By GALEN WELLNICKI
After sending once-contending Bastrop to its fifth-straight defeat, 51-21, on Tuesday night at Eagle Gym, the Georgetown Lady Eagles are 12-0 in district with a four games remaining and a two-game lead in the loss column over its closest rival, Cedar Park (11-2).
The Lady Eagles have placed themselves in position where they can clinch the 19-5A title and district’s top-seeding in the 128-team UIL Class 5A playoffs with a number of scenarios., including:
* The most direct would be sweeping all four of their remaining games against East View (6-6) at 8 p.m. Friday on the Patriots’ court; Rouse, currently 9-3, at home on this comning Tuesday; at Cedar Park next Friday and in the regular-season finale and with Bastrop Cedar Creek, currently 4-9, at Eagle Gym on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
* They also can clinch with three victories in those four games.
* By winning two of the final four, if one of the victories is over Cedar Park, which has a bye on Friday and concludes the campaign with Cedar Creek, Georgetown and Pflugerville Connally. Rouse is still mathematically in the running for the title, but realistically needs to sweep its final four games with Cedar Creek, Georgetown, Connally and Hutto.
Cedar Park and Rouse have split their season series with the Lady Timberwolves, winning 47-44 this past Tuesday. The Raiders won the first-round meeting, 43-42. Both winning on their home courts.
If Georgetown captures the 19-5A title it will play the fourth-place team from 20-5A — probably either Waller or Brenham — in bi-district. Tomball Memorial has a strangle hold on the 20-5A lead with a 10-0 mark and Magnolia and Tomball are tied for second at 7-3. Waller currently is 5-5 with Brenham at 4-6.
The Lady Eagles, who shaded arch-rival East View, 47-42, in the first round of district play, will take the court against their arch-rival on Friday night with a big question mark — the physical status of senior point guard Brooke Elliott, who missed Tuesday’s game with an illness.
“The best case scenario is that she’ll be back on Friday,” GHS coach Rhonda Farney said, “and the worst case would be the following Friday.”
Junior Josie Weirich and sophomore Ali Isbell, up from the JV, filled in for Elliott in the one-sided win over Bastrop (now 6-7 in district).
“I was proud of the way Josie and Alie responded,” Farney said of a game that improved the Lady Eagles’ season record to 21-6. “We’ve had to pull kids up at both the varsity and JV levels because of injuries and illness and the kids we pull up do a good job.”
Georgetown started slowly against a Bastrop team that it defeated 74-17 on the road during the first round, leading just 12-3 afterthe first period, but worked the margin to 26-5 by halftime as 6-foot-1 senior Dee Day scored eight of her game-high 17 points in the quarter. They led 41-12 going into the final period with the largest lead being 32 points at 50-18.
“We’ve played very physical games the last two times out,” Farney said of the back-to-back one-sided victories over Elgin and Bastrop. “We’ve got to the point in the season where it’s a grind every game. We’ll enjoy tonight and then take ice baths tomorrow and work on mental things.
“Dee Day and Taylor Elliott continued to provide leadership and Jaelyn (sophomore Knight), EJ (sophomore Emily Jones) and Emery (6-1 freshman Herman) continue to improve their games — especially over the last few weeks.”
GHS had a poorer than usual shooting night, making just 15 of 38 from the floor (39 percent), but put down 72 percent of 25 attempts from the free-throw line. With Day pulling down 12 boards, the Lady Eagles posted a 32-18 rebounding edge. Taylor Elliott with 10 points was the only other GHS player in double figures.
Defensively, Georgetown allowed Bastrop just six field goals in 27 attempts and recorded 18 steals with T. Elliott getting seven.
Georgetown has now limited its 19-5A opponents to a 24.6 percentage (111 of 452 attempts) from the floor and held them to 38 or fewer points in 10 of 12 games and 44 or fewer in the other two. It also was the seventh hame in which the opponents’ leading scorer was limited to single digits.
In sub-varsity action, the GHS JV improved to 11-0 in district with a 55-17 win as it held Bastrop to just four points in the second half — one field goal and two free throws. Jade Smith, Samari O’Briem and Hailey Wickline scored 15, 14 and 10 points, respectively.
The Freshman Blue hiked its district mark to 12-0 and season record to 19-1 with an 81-7 demolition of the first-year Lady Bears. Four played finished in double digits — Hailey Smith, 15; McCall Hampton, 12; Kylie Ellsworth, 11; and Mercedes Robledo, 10.
Elsewhere in the Region III-5A games that could affect 19-5A in the first three rounds of the playoffs:
* Bryan Rudder finished strongly to best Temple, 69-54, a drop the Tem-Cats from a tie for first in 18-5A with College Station (8-1) into third place at 7-2. Rudder moved into second at 7-1. Bryan is a solid fourth at 4-4.
* In 17-5A, Ennis (6-0) and Lindale (5-1) own the top two spots and will collide on Tuesday night at Lindale. Ennis won the first meeting on its floor, 37-36. Nacogdoches moved into an undisputed hold on third in the six-team alightment at 3-3. Jacksonville and Corsicana are tied for fourth ar 2-4.
DISTRICT 19-5A GIRLS BASKETBALL
Standings — Georgetown, 12-0; Cedar Park, 11-2; Rouse, 9-3; East View, 6-6; Bastrop, 6-7; Pflugerville Connally, 4-8; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 4-9; Hutto, 3-9; Elgin, 1-12.
Tuesday’s results — Georgetown 51, Bastrop 41; East View 68, Cedar Creek 42; Cedar Park 47, Rouse 44; Connally 69, Elgin 52. Bye — Hutto.
Friday’s games — Georgetown at East View, 8 p.m.; Hutto at Elgin, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Rouse, 7 p.m.; Connally at Bastrop, 7 p.m. Bye — Cedar Park.
Tuesday’s game — Rouse at Georgetown, 7 p.m.; East View at Connally, 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at Cedar Creek, 7 p.m.; Bastrop at Hutto, 7 p.m. Bye — Elgin.
OTHER KEY REGION III-5A DISTRICTS
(Districts 19-5A could face in opening rounds of the playoffs)
17-5A — Ennis, 6-0; Lindale, 5-1; Nacogdoches, 3-3; Jacksonville, 2-4; Corsicana, 2-4; Whitehouse, 0-6. Tuesday’s results: Ennis 60, Corsicana 28; Lindale 66, Jacksonville 37; Nacogdoches 56, Whitehouse 47 (OT).
18-5A — College Station, 8-1; Bryan Rudder, 7-1; Temple, 7-2; Bryan, 4-4; Waco, 2-6; Waco University, 1-8; College Station A&M Consolidated, 1-8. Tuesday’s results — Rudder 69, Temple 54; College Station 53, A&M Consolidated 50; Bryan 54, University 43. Bye — Waco.
20-5A — Tomball Memorial, 10-0; Magnolia, 7-3; Tomball, 7-3; Waller, 5-5; Brenham, 4-6; Huntsville, 3-7; Magnolia West, 2-8; Willis, 1-9. Tuesday’s results — Memorial 57, Brenham 55; Magnolia 43, Huntsville 34; Magnolia West 39; Willis 32, Tomball 51, Waller 37.
TUESDAY’S DISTRICT 19-5A GAMES
At Eagle Gym
Varsity
GEORGETOWN 51, BASTROP 21
BASTROP (21) — Akhiri Lester 0-2 0-0 0, Rhaneahqua Higgins 1-2 0-0 2, Kewaysha Alsup 0-4 0-0 0, Ashlynn Watley 0-5 2-2 2, Felicity Kelly 0-1 0-2 0, Ladeja Womack 1-1 0-0 2, Carley Soules 0-0 2-2 2, Peniah Waites 1-3 3-10 5, Mariah Meeks 1-2 0-0 3, Kya Tarver 2-7 0-0 5. Totals: 6-27 7-16 21.
GHS (51) — Ali Isbell 2-4 1-2 7. Josie Weirich 0-4 3-4 3, Taylor Elliott 2-7 5-6 10, Jaelyn Knight 1-3 2-6 4, Maddie Vickers 0-0 0-0 0, Emery Herman 1-4 2-2 4, Dee Day 6-13 5-5 17, Emily Jones 3-3 0-0 6. Totals: 15-38 18-25 51.
Halftime: GHS, 26-5. 3-point shooting: BHS 2-10 (Alsup 0-1, Watley 0-3, Meeks 1-1, Tarver 1-5); GHS 3-11 (Isbell 2-4, Wirich 0-4, T. Elliott 1-3). Rebounds: BHS 19 (Tarver 5); GHS 32 (Day 12, Herman 5, Knight 5). Assists: GHS 15 (Herman 4, T. Elliott 4, Weirich 3). Steals: GHS 18 (T. Elliott 7, Herman 4, Day 4). Blocks: BHS 1 (Waites); GHS 2 (Isbell, Vickers). Turnovers: GHS 11, Total fouls: BHS 20, GHS 16. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none. Records: Bastrop, 6-7 in 19-5A, 19-12; Georgetown, 12-0 in 19-5A, 21-6.
Sub-Varsity
(GHS scoring only)
GHS JV 55, BASTROP JV 17 — Gracie Speer 7, Morgan Bruning 4, Samari O’Brien 14, Hailey Wickline 10, Shelby Jones 3, Miranda Gil 2, Jade Smith 15. Halftime: GHS, 23-13. GHS record: 11-0 in 19-5A, 16-3.
GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 81, BASTROP FRESHMAN 7 — Hailey Hanson 5, Hailey Smith 15, Maya Perry 8, Kylie Ellsworth 11, Kylee Sander 4, Mercedes Robledo 10, Keiana San Miguel 8, McCall Hampton 12, MacKenzy Mouton 8. Halftime: GHS, 43-5. GHS record: 12-0 in 19-5A, 19-1.
MONDAY’S NON-DISTRICT GAME
Sub-Varsity
(GHS scoring only)
GHS FRESHMAN WHITE 46, COPPERAS COVE 11 — Caroline Horton 6, Tatiana Williams 4, Na’Kela Cook 5. A’Brielle Abrams 14, Celeste Valdez 0, Marnery Hazel 0, Sueellen Albrecht 3, Rachel Heine 4, Kela Perez 10, Madison Rincon 0. Halftime: GHS, 19-2. GHS record: 12-7.
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES 5A RANKINGS
(Released on Monday)
1. Amarillo (28-1). 2. Mansfield Timberview (26-2). 3. Tomball Memorial (22-4). 4. Mansfield Summit (22-7). 5. Canyon (19-3). 6. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (24-4). 7. Saginaw Bosell (28-3). 8. Frisco Lone Star (20-5). 9. Frisco Liberty (22-6). 10. Kerrville Tivy (26-4). 11. The Colony (28-1). 12. Georgetown (20-6). 13. Austin SFA (25-5). 14. Colleyville Heritage (21-6). 15. Prosper (20-7). 16. College Station (22-6). 17. El Paso Andress (22-3). 18. Sulphur Springs (22-3). 19. Mansfield Legacy (18-9). 20. Corpus Christi Carrioll (23-5). 21. Dayton (23-3). 22. Houston Madison (18-7). 23. Plainview (22-7). 24. Brownsville Veterans Memorial (23-7). 25. Laredo Cigarroa (24-7).
By region (in order):
Region 1 — Amarillo, Canyon, Boswell, Heritage, Andress, Plainview.
Region 2 — Timberview, Summit, Lone Star, F. Liberty, The Colony, Prosper, Sulphur Springs, Legacy.
Region 3 — Tomball Memorial, Barbers Hill, Georgetown, College Station, Dayton, Madison.
Region 4 — Tivy, SFA, Carroll, Veterans Memorial, Cigarroa.
TEXAS GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION 5A RANKINGS
(Released on Monday)
1. Amarillo. 2. Mansfield Timberview. 3. The Colony. 4. Georgetown. 5. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill. 6. Frisco Lone Star. 7. Canyon. 8. Tomball Memorial. 9. Mansfield Summit. 10. Saginaw Boswell. 11. El Paso Andress. 12. Sulphur Springs. 13. Frisco Liberty. 14. Austin SFA. 15. Dayton. 16. Kerrville Tivy. 17. Mansfield Legacy. 18. Laredo Cigarroa. 19. Plainview. 20. Colleyville Heritage. 21. Red Oak. 22. El Paso Riverside. 23. Corpus Christi Carroll. 24. Dallas Highland Park. 25. Brownsville Veterans Memorial.
