Tuesday’s game between 15th-ranked East View and fellow playoff contender Hutto in the Lady Hippos’ pond was expected to be a pivotal contest in the District 18-5A girls basketball race. And it was pivotal –as in the Patriots running circles around the home team in the second half. East View, trailing Hutto by an 18-14 count at the half, bolted from its dressing room to score the initial 10 points of the third quarter en route to a 35-9 edge over the final 16 minutes and a 49-27 victory that sent a message to the other two realistic contenders in the title chase. The victory improved the Patriots’ 18-5A record to 8-1, leaving them a half-game and a head-to-head victory in the first round over ninth-ranked Georgetown (7-1) and two games over Bastrop (6-3) with four playing dates remaining before the start of the UIL’s 128-team Class 5A playoffs.
Georgetown had its second-round bye Tuesday night and can pull even again with East View on Friday as it entertains Manor (4-5) at 7 p.m. at Eagle Gym, while the Patriots enjoy their bye. Actually, the bye will be a “working vacation” for EV as it faces a home non-district date with Round Rock Cedar Ridge (17-13) at 5 p.m. The Manor contest is the first of four 18-5A assignments remaining on the Lady Eagles’ regular-season worksheet as they also have a Tuesday game at Bastrop Cedar Creek (1-8) and back-to-back home dates with Hutto next Friday and the return outing with East View, which will be the 7:30 nightcap of a boys-girls varsity doubleheader on Tuesday, Nov. 11. The Patriots close out with Bastrop at home on Tuesday and at Elgin next Friday before the final showdown with Georgetown. East View won the first meeting with the Lady Eagles on Jan. 17 by a 46-42 count. That victory was East View’s first in 15 games between the two cross-toll-road rivals. In addition to playing Manor in a game that could be considered a “must” for both teams, Georgetown will be honoring Erica Kovach, arguably the greatest player in Lady Eagles’ basketball history prior to Friday’s tipoff (See separate story).
It is a “must” for coach Rhonda Farney’s Georgetown Lady Eagles in their drive to pull even and then ahead of Dave Walla’s East View Patriots. In their last start, GHS bounced Elgin, 42-26, and won the first meeting with Manor, 47-42, in the Lady Mustangs’ spiffy gym on Jan. 7. In its last two starts, Manor has dropped a 60-56 overtime decision to East View at home and trounced Elgin, 67-35, on the road. The victory is a “must” for the Lady Mustangs, who needed the win to stay close to Bastrop and Hutto in the race for the district’s other two playoff spots. In fact, the feature game in 18-5A on Friday will match Bastrop against Elgin on the Lady Bears’ court. Much of East View’s success in the second half Tuesday was its ability to neutralize Hutto offensive standout Manuella Shomba and a total defensive and rebounding effort that allowed the Lady Hippos only three field goals in the second half. Shomba ended with six points — all free throws.
Looking over to District 17-5A — 18-5A’s bi-district opponent — Cedar Park (9-0) and Pflugerville Connally (7-2) stand 1-2 and have clinched playoff spots. Marble Falls (6-3) appears headed for the No. 3 spot, while Leander Glenn (3-5) and Pflugerville (3-6) are battling for fourth. In fact, Glenn is visiting Pflugerville on Friday in a game that might clear things up a bit.
In sub-varsity games with Manor at 5:30 p.m. Friday, the GHS JV (15-8) and unbeaten Freshman Blue (23-0) will play the young Mustangs. The Freshman White (7-8) will entertain Jarrell at 6:30 p.m.
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Monday will be a big day for the UIL and its member schools as it announces its realignment for the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 school years. There will be separate Division I and II districts for football for the 253 Class 5A schools (16 districts each) and 32 districts for other sports. The announced enrollment range for 5A schools is 1,210 to 2,219 students. Since this is a basketball story, let’s take a look at the possible realignment for basketball and volleyball, which almost certainly will be the same for baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, golf, track and field and cross country. Generally, the UIL works on two principals when assigning districts — (1) do not split schools from the same school districts and (2), if possible, don’t play geographic hopscotch.
The five multi-school districts with 5A schools in the area:
Leander ISD (4) — Cedar Park, Glenn, Leander and Rouse.
Pflugerville ISD (4) — Connally, Hendrickson, Pflugerville and Weiss
Austin ISD (9) — Anderson, Crockett, LBJ, McCallum, Navarro (Lanier), Northeast (Reagan), Travis. Ann Richards for Young Women Leaders, Austin Liberal Arts and Science Academy (formerly part of LBJ).
Georgetown ISD (2) — Georgetown, East View.
Bastrop ISD (2) — Bastrop, Bastrop Cedar Creek.
Wild cards (4) — Liberty Hill, Marble Falls, Elgin, Manor.
Outside possibilities (x) –Dripping Springs, Kyle Johnson, Lockhart and Seguin.
The most-obvious and most-voiced potential alignments are:
District One: Georgetown, East View, Leander, Cedar Park, Glenn, Rouse, Liberty Hill and Marble Falls.
District Two: Hendrickson, Connally, Pflugerville, Weiss, Manor, Elgin, Bastrop, Bastrop Cedar Creek (Lockhart to Kyle Johnson are possibilities if Manor is put with Austin ISD Schools).
District Three: Austin ISD teams with either Lockhart or Manor.
Another question will be which eight-district region — III or IV — will the area district be placed in.
Play with the schools and see what you come up with your version of the alignment — have fun. We’ll all know the truth on Monday.
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DISTRICT 18-5A RACE AT A GLANCE
(Through games of Tuesday, Jan. 28)
Standings: East View*, 8-1; Georgetown, 7-1; Bastrop, 6-3; Hutto, 4-4; Manor, 4-5; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-8; Elgin, 0-8.
* — denotes East View has head-to-head tie-breaker win over Georgetown and has clinched a state playoff berth.
Tuesday (Dec. 10) results: Georgetown 45, Bastrop 40; East View 63, Manor 38; Hutto 82, Cedar Creek 29. Bye — Elgin.
Tuesday (Dec. 17) results: Georgetown 65, Elgin 44; East View 51, Cedar Creek 21; Bastrop 63, Manor 60. Bye — Hutto.
Thursday (Dec. 19) results: Bastrop 75, Cedar Creek 25.
Friday (Dec. 20) results: Hutto 45, East View 36; Manor 57, Elgin 37. Bye — Georgetown.
Tuesday (Jan. 7) results: Georgetown 47, Manor 42; Cedar Creek 33, Elgin 29; Bastrop 51, Hutto 46, 7p.m. Bye — East View.
Saturday (Jan. 11) results: Georgetown 71, Cedar Creek 7; East View 52, Bastrop 34; Hutto 59, Elgin 32. Bye — Manor.
Tuesday (Jan. 14) results: Georgetown 48, Hutto 27 ; East View 32, Elgin 21; Manor 80, Cedar Creek 42. Bye — Bastrop.
Friday (Jan. 17) results: East View 46, Georgetown 42; Manor 64, Hutto 48; Bastrop 46, Elgin 44. Bye — Cedar Creek.
(End of first round)
Tuesday (Jan. 21) results: Georgetown 62, Bastrop 43; East View 60, Manor 56 (OT); Hutto 79, Cedar Creek 41. Bye — Elgin.
Friday (Jan 24) results: Georgetown 42, Elgin 26; East View 52, Cedar Creek 25; Bastrop 56, Manor 42. Bye — Hutto.
Tuesday’s results: East View 49, Hutto 27; Bastrop 67, Cedar Creek 25; Manor 67, Elgin 35. Bye — Georgetown.
Friday’s games: Manor at Georgetown, 7 p.m.; Hutto at Bastrop, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Elgin 7 p.m. Bye — East View (plays 5 p.m. non-district game with 6A Cedar Ridge at EV).
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DISTRICT 17-5A AT A GLANCE
(18-5A plays 17-5A in bi-district)
Standings: Cedar Park*, 9-0; Pflugerville Connally*, 7-2; Marble Falls, 6-3; Leander Glenn 3-5; Pflugerville, 3-6; Leander Rouse, 2-6; Pflugerville Weiss, 0-8.
* — clinched playoff berth.
Tuesday’s results: Cedar Park 62, Leander Glenn 35; Pflugerville Connally 50, Pflugerville 48; Marble Falls 39, Rouse 30. Bye — Pflugerville Weiss.
Friday’s games: Leander Glenn at Pflugerville, 7 p.m.; Pflugerville Weiss at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.; Pflugerville Connally at Rouse, 7 p.m. Bye — Marble Falls.
***
LADY EAGLES REMAINING GAMES
(Current record: 22-8 season, 7-1 district)
District 18-5A Games
Friday, Jan. 31 — Manor, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 4 — at Bastrop Cedar Creek 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 7 — Hutto, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 11 — East View, 7:30 p.m.
Note: The East View game is a doubleheader with the boys.
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LADY EAGLES SEASON TO DATE
(Current record: 22-8 season, 7-1 district)
November
8 — Round Rock Cedar Ridge (l) 38-44
11 — at Waco Midway (l) 28-52
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Eaton Varsity Tournament (Ft. Worth)
14 — Ft. Worth Haltom (l) 37-42
14 — Keller Fossil Ridge (w) 51-35
15 — Ponder (w) 49-38
16 — Eaton (w) 54-32
***
19 — Vista Ridge (l) 40-55
25 — Victoria East (w) 48-43
26 — at Lorena (w) 35-27
30 — Vandegrift (w) 42-31
December
2 — Kyle Lehman (w) 80-19
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Jack Frost Tournament (Georgetown)
5 — Austin Akins (w) 55-30
5 — Killeen (w) 52-39
6 — S.A. Incarnate Word (w) 52-37
7 — Ponder (w) 49-39
7 — Cedar Park (l) 34-61
***
10 — at Bastrop* (w) 45-40
13 — at Austin Westlake (l) 33-65
17 — Elgin* (w) 65-44
20 — Burnet (w) 70-35
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Flowing Wells Holiday Shootout (Tucson, Az.)
27 — Tucson Desert Christian (w) 79-26
27 — Tucson Empire (w) 65-28
28 — Sahuato (l) 58-60
28 — Marana (w) 64-38
***
January
7 — at Manor* (w) 47-42
11 — Bastrop Cedar Creek* (w) 71-7
14 — at Hutto* (w) 48-27
17 — at East View* (l) 42-46
21 — Bastrop* (w) 62-43
24 — at Elgin* (w) 42-26
28 — OPEN DATE
* — denotes District 18-5A game.
GHS SEASON LEADERS
Points in a game — Hampton, 22 of her team’s 35 points vs. Lorena.
Rebounds in a game — Hampton, 16 vs. Manor.
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES
CLASS 5A RANKINGS
(Released Monday, Jan. 27)
- Amarillo (28-2). 2. Cedar Park (25-3). 3. Red Oak (20-6). 4. Corpus Christi Carroll (26-4). 5. Pearland Shadow Creek (24-4). 6. Mansfield Timberview (21-8). 7. Fort Bend Hightower (25-5). 8. Denton Braswell (22-4). 9. GEORGETOWN (22-8). 10. Royse City (22-5). 11. San Antonio Veterans Memorial (21-7). 12. Kerrville Tivy (25-4). 13. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (26-4). 14. Brownsville Veterans (26-5). 15. Frisco Liberty (20-9). 16. Lubbock Monterey (26-3). 17. Lake Dallas (18-4). 18. Jacksonville (18-8). 19. Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway (22-6). 20. El Paso Andress (22-4). 21. Corpus Christi Flour Bluff (20-8). 22. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial (24-7). 23. Wichita Falls Rider (24-2). 24. Magnolia West (24-7). 25. McKinney North (16-7).
Note: Records supplied by TABC.
TEXAS GIRLS COACHES ASSOCIATION
CLASS 5A POLL
(Released Tuesday, Jan. 28)
- Amarillo, 28-2; 2. Cedar Park, 25-3; 3. Lubbock Monterey, 26-3; Pearland Shadow Creek, 24-4; 5. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill, 26-4; 6. Denton Braswell, 22-4; 7. Red Oak, 20-6; 8. Corpus Christi Carroll, 26-4; 9. Fort Bend Hightower, 25-5; 10. San Antonio Veterans Memorial, 21-7; 11. Kerrville Tivy, 25-4; 12. Fort Worth Arlington Heights, 22-3; 13. Wichita Falls Rider, 24-2; 14. Mansfield Timberview, 21-8; 15. Georgetown East View, 22-4; 16. Royse City, 22-5; 17. Brownsville Veterans, 25-5; 18. Dripping Springs, 23-7; 19. Frisco Liberty, 18-9; 20. El Paso Andress, 22-4; 21, GEORGETOWN, 22-8; 22. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, 24-7; 23. El Paso Eastwood, 22-4; 24. Pflugerville Connally, 21-10; 25. (tie) Lake Dallas, 18-4; El Paso El Dorado, 20-5; Magnolia West, 20-7.
Note: Records provided by TGCA.