Category: Girls basketball

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Allen’s big game fuels North to 74-56 win in FCA women’s basketball game

BROWNWOOD — With a collegiate career at Lubbock Christian University to look forward to, former Highland star Taylor Allen has a lot more basketball in her future. But the standout guard didn’t let one final chance to represent the Lady Hornets — and small-school players everywhere — go to waste.

Sharing the court with some of the best girls basketball talent the Big Country and Concho Valley have to offer in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes women’s basketball all-star game, Allen tallied a game-high 20 points and six assists to lead the North squad to a 74-56 victory and capture the event’s MVP award.

Allen’s performance, which came on an efficient 8-of-18 shooting, headlined a strong team effort that also saw Haskell’s Alyssa Stocks and Roscoe’s Cameron Greenwood reach double figures with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2023 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Following a basketball program on the surface can only provide one with so much insight. Behind the scenes, however, is where character is often measured. And it is with our Gym Rat Team that we wish to tip our caps to those individuals who exuded the most of it. 

This team isn’t about who the best players are, though some of the area’s top players did make this list. 

The Gym Rat team is about effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches love above all else and that championship foundations are built upon.

It is for that reason that our Gym Rat team is selected entirely by area coaches, described in their own words. And Big Country Preps is absolutely honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2022-23 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Superlatives: Applin, Allen, Galvin, Crain and Gill nab honors

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls and boys basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2023 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Rising Stars Team, the top freshmen and sophomores in the area!

Here is our 2023 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Nazareth rallies past Huckabay girls for 30-20 win in Class 1A state title game

SAN ANTONIO — For two quarters, the Huckabay girls basketball team had the Nazareth Swiftettes right where it wanted them in the Class 1A state championship game Saturday morning at the Alamodome. But leading 14-9 at halftime, the Lady Indians went cold in the final 16 minutes of a tough 30-20 loss.

Nazareth used a 13-3 run through the third quarter to turn the halftime deficit into a five-point lead and held the Lady Indians to just three more points in the fourth to claim its 25th state title in its 31st state tournament appearance.

The loss ended Huckabay’s season at 40-3, denying the Lady Indians’ their first state championship. It was the second year in a row for coach Barry Gill’s squad to fall to the eventual state champion in San Antonio, after HHS lost to Ackerly Sands in the 2022 state semifinals.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Baccus, Huckabay girls too much for Irion County in Class 1A state semis

SAN ANTONIO — After returning all but two players from a squad that ended its season the Class 1A state semifinals last year, the top-ranked Huckabay girls basketball team entered that same round Thursday hoping to earn one more game in the Alamo City than it did a year ago.

Fueled by a 23-point effort by senior Rion Baccus, the Lady Indians accomplished exactly that with a workmanlike 47-35 win over Irion County.

Trailing 10-7 after a quarter, Huckabay outscored the the Lady Hornets in each of the final three periods to pull away for a 12-point win that pushed the Lady Indians into the Class 1A title game, where they’ll face off with state power Nazareth at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

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by Daniel Youngblood

STATE PREVIEW: Experienced Huckabay girls looking for extended stay in San Antonio this time around

As Huckabay’s excursion to San Antonio for the girls basketball state tournament began to take shape earlier this week, Tuesday was, per coach Barry Gill, a “fun, stress-free” day.

The Lady Indians saw a good portion of the historic Texas city, including the picturesque San Antonio River Walk, on which the team snaked around town that evening by boat, reveling in the eclectic mix of light, sound and savory aromas that marked every turn of the rudder. Among many reasons the Alamo City has evolved into one of Texas’ more popular destinations, the river ranks near the top.

So, coincidentally, does the Huckabay girls program.

Gill has been at the school two years. The conclusion of both has included a trip to the Alamodome, where the state’s four best teams in each classification vie to determine which one hoists the championship trophy.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Big Spring senior chalks up four victories and our weekly award

It’s always a good sign early in the season when you’re getting good pitching against quality competition. And in the case of the Big Spring Lady Steers, the numbers in the circle thus far are downright encouraging. 

Courtesy of senior Alexcia Munoz, the Lady Steers are off to a 5-1 start, including a 4-0 mark from Munoz in last week’s Abilene Icebreaker tournament.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Holliday ends Jim Ned run in Region I-3A championship game

WOLFFORTH —While 6-foot-2 Holliday post Jalynn Bristow was projected to be major challenge for Jim Ned in Saturday’s Region 1-3A championship game, the Iowa State signee may have exceeded expectations. 

Pouring in 24 points (nearly half of her team’s total), Bristow led the Lady Eagles to a 53-40 win to eliminate Jim Ned and push Holliday to the UIL State Tournament. This, despite landing in second half foul trouble and being forced to sit out much of the fourth quarter on the bench. 

Jim Ned closed its season with a 35-2 mark, capped by its fifth straight appearance in a regional tournament. Emma Doran led the Lady Indians with 11 points; Lexi Wishert added nine. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Hermleigh can’t find offense late in heartbreaking loss to Irion County

SNYDER — After scoring the first nine points of the game, the 12th-ranked Hermleigh Lady Cardinals led Irion County for 28½ of the 32 minutes in their Region II-2A semifinal Friday at The Coliseum. But a late scoring drought for the Lady Cardinals opened a window, and the Lady Hornets flew through for a dramatic 36-33 win.

Hermleigh, which led 15-5 after a quarter and still held an eight-point lead (30-22) as late as the 4:15 mark of the third period, was outscored 14-3 over the final 12 minutes, resulting in a heartbreaking loss for coach Tommy Cross’ squad.

The Lady Cardinals’ only points of the fourth quarter came on a layup by senior Juli Munoz that gave HHS a 33-30 lead with about 6:45 to play in the game. But Irion County scored the final six points, escaping with the come-from-behind victory when Syreah Callaway’s game-tying 3-point attempt rimmed out just before the final buzzer.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Slow start, missed opportunities cost Highland in tough OT loss to Veribest

SNYDER — The Highland girls basketball team rebounded from a slow start and bevy of missed opportunities in the first three quarters Friday to force overtime in its Region II-1A semifinal matchup with sixth-ranked Veribest. But the Lady Hornets couldn’t quite close the deal in a 36-31 loss to the Lady Falcons at The Coliseum.

HHS, which trailed 10-4 at the end the first quarter, missed a load of layups and went just 1 of 6 from the free-throw line in the first half, twice missing the front end of one-and-one situations. Despite this, the Lady Hornets found themselves up on two occasions in the fourth quarter — the last at 27-25 with just over a minute remaining.

But Veribest, which led for the vast majority of contest, evened things up with a pair of late free throws and outscored Highland 9-4 in overtime to end the Lady Hornets’ season at 30-8.

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by Evan Ren

GAME REPORT: Youthful Stephenville falls to Canyon in Region I-4A semfinals

LUBBOCK — With only two seniors and two juniors surrounded by a host of sophomores and freshmen, few were expecting to see the Stephenville Honey Bees in this year’s Region I-4A semifinals.

Nonetheless, Stephenville was at Lubbock Christian University on Friday taking on No. 4 Canyon. But as fate would have it, the ‘Bees were finally toppled, 49-31 to close a remarkable 32-5 campain. 

Sydnee Winfrey and Jaylee Moss dropped in 11 points apiece and Shaylin Schulte added eight more to lead Canyon (32-3), which advances to face top-ranked Glen Rose for the regional title. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Jim Ned eliminates Idalou, advances to Region I-3A title game

WOLFFORTH — A slow start, a hostile crowd and regional semifinal pressure were all in a day’s work for the Jim Ned Lady Indians, who overcame all three handicaps to eliminate Idalou 47-33 on Friday at Frenship High School’s Tiger Pit. 

Lexi Wishert had 17 points, including three 3-pointers and Ashlynn Galvin added 10 more to lead Jim Ned (32-1), which now advances to face Holliday (31-3) in the Region I-3A title game on Saturday at 1 p.m.  

Idalou was led by Logan Heard with 15 points and Maddie Holmes with seven. The Lady Cats finished their season at 25-13.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY GIRLS BASKETBALL REGIONAL PREVIEW: Seven area teams head to regionals

There are two constants when speaking about the girls basketball regional tournaments from the Big Country perspective.

First, we are almost guaranteed to have representation at the regional level — partly due to talent and partly due to the sheer volume of teams the Big Country houses (nearly 80).  And secondly, surviving beyond this point is usually a crapshoot, with one monstrous team after another blocking the road to San Antonio. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Stephenville eliminates Estacado, advances to Region I-4A semifinals

CLYDE — Outgunned athletically, both in terms of size and quickness by Lubbock Estacado, the Stephenville Honey Bees had to fall back on an old standby to win Tuesday’s Region I-4A quarterfinal: team defense. 

Though it took the better part of four quarters to achieve it, 10th-ranked Stephenville finally put the Lady Matadors in their rearview mirror, topping Estacado 55-43 at the Clyde High School gym. 

Mya Wilson scored 21 points and Lillie Skiles added 11 more to lead Stephenville (32-4), which now advances to the Region I-4A semifinals at Lubbock Christian University where they will face fourth-ranked Canyon (31-3) on Friday at 6:30 p.m. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Hermleigh girls outlast Eula in regional quarterfinal thriller

TUSCOLA — Tuesday night marked the third straight year that the Eula and Hermleigh girls basketball teams have met in the playoffs with a berth in the regional tournament on the line.

After the Lady Cardinals won the first two matchups 44-41 and 54-39 at Wylie’s Bulldog Gym, the series shifted to Jim Ned’s Bill Thornton Arena as the Lady Pirates looked to break the streak.

For the third straight year, though, the Lady Cardinals broke Eula’s heart, this time with a 49-46 win in an instant classic.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Jim Ned turns away Ballinger, advances to fifth straight regional tournament

WINTERS — With a spot in the Region I-3A tournament on the line on Monday night at Blizzard Gym, the Jim Ned and Ballinger girls basketball teams squared off for the third time this season.

The Lady Indians were seeking their fifth straight berth in the regional tournament while the Lady Cats were in the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2008.

Despite a strong defensive first half, the Lady Cats struggled to score offensively, and Jim Ned’s offense came to life in the second half to propel the Lady Indians to a 53-18 win and an 8 p.m. date with Idalou on Friday at Wolfforth Frenship.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Hawley’s O’Shields takes this week’s award

While Hawley’s Kason O’Shields is better known for his prowess on a football field, the HHS senior is actually a remarkable all-around athlete who is capable of having an impact in a variety of different sports. 

This week is a prime example of that, as O’Shields takes our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the week ending February 18. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Allen, lockdown defense fuel No. 14 Highland past Roby in area round win

COLORADO CITY — The 14th-ranked Highland girls basketball team overcame a slow offensive start with a sterling defensive effort Friday, limiting Roby to just six total field goals in a 31-16 area round win.

The Lady Hornets held the Lady Lions to three points in three of the four quarters and rallied from a 3-2 deficit at the end of one period to take a double-digit lead early in the second half.

Senior standout Taylor Allen fueled the winning effort for Highland, scoring 19 points to outscore Roby herself in leading the Lady Hornets into the Region II-1A quarterfinals, where they’ll face District 14-1A rival Westbrook next week.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Huge Plowgirl rally falls short in tough area round loss to Sundown

POST — Plagued by an early case of nerves that led to missed shots from pointblank range and multiple turnovers, the Roscoe Plowgirls had dug a first-half hole for themselves in Friday’s 2A area round clash with Sundown. 

By night’s end, Roscoe came close enough to put a serious scare into Sundown, but eventually fell 56-47 at Antelope Arena. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Eula starts fast and rolls past Rotan, earns quarterfinals rematch with Hermleigh

ANSON — The Eula Lady Pirates, ranked No. 16 in the state in Class 1A, wasted no time in putting an end to any hopes Rotan had of a second straight playoff upset Friday night at Tiger Gymnasium.

The Lady Pirates jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first four minutes of the game on their way to a 41-16 win, earning a Region II-1A quarterfinal date with No. 12 Hermleigh on Tuesday at Jim Ned’s Bill Thornton Arena.

Eula was led offensively by Hailie Cauthen and Nyellie Lee. Cauthen had 15 of her game-high 17 points in the first half, while Lee scored 11 points.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: No. 2 Jim Ned passes area round test against scrappy Breckenridge squad

EULA — For a half, the Breckenridge girls basketball team gave No. 2 Jim Ned all it could handle Thursday in a Region I-3A area round matchup at Mary Mosley Gymnasium.

But a Lady Indians squad not accustomed to playing in tight games rose up to meet the challenge in the second half, using an 11-6 run through the third quarter to create some cushion in a 42-30 win.

The victory — just Jim Ned’s seventh this year by less than 14 points — earned the Lady Indians (33-1 on the season) a region quarterfinal matchup next week with District 6-3A mate Ballinger, which knocked off Wichita Falls City View 56-46 on Thursday.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Big second half lifts No. 3 Holliday to area round win over Wall

ANSON — Wall coach Jerry McSherry knew his squad would have a tough time in Thursday’s Region I-3A area round game against third-ranked Holliday.

While the Lady Hawks struggled offensively, they dominated on the defensive end of the floor in the first half, building a six-point lead at the break.

A much different story unfolded in the second half, however, as the Lady Eagles pulled away for a 46-33 win, ending the Lady Hawks’ season at 28-6.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Westbrook, Highland sweep bi-district girls doubleheader at Winters

WINTERS — Beware of No. 3 seeds from tough districts. It’s been a hard lesson learned by multiple teams each year, the latest of which are the Cross Plains Lady Buffaloes, who were eliminated by third-seeded Westbrook in a girls Class 1A bi-district game on Tuesday, 35-32 at the Winters High School gym. 

Westbrook’s victory was followed by another for District 14-1A, which closed the evening with 57-22 win by Roscoe Highland over May in the nightcap. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Stephenville girls stymie Snyder in 66-30 bi-district win

TUSCOLA — The 10th-ranked Stephenville girls basketball team got its postseason started with a dominating performance Monday, using its patented pressure defense to fluster Snyder in a 66-30 bi-district win at Jim Ned’s Bill Thornton Arena.

The Honeybees shut the Lady Tigers out in the first quarter and built a 25-4 lead by halftime, ending the competitive phase of the game before the start of the third period.

The victory earned coach Jason Hodges’ team a highly anticipated area-round date with No. 11 Sanger (28-5), which routed Springtown 81-17 in its bi-district game on Monday. That matchup is slated for 6 p.m. Thursday in Weatherford.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Merkel girls eliminate nervous Brady, 54-33

WINTERS — On paper, everything was on Brady’s side heading into Monday’s 54-33 loss to Merkel in the Class 3A girls bi-district round.

The second-seeded Lady Bulldogs had momentum, winning five of their last six games, while third-seeded Merkel was on a downswing, having lost three straight. 

There was just one problem: Merkel, which is housed in District 6 with the likes of No. 2 Jim Ned and No. 15 Wall, isn’t your run-of-the-mill third seed.  And the Lady Badgers quickly demonstrated that in a convincing win at Winters High School.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Coleman’s Smith takes this week’s award

With our recent bad weather pushing an extra game into last week for the Coleman Bluecats, it gave senior guard Braxton Smith three chances to pile up big numbers. 

And he did exactly that. 

Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week opened with 19 points and nine steals in a win over Bangs last Monday. He followed that with 13 points, eight assists and 10 steals in a near-triple double in a win over Winters. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Young Brock Lady Eagles balancing promising present, bright future

At 29-6 and ranked 14th in Class 3A heading into the playoffs, the Brock girls basketball team has a lot to like about its present. 

After finishing second to No. 6 Peaster in District 8-3A, the Lady Eagles will open the postseason Monday night with a bi-district matchup against Wichita Falls City View (22-10) in hopes of making a run in a brutal Region I-3A bracket.

But as laser focused as BHS coach Alex Stephenson and his team are on accomplishing the goals they’ve set for this season, it’s hard not to peak ahead to a future that could be even brighter. With a nine-player roster that features three freshmen and three sophomores to go with their three seniors, the Lady Eagles have much to look forward to as well. 

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by Yale Youngblood, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: No. 2 Jim Ned girls hoping to ride near-sighted approach to long-term goals

As Jim Ned coach Hunter Cooley peers into the figurative rearview mirror at his team’s perfect 14-0 run through District 6-3A and looks ahead to a challenging collection of prospective Region 1-3A playoff opponents, there’s a completely different focal point he’s emphasizing with the Lady Indians.

It can be described in three words: the next opponent. 

No matter what Jim Ned has done before, and what the Lady Indians might be able to do in the future, Cooley has learned in two-decades-plus at the school that the only game that matters on the schedule is the upcoming one. And he has made that the team’s mantra as it prepares to open postseason play on Monday against Llano.

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by Evan Ren

THIS WEEK IN BIG COUNTRY GIRLS BASKETBALL: Playoffs open with multiple bi-district matchups worth looking at

The second season has arrived. 

The Texas high school girls playoffs will get underway Monday and Tuesday with bi-district play. And as always, dozens of Big Country teams are taking part in the dance, which will conclude at the UIL State Tournament in San Antonio beginning on Thursday, March 2. 

With that, let’s take a look at some of the top early matchups involving area teams. And don’t forget to click the link at the bottom of the page which will take you to our pairings list. 

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