By GALEN WELLNICKI
It takes seven playoff victories to win a UIL state basketball championship, including three to reach a regional tournament.
Last week, the 128-team — 32 in each of four regions — began the postseason derby. That number in two preliminary rounds has been reduced to 32 schools — eight in each region — and that number will be reduced 16 on Monday and Tuesday. The survivors will advance to regional tournaments on Friday and Saturday in Snyder, Garland, Houston and San Antonio.
The Georgetown Lady Eagles have successfully taken the first two steps, beating Waller, 70-55, in bi-district on Monday and Bryan Rudder, 57-34, in area action on Thursday. Both games were played in Hearne as GHS improved its record to 26-7.
However, at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Bryan High School’s Viking Gym, the Lady Eagles will face a Region III-5A quarterfinal challenge in 20-5A champion Tomball Memorial (28-5) that has veteran coach Rhonda Farney concerned on several fronts. This is an opponent that went 13-1 in district and then beat Bastrop, 26-23, in bi-district at Bastrop and Temple, 45-31, in area at Caldwell.
“We don’t match up well with them,” Farney said during a break in Saturday morning’s practice. “We’ve got to get off to a good start and grab the lead early and hold it. If they get the lead, they’ll spread the floor and they are a team that doesn’t turn the ball over or make mistakes. They make it extremely hard to play them from behind.”
Following the victory over Temple, third-year Memorial Wildcats coach Tarence Davis told the Temple Daily Telegram about his team’s basic philosophy, “The flow of this game is how we play. It’s sporadic. We’re not going to blow anybody out of the gym.”
One of the key factors in Tomball’s area victory was the ability to make 19 of 22 free throw attempts, including several successes at the line by 5-foot-4 junior guard Trishann Nguyen while her team was keeping a healthy lead down the stretch. Other keys against Temple were senior Reagan Reeves, who scored 17 points, and 6-1 junior Essence Richards.
The winner ot the Georgetown-Memorial game will advance to the regional semifinals on Friday at the Houston ISD’s new $35.2 Delmar Fieldhouse against the winner of a 7 p.m. Tuesday quarterfinal between Manvel (25-9) vs. Beaumont Central (24-10) at Humble Kingwood.
On the other side of the regional bracket, Georgetown’s 19-5A colleague Rouse (24-10) will face 18-5A champion College Station (28-6) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Brenham and regional favorite and 21-5A championship Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (31-4) plays Beaumont Ozen (24-6) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Lamar State in Port Arthur.
The regional championship game is scheduled for Saturday. Game times for the Region III-5A event have yet to be announced.
Looking backs at the win over Rudder in a highly physical game, Farney said, “I’m so proud of the kids. Our three seniors led the way. Dee Day (a 6-1 post) was a key factor, Brooke (senior point guard Elliott) led the way and it was glad to see Taylor (senior defensive stopper Elliott) back on the court after her illness.
“It was a very physical game and the kids were able to keep their composure under those conditions and when we fell behind in the opening minutes..”
In the physical nature of trhe contest, GHS sophomore post Emily Jones went down with an ankle injury in the closing seconds, but appeared on the mend during Saturday’s practice.
Rudder coach John Shelton elaberated on the physical play, “They (the officials) were definitely letting us play, and I normally like that. This is playoff basketball, and that is what you get in playoff basketball. The refs are going to let you determine the game, and tonight, they definitely let them determine it. They (Georgetown) were just better than us.
“I thought we killed ourselves when several times we got the ball in transition, had a breakaway, 3-on-1, and we threw the ball away.”
Rudder, the 18-5A runnerup, jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead with Jasmine Johnson draining a 3-pointer in the opening minute, but GHS outscored the Rangers, 15-2, and led 17-11. Rudder’s Zaria Richards opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 17-14, but would get no closer over the final 23 minutes.
A run of nine points by GHS, which was led by Day, upped the lead to 12 with five minutes and two second to go before halftime. A pair of free throws by Johnson cut the lead to nine points at 26-17. However, a run of five points by the Lady Eagles jacked the lead back to double digits for good.
Georgetown led 35-20 at the half and 45-30 after three. The Lady Eagles’ largest margin was the final score.
B. Elliott led GHS with 19 points, including a 13 of 14 reading at the free throw line. Day and 6-1 Emery Herman added 17 and 16, respectively as GHS shot 16 of 37 from the floor and 23 of 30 from the line. Herman also led the Lady Eagles to a 33-31 edge on the boards with eight, while B. Elliott added six boards and junior Maddie Vickers added five. B. Elliott had team highs of five assists and four steals.
The Georgetown defense continued to frustrated the opponents as Rudder could only find the range on 10 of 47 shots, including just three of 14 from behond the arch. The Lady Eagles recorded 18 steals. Johnson and Deondra Young led the Rangers with 10 points each and Young had a game-high 12 rebounds.
Both of Rudder’s 6-1 posts Young and (Desysta) Wilbert, who Farney priased after the game, fouled out in the closing minutes.
“It was a great community effort for us,” Farney said. “The players, our coaching staff, parents and fans all contributed to our success.”
THURSDAY’S REGION III-5A AREA GAME
At Hearne
GEORGETOWN 57, BRYAN RUDDER 34
RUDDER (34) — Wayneshia Daily 0-6 3-4 3, Amia Norman 0-2 0-0 0, Alexus Clemons-Bills 0-0 0-0 0, Jasmine Johnson 3-12 2-2 10, Jocelyn Young 1-1 0-0 2, Deysta Wilbert 2-11 2-6 6, Deondra Young 3-9 4-7 10, T’Aisa Nelms 0-0 0-0 0, Kiara Benford 0-0 0-0 0, Zaria Richards 1-6 0-0 3. Totals: 10-47 11-19 34.
GHS (57) — Brooke Elliott 2-6 13-14 19, Ali Isbell 0-0 0-0 0, Josie Weirich 0-2 1-2 1, Taylor Elliott 0-3 1-2 1, Jaelyn Knight 1-3 0-0 2, Maddie Vickers 1-2 0-0 2, Emery Herman 6-10 3-4 15, Jade Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Dee Day 6-9 5-8 17, Emily Jones 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 16-37 23-30 57.
Halftime: GHS, 35-20. 3-point shooting: RHS 3-14 (Daily 0-2, Norman 0-2, Johnson 2-6, Richards 1-4); GHS 2-6 (B. Elliott 2-2, Weirich 0-2, T. Elliott 0-1, Vickers 0-1). Rebounds: RHS 31 (d. Young 12, Wilbert 6); GHS 33 (Herman 8, B. Elliott 6, Vickers 5, Jones 4). Assists: GHS 13 (B. Elliott 5, Herman 3). Steals: GHS 18 (B. Elliott 4, Herman 3, Day 3, Jones 3). Blocks: RHS 2 (Wibert 2); GHS 1 (Smith). Turnovers: RHS 18, GHS 9. Total fouls: RHS 21, GHS 12. Fouled out: RHS, D. Young (2:35, fourth); J. Young (2:03, fourth). Technical fouls: RHS, book violation (wrong player number). Records: Rudder, 22-9; Georgetown, 26-7.
REGION III-5A PLAYOFFS
(In bracket order)
Bi-District Results
Tomball Memorial 26, Bastrop 23; Temple 51, Lindale 42; Georgetown 70, Waller 55; Bryan Rudder 58, Nacogdoches 57 (OT); Fort Bend Willowridge 48. Houston Madison 42; Beaumont Central 77, Dayton 73; Manvel 76, Houston Sharpstown 12; Humble Kingwood Park 56, Lumberton 49.
***
College Station 70, Corsicana 12; Magnolia 44, Cedar Park 40; Ennis 71, Bryan 69; Rouse 47, Tomball 31; Beaumont Ozen 64, New Caney 34; Galveston Ball 52, Houston Northside 31; Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill 72, Livingston 18; Fort Bend Elkins 73, Houston Furr 31
Area Results
Tomball Memorial 45, Temple 31
Georgetown 57, Bryan Rudder 34
Beaumont Central 54, Fort Bend Willowridge 34
Manvel 52, Humble Kingwood Park 28
***
College Station 53, Magnolia 48
Rouse 62, Ennis 52
Beaumont Ozen 66, Galveston Ball 32
Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill 83, Fort Bend Elkins 49
REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL PAIRINGS
Georgetown (26-7) vs. Tomball Memorial (28-5), 7 p.m. Tuesday, Viking Gym, Bryan.
Manvel (25-9) vs. Beaumont Central (24-10), 7 p.m. Tuesday, Humble Kingwood.
***
College Station (28-6) vs. Rouse (24-10), 6 p.m. Tuesday, Brenham,
Mont Belview Barbers Hill (31-4) vs. Beaumont Ozen (24-6), 6 p.m. Tuesday, Lamar State, Port Arthur.
GHS-TOMBALL MEMORIAL PATHS TO AREA
Georgetown — District (15-1): Pflugerville Connally (w), 81-44; Hutto (w), 78-14; Elgin (w), 79-12; Bastrop (w), 74-17; East View (w), 47-42; Rouse (w), 55-38; Cedar Park (w), 42-34; Bastrop Cedar Creek (w), 77-29; Pflugerville Connally (w), 77-26; Hutto (w), 82-16; Elgin (w), 74-21; Bastrop (w), 51-21; East View (w), 51-33; Rouse (l), 56-44; Cedar Park (w), 57-28; Bastrop Cedar Creek (w), 53-21. Bi-District: GHS 70, Waller 55. Area: GHS 57, Bryan Rudder 34.
Tomball Memorial — District (13-1): Huntsville (w), 38-23; Magnolia West (w), 56-46; Brenham (w), 39-25; Willis (w), 56-21; Magnolia (w), 44-28; Waller (w), 48-39; Tomball (w), 41-34; Huntsville (w), 50-28; Magnolia West (w), 44-27; Brenham (w), 57-55; Willis (w), 39-30; Magnolia (w), 37-30); Waller (l), 44-41; Tomball (w), 38-34. Bi-District: Tomball Memorial 26, Bastrop 23. Area: Tomball Memorial, 45, Temple 31.
TEXAS GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION
CLASS 5A POLL AFTER BI-DISTRICT
1. Amarillo. 2. Mansfield Timberview. 3. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill. 4. Canyon. 5. Frisco Liberty. 6. The Colony. 7. Saginaw Boswell. 8. Frisco Lone Star. 9. Austin SFA. 10. Georgetown.
GHS LADY EAGLES EXPANDED PLAYOFF ROSTER
No. — Name Gr. Pos. Ht.
10 — Brooke Elliott sr. Guard 5-8
12 — Morgan Bruning so. Post 5-8
13 — Samari O’Brien so. Guard 5-6
14 — Ali Isbell so. Guard 5-6
15 — Josie Weirich jr. Guard 5-0
21 — Kylie Ellsworth fr. Guard 5-6
22 — Taylor Elliott sr. Guard 5-6
25 — Shelby Jones so. Guard 5-6
30 — Miranda Gil jr. Guard 5-5
32 — Jaelyn Knight so. Post 5-11
33 — Maddie Vickers jr. Guard 5-7
34 — Emery Herman fr. Guard 6-1
35 — Emili Harris jr. Post 5-10
42 — Jade Smith so. Post 6-0
44 — Gracie Speer so. Guard 5-8
45 — McCall Hampton fr. Guard 5-8
50 — Deonna Day sr. Post 6-1
55 — Emily Jones so. Post 5-11
Head coach: Rhonda Farney.
Asst. coaches: Kellye Richardson, Kristin Curtis, Kevin Spruill.
Trainers: Vanessa Redeau, Chad Hennessey.
Student trainer: Xandrea Lara.
Managers: Katy Brandenburg, Ayssa Ellis, Lucy Palacios, Chloe Sutton.
Athletics director: Todd York.