willis 50
SPI Invitational
San Antonio Clark 60, Houston Second Baptist 56
Springcreek Classic
Mansfield Summit 49, Mansfield 39
Troup Hardwood Classic
White Oak 84, Troup 41
Twin Cities Tournament
Laredo LBJ 80, Rio Grande City 46
Whiteface Invitational Tournament
Crosbyton 47, Smyer 37
GIRLS
Alice Tournament
Victoria Memorial 62, Alice 48
Ama TechTel Tournament of Champions
Canyon 45, Wall 26
Anton Tournament
Floydada 63, Anton 58
Ballinger Tournament
Ballinger 41, Coleman 32
Bethel Tournament
Anthony 62, Bethel 23
Bruceville-Eddy Tournament
Hubbard 58, Mart 40
Clint Tournament
El Paso Franklin 67, Clint 40
Cotton Center Invitational
Plainview Christian 66, Hale Center 43
Denver City Shootout
Seminole 50, Denver City 41
Forestburg Tournament
Slidell 41, Wichita Christian 22
Hughes Springs Tournament
Hughes Springs 46, Hooks 30
James Bowie Pirate Tournament
Simms Bowie 40, McLeod 32
James R. Morton Invitational
Honey Grove 64, Detroit 41
JoAnn Sparks Shootout
Shreveport (LA) Southwood 67, Marshall 43
KISD CLASSIC
Killeen Ellison 57, Richardson Berkner 31
Levelland Tournament
Levelland 63, El Paso Irvin 61 (OT)
Lindale Hoop Heaven Tournament
Lindale 48, Brownsboro 46
Lone Star Invitational
San Antonio Wagner 41, San Antonio Jay 34
Lorena Tournament
Giddings 55, Salado 51
McAllen High Border Bash
Corpus Christi King 49, Hidalgo 46
New Home Classic
Springlake-Earth 55, Lamesa Klondike 31
Northeast Lions Club Invitational
North Crowley 54, Arlington Martin 50
Ore City Tournament
Queen City 53, Overton 32
Polk-Key City Classic
Midland 58, Abilene Wylie 46
Rangerette Invitational
Midland Greenwood 51, San Angelo Central 39
San Isidro Basketball Tourney
Lyford 43, San Isidro 38
Shallowater Shootout
Shallowater 50, Tahoka 20
Slocum Tournament
Pollok Central 59, Groveton 45
Tornado Alley Classic
Wichita Falls Hirschi 34, Olney 30
Union Grove Tournament
Price Carlisle 56, Christian Heritage 17
Whiteface Invitational Tournament
Whiteface 42, New Deal 34
Wills Point Tournament
Longview 78, Trinity Christian Addison 41
Winnsboro Hoop Fest
Winnsboro 58, Georgetown 48
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
J.D. Mayo Celebrates 700th Career Win At Nocona
Former Dallas Skyline coach continues molding young men
By R.V. Baugus
Thanksgiving weekend was a relatively light one on the Texas high school basketball scene. As players mostly enjoyed the final leftovers of turkey, a handful of games and tournaments took place. One such traditional tournament was the Fantasy of Lights Tournament in Wichita Falls, where in the Boys Division I championship game Sunrise Christian Academy out of BelAire, Kansas, topped Mansfield Timberview, 48-41.
But if you want to talk high school basketball around the Wichita Falls area and what made news last week, consider the headliner to be the Nocona victory over Saint Jo on November 24 by a count of 47-26. Say what?
A little primer: Nocona is under the tutelage of J.D. Mayo, who is in his first year at the helm of the Indians after patrolling the sidelines for 33 years at Dallas Skyline before a messy parting at the end of the 2008-09 season. The significance of the Saint Jo win was that it was Coach Mayo’s 700th career victory against 351 losses.
So it is at this time of Thanksgiving before tournament action churns up again this coming first weekend in December that some thanks is given to J.D. Mayo as our friendship grew way beyond high school when he was the junior varsity coach at Spruce High School in Dallas in the mid-1970s.
Coach Mayo has always been one to put others first and to live a life of genuine humility and service. Others including the likes of Dallas Morning News sports columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor have talked about how Coach Mayo years later will refer to those he once taught—including Taylor when he was at Skyline—as Mr. or Ms. I can verify that, because whether it is seeing Coach Mayo in person or fielding a call from him he refers to me as Mr. Baugus, a title that leaves me somewhat uneasy, especially coming from the likes of someone I believe it is MY place to call Mr.!
But these are just words, and kind as they are they begin to tell nothing of the more visible deeds and actions of someone like Coach Mayo.
It is a story that I am sure I have worn out Coach Mayo with, but one special memory from my high school days came when I received a sports writing award and was honored to walk across our high school stage during Senior Day. As I was returning to my seat, Coach Mayo was stationed against one of the auditorium walls and as I walked past him he made it a point to shake my hand, congratulate me on the award and comment, “We are all proud of you.”
What made this even more significant is that I really did not know Coach Mayo very well, which made his gesture even more meaningful and something I carry with me to this day. I often remind him of this little story and while he understandably does not remember it, to me it speaks volumes about Coach Mayo’s character.
Another trait I have admired through the years in Coach Mayo is he never felt the need to pat himself on the back. I am biased, of course, but believe he was the greatest ambassador for the Dallas Independent School District of anyone I could imagine. I am sure that he had numerous opportunities through the years to move along to another more glamorous position yet he elected to continue making his mark at Skyline.
Coach Mayo, of course, was the coach and mentor for former NBA great Larry Johnson. It was humbling to hear Johnson speak about Coach Mayo earlier this year at a 60th birthday that Coach Mayo’s wife held in honor of her husband. Johnson recalled his hardscrabble upbringing and the influence that Coach Mayo had in helping mold him from a kid to a young man to an adult.
In the most tumultuous year of his life, the J.D. Mayo I know has remained steadfast in his Christian faith and walk with the Lord. He offers no hints of bitterness about his situation at Skyline but instead spoke glowingly about his new opportunities in a small Class 2A town where he was welcomed with open arms.
While the expectations and skill levels of the players he now coaches in Nocona are world’s apart from Skyline, Coach Mayo’s primary objectives will undoubtedly remain the same. He will mold young men, teach them about life and have them prepared as well as possible for when they graduate and move into the “real world.”
It is something he has been doing for decades and will continue to do as long as he is alive. It defines Coach Mayo and his priorities. It is why he can do nothing but succeed as he always has.
R.V. Baugus is editor and publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine and www.texprepsbasketball.com
Giving Thanks Basketball-Style
By R.V. Baugus
Thanksgiving is here and there is indeed much to be thankful for. For the Texas high school basketball aficionado, thanks must also be given. Let us count the ways.
National recognition. The Houston Yates boys served notice last year after winning a Class 4A state championship that they would not be a one-and-done team. And why should they have been since everyone was returning to this year’s roster to a team that lost only one game. Well, two games out of the chute for the 2009-10 season and the Lions have roared as only a king of the jungle can by punishing Dickinson, 142-80, and Houston Sam Houston, 163-71. These are not typos and we repeat, 142-80, and 163-71 for games that last 32 minutes. Yates scored 55 points in the third quarter of the Sam Houston game and placed eight players in double figures, led by Joseph Young’s 35 and Clyde Santee’s 25. Keep your eye on Greg Wise’s team as they have a legitimate opportunity to set a scoring record this year.
When powers collide. Last weekend’s action included the powerful McDonald’s Invitational in Pasadena, where in the Gold Division Houston Bellaire went to 6-0 by edging Austin Westlake (5-1), 50-47. This tournament was a must-see for hoops fans with several teams in the state’s top 25 battling it out, including in addition to the above Humble Kingwood Park, San Antonio Madison, DeSoto, Duncanville, Dickinson, La Porte, North Crowley, The Woodlands College Park, McAllen and Richardson Pearce. While these teams knocked each other around and some powerful squads have now been pinned with losses, the early tournament experience is good as teams get their legs under them. Of course, December looms as another month where every weekend will feature tournaments and a slew of marquee matchups.
Cheers for the little guy. Santa Rosa became the darling team last year when the Class 2A school from the Valley advanced to Austin and the state tournament. Coach Johnny Cipriano’s outfit started off this year proving that it is really more than a little guy when the Warriors edged Class 5A Edinburg, 90-88, in a triple-overtime affair.
Stepping up in class. Class 2A state champion Ponder stepped up to the plate to open the season against traditional power Class 3A Burkburnett, and when it was over the Bulldogs had taken the measure of Ponder, 71-66. Look for Ponder to again be there at the end of the year under new coach Jude Stanley.
Tournaments in general. It doesn’t matter if they are held in a bustling metropolis or in a dank, dingy small town of less than 1,000, basketball tournaments at the holiday season have a special uniqueness. You have all the yellow buses parked outside the gym with writing to identify their school district. You have the excitement of seeing the brackets in the program to begin play. You have those fun 8:30 a.m. starts. You have the smell of the concession stand often just around the corner from the stands. You have the sound of the buzzers, the squeak of the shoes, the rallying cry in the huddle before teams break to return to the court. You have the one-day or tournament pass that is the best bargain in town. Oh, and you have the tournaments with the often amusing names sponsored by the local chicken restaurant in town or some other entity who shows their pride and support for the local team and the tournament by having their name attached.
Records of 0-0. For a few brief weeks at the beginning of the season you will notice a number of teams who sport a 0-0 record. Those schools will inevitably be small schools, and for the most part those schools will maintain their record until they start playing games. The reason for 0-0, of course, is due to the fact that many small schools have athletes who play in practically every sport. For those schools who march on in the football playoffs, that means that basketball season will have to wait. Part of the beauty in small school athletics is watching the show of support from one sport to another. While every basketball team would like to start its season on time, it is not unusual to see those affiliated with the basketball team supporting their football brothers in the quest for a state championship. So we salute all the teams that for a few more days will still sit at 0-0, because your day is coming to hit the hardwood and then it will be the football players’ turn to support their basketball brothers … assuming, of course, they are not one and the same!
Happy Thanksgiving!
State Powerhouses Return As Texas Boys’ Basketball Gets Underway
By R.V. Baugus
With so many talented teams and so many remarkable individual performers, parity is the buzzword for the 2009-10 Texas high school boys’ basketball season like none before. That said, a lot of the pre-season chatter centers on this interesting question: Can Class 4A Houston Yates go undefeated?
The Lions, last year’s 4A state champions who amassed a 34-1 record, only return all five starters and 11 lettermen to a roster that typically eclipses triple digits in any given game. Led by a stellar group of guards in Darius Gardner, Brandon Peters and Joseph Young, Yates will look to the motivation of defending a state championship to help the team accomplish the feat of back-to-back titles.
There are sub-plots aplenty across the state as teams prepare to tip off the season this week. 4A should again be dynamic, with a handful of teams ready to joust with Yates, including the likes of La Marque and University of Texas commit Julien Lewis, and fellow Houston ISD foes Washington, Jones and Wheatley. Also out of the greater Houston area, Friendswood’s Mustangs return all five starters from its 20-11 unit, including Sam Houston State signee Byron Randle.
Dallas Kimball, whom some believe went on a magical run to the state tournament last year, will not be under the radar this season. That is especially true for 6-5 David Kates, who almost single-handedly took the Knights on his back last year all the way to Austin.
Out of the Red River region, a pair of Oklahoma signees in Sherman’s Cameron Clark and Denison’s T.J. Taylor both play for teams that could likewise make a lot of noise deep into the post-season.
LeBryan Nash, Dallas Lincoln’s 6-7 one-man wrecking crew, will keep the traditionally rich Tigers poised as well for a long playoff run.
Southern Dallas County is where you will find countless college scouts mining for talent, and they will have plenty of numbers to look at this year with Cedar Hill, DeSoto and Duncanville ranked No. 1, 3 and 4 in the Tex Preps Basketball magazine pre-season coaches rankings.
DeSoto knocked off neighborhood rival Cedar Hill to win it all last year in Class 5A, and while the Eagles and Longhorns are not in the same district, don’t be surprised to see them meet up again in the post-season. Duncanville, Cedar Hill’s district foe, will definitely have a say in matters behind Baylor signee Perry Jones and Julian Washburn.
Houston Bellaire is also loaded with talent, including four Division I prospects on its roster. Houston Cypress Woods returns DeeMarco Richardson and Andre Adams from a 33-4 club, while Klein Forest welcomes eight lettermen and three starters.
San Antonio Wagner and league rival Converse Judson should stage at least two dandy district contests, and both teams have the depth and athleticism to carry them deep into the post-season. San Antonio Madison welcomes back Stephen Baird as the Mavericks also have eyes on Austin.
Another Madison, this one Dallas Madison, would be a handful in Class 5A or 4A, but the Trojans reside in 3A and will look to cousins Timothy and Desmond Flentroy to defend a state title. Lubbock Estacado, another team that until last year played in 4A, will be formidable as always.
The Houston area and Golden Triangle area are ably represented by Stafford and Colorado State signee Maurice Wiltz, Cleveland and dynamic junior Cedric Reed, and 21-3A juggernauts Sour Lake Hardin-Jefferson and Silsbee.
One sleeper coming just north of Dallas is Argyle, which fell by just two points to Dallas Madison last year in the post-season.
Coaching veterans Barry Boren of Liberty Hill and Danny Nix of Burkburnett will again have teams boasting plenty of talent and looking for another prolonged post-season run.
Heading down the classification rung, Doug Boxell is no longer coaching Ponder in Class 2A, but the Lions and Jude Stanley will again look to defend a state crown with competition coming from athletic New Waverly and twins Tyren and Kyren Watts.
One of the feel-good stories last year in 2A came out of the Rio Grande Valley when Santa Rosa advanced to Austin. Coach Johnny Cipriano’s Warriors will be the hunted this season. Aaron Ramirez was the Valley’s newcomer of the year and is among a handful of returnees leading the way this year.
In Class A Division I, Cayuga looks to be a heavy favorite behind multi-sport star Traylon Shead, who has committed to the University of Texas as a football running back. West Texas, as always, is represented in this classification with Plains, Clarendon, Gruver, Roscoe and Bronte all top-10 selections heading into the season.
In Class A Division II, district rivals Laneville and Elkhart Slocum are picks No. 1 and No. 2 in either order. Both are deep, athletic and tradition-rich programs who rank as the favorites in this classification with Lester King’s dangerous Goodrich squad also a favorite.
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