Category: Girls basketball

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Melton’s big night fuels Wylie girls to 50-36 win over Coronado

Emma Melton hit five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 21 points Tuesday to lead the Wylie girls basketball team to a 50-36 home win over Lubbock Coronado.

The senior guard had 13 points by halftime in helping the Lady Bulldogs to a 28-16 lead that they would increase to a game-high 22 points (43-21) by the 2½-minute mark the third quarter.

The victory improves coach Amy Powell’s squad to 8-9 overall and 2-0 in District 4-5A play heading into a big home game Tuesday against district co-leader Lubbock Cooper.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL HOOPS ROUNDUP: Abilene High boys bounce back, rout OHS for first district win

The Abilene High boys basketball team bounced back from Friday’s loss to Wolfforth Frenship in its District 2-6A opener with a comfortable win over Odessa High on Tuesday, scoring at least 17 points in every quarter of an 81-67 victory at Eagle Gym.

The Eagles (12-3 overall, 1-1 in district) raced out to a 17-4 lead after one period and were never threatened after that, outscoring OHS 21-16 in the second quarter and 25-16 in the third to take a commanding 63-36 lead into the final quarter.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Haskell girls overwhelm Anson, take over top spot in 10-2A standings

ANSON — Entering their first meeting of the season separated by just one spot in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 2A rankings and tied in the loss column in the District 10-2A standings, the Haskell and Anson girls basketball teams both showed up at Tiger Gym on Tuesday hoping to get a leg up on the other.

But the No. 16 Maidens quickly spoiled what appeared on paper to be a marquee Big Country matchup, opening the game on a 15-2 run and never letting up from there to secure a dominant 44-21 victory over the 17th-ranked Lady Tigers.

Fueled by its signature pressure defense, Haskell (12-2 overall, 5-0 in league play) led 27-7 by halftime and stretched its advantage to 25 points in the third quarter (39-14) before coasting in the fourth to the lopsided victory.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Unbeaten Ballinger boys heat up in second half to cruise past Clyde

CLYDE — The Ballinger boys basketball team kept its perfect record intact Saturday, using a 20-8 run through the third quarter to a turn a six-point halftime lead into a comfortable road win over the Clyde Bulldogs.

Using intense pressure defense, the Bearcats (13-0 overall) turned Clyde over with regularity and converted those takeaways into points on the other end to rout the Bulldogs 53-34 and improve to 2-0 in District 6-3A play. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Frenship ramps up pressure to pull away from Abilene High girls

The Abilene High girls basketball hung with District 2-6A leader Wolfforth Frenship for a half Saturday, but ultimately the Lady Tigers’ pressure defense was too much for the Lady Eagles in a 70-44 loss at Eagle Gym.

Leading just 28-21 at halftime, Frenship (13-4, 4-0) turned a bevy of AHS turnovers into easy buckets during 27-10 third quarter that turned a competitive game to that point into a runaway.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL HOOPS ROUNDUP: Abilene High girls rout Mineral Wells for second straight win

The Abilene High girls basketball team won its second game in as many days Wednesday, following Tuesday’s 54-33 win over Odessa Permian in its District 2-6A opener with a 73-23 nondistrict win over Mineral Wells.

The Lady Eagles, now 3-7 overall, held the Lady Rams to single digits in each of the first three quarters Wednesday, building a 24-5 first-quarter lead that they would stretch to 45-14 by halftime and 60-19 by the start of the final period.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL HOOPS ROUNDUP: AHS boys finish strong in 22-point win over W.F. Rider

WICHITA FALLS — The Abilene High boys basketball team rallied from a first-quarter deficit to rout Wichita Falls Rider 64-42 on Monday, outscoring the Raiders 37-19 over the final two quarters to turn a four-point game at halftime into a rout.

The Eagles, who improved to 11-2 with the win, trailed 12-11 after a quarter before taking the lead for good with a 16-11 run through the second. Leading 27-23 at half, AHS took control quickly out of the break, outscoring Rider 18-8 in the third quarter before closing out the victory with another big period in the fourth.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie girls start fast, overcome third-quarter swoon to pull away from Plainview

A big first half for senior Makinlee Bacon staked the Wylie girls basketball team to a double-digit halftime lead, and the Lady Bulldogs withstood a big third quarter rally by Plainview to earn a 53-45 home win Monday in their first game out of the Christmas break.

Bacon hit five 3-pointers during a 15-point first half, fueling Wylie to a 28-12 halftime advantage. But Plainview scored the first 13 points of the third quarter to turn that 12-point deficit into a one-point lead just four minutes into the second half.

From there, though, coach Amy Powell’s squad was able to regroup, pulling back ahead by 10 (41-31) heading into the final quarter and cruising from there to the victory.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Brock sweeps district doubleheader at Eastland

EASTLAND —Seeing their final action before the holiday break, the Brock boys and girls varsity basketball teams will enter Christmas on a high note, having completed a doubleheader sweep of Eastland on Tuesday at Marshall Gym. 

The girls opened the afternoon twin bill with 48-28 victory, after which the Brock boys capped the day with a 72-22 win in the district 8-3A opener for both teams. 

Claire Lewis scored 14 points and Abbi Mathis added 11 more to pace the Lady Eagles (5-6, 2-1), who blew the game open with an 11-0 run to start the second half. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL HOOPS ROUNDUP: Abilene High boys keep roll going into Christmas break

SLATON — The Abilene High boys basketball team notched its fifth consecutive win Saturday, following Friday’s triumph over Cooper with a 63-46 victory over Plainview to improve to 10-2 heading into the Christmas break.

Jalen McGee led the Eagles with 16 points, helping AHS to a 15-6 first-quarter lead it would protect the rest of the way. Plainview pulled within eight (31-23) at halftime, before the Eagles took control for good with a 15-9 run through the third quarter.

In addition to McGee’s big night, AHS also got double figures scoring from Jackson Stevens (11 points) and Sami Kanayo (10 points). Nathan Watts added eight points and Jake Breckenridge scored six for coach Justin Reese’s squad, which saw nine players crack the scoresheet. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL HOOPS ROUNDUP: Wylie girls fall just short against No. 2 Amarillo High

LUBBOCK — The Wylie girls basketball team outscored Class 5A No. 2 Amarillo High 36-31 over the final two quarters Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 11-point halftime deficit in a 61-55 loss at Lubbock Christian University.

The Lady Bulldogs were right in the game after a quarter, trailing just 13-11, but a 17-8 second-quarter run sent Amarillo High to the locker room with a 30-19 halftime lead.

Wylie whittled that to one with a 20-10 run through the third period, but the Lady Bulldogs were outscored 21-16 over the final period to fall to 5-7 on the year.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Abilene High duo Ramirez, Dotson share award

Facing an explosive El Paso Eastwood offense in the opening round of the Region I-6A Division II playoffs, the Abilene High Eagles knew they’d need to move the ball and score if they hoped to earn their first postseason win since 2016.

That’s where junior quarterback Abel Ramirez and senior running back Phonzo Dotson came in.

Taking turns leading an AHS offensive explosion, this duo helped the Eagles rack up 569 yards of total offense in a 42-35 win over the Troopers. And in the process, the pair has earned the Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the week ending Dec. 12.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Third-quarter run fuels No. 10 Stephenville past Abilene High 54-40

The Abilene High girls basketball team hung with Class 4A No. 10 Stephenville for a half Tuesday, leading the Honeybees as late as the one-minute mark of the second quarter. But SHS closed that period on 4-0 run and outscored the Lady Eagles 21-7 in the third to account for the final margin in a 54-40 win at Eagle Gym.

Turning up the pressure out of halftime, the Honeybees converted smothering full-court defense into easy offense to build a double-digit lead by the 4:59 mark of the third quarter. And AHS was never able to work its way back into the game after that.

Continue reading “GAME STORY: Third-quarter run fuels No. 10 Stephenville past Abilene High 54-40” →

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper girls overcome turnovers to hold off Midland High 56-52

Turnovers and struggles from the free throw line made Cooper’s nondistrict game against Midland High closer than it should have been Monday, but in the end, the Lady Cougars did enough to hold on for a 56-52 win at Cougar Gym.

Coach Arsenio Geter’s squad saw and 10-point lead with 3:56 to play whittled to two points in the game’s final minute. But the Lady Coogs were able to make a stop in the waning seconds and hit two free throws on the other end to preserve the narrow win.

Cooper (4-6), which never trailed in the contest, had numerous chances to pull away, and appeared poised to do so on a number of occasions. But more than 20 turnovers and an 18-of-36 tally from the free-throw line for the Lady Coogs allowed the Lady Bulldogs (4-7) to fight their way back into the game each time it looked like things were getting away from them.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wishert snags this week’s accolade

He’s been one of the most consistent offensive weapons in the Big Country throughout the 2020 season.

So it probably comes as no surprise that Jim Ned running back Xavier Wishert has taken our Capital Farm Credit-Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the Week ending Dec. 5. But he did it in extraordinary fashion — chalking up five touchdowns in a 45-28 win over Pilot Point in Friday’s Region I-3A DI championship game in Stephenville. 

Rushing 32 times, Wishert piled up 271 yards and four scores from the Jim Ned backfield. This, combined with an 83-yard kickoff return and eight tackles from his linebacker spot and the junior was the hands-down choice for the award. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL HOOPS ROUNDUP: Wylie girls can’t hang onto lead against Fredericksburg, Lady Coogs nipped by Cisco

The Wylie girls basketball team led Class 4A No. 3 Fredericksburg 42-37 after three quarters Saturday, but offensive struggles in the fourth resulted in a 49-45 loss at Bulldog Gym.

The Lady Bulldogs, who used an 11-7 run through the third quarter to build on a one-point halftime lead, managed just three points over the final eight minutes to drop another close game to a ranked opponent.

Saturday’s defeat, which followed a 41-37 loss to Class 3A No. 8 Jim Ned, dropped Wylie to 4-4 on the year.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High girls rally past Weatherford for first win

The process wasn’t always pretty, but the result was beautiful for coach Terri Raughton and the Abilene High Lady Eagles, who rallied past Weatherford 43-41 for their first win of the season Saturday at Eagle Gym.

AHS, which came into the contest at 0-4, including a 61-49 loss at Keller Central on Friday, saw a comfortable lead evaporate in the second half against the Lady Kangaroos. But behind 19-point performance by standout guard Trakenya Roberson, the Lady Eagles were able to claw their way to the victory.

A 9-4 third-quarter run for Weatherford saw the AHS’ seven-point halftime lead reduced to two, and a 5-0 Lady Roos run to the start the fourth put the Lady Eagles in a 33-30 hole with 6:13 remaining the game. But Raughton’s squad answered with a 10-4 run over the next five minutes and held off Weatherford from there for the win.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wylie girls down Merkel on Coaches vs. Cancer night

The Wylie girls basketball team had a pair of games in Amarillo over the Thanksgiving holiday while their Tuesday night opponent at Bulldog Gym, Merkel, had a game canceled over the break and hadn’t taken the floor in a week.

The end result was a 56-44 win for the Lady Bulldogs on Wylie’s annual Coaches vs. Cancer night.

Game action during the weeklong break, or a lack thereof, was something that both coaches saw as a factor in a game that was 46-41 with 3:01 to play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper girls basketball runs away from Abilene High for crosstown win

The Cooper girls basketball team was playing its first game with its complete roster after the conclusion of the CHS volleyball season on Friday. Abilene High was playing just its third game of the year due to early-season COVID issues. 

After a sluggish start for both teams, it was the Lady Cougars who were able to find a rhythm quicker and maintain it longer in a 62-41 win Tuesday at Eagle Gym.

AHS rallied from a 28-15 halftime deficit to cut the Cooper lead to four midway through the third quarter, turning CHS over a number of times in the process, but the Lady Coogs regrouped to close the game on a 31-14 run to improve to 3-4 on the year.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL HOOPS ROUNDUP: Wylie boys can’t keep up with No. 7 Amarillo High

AMARILLO — The seventh-ranked Amarillo High Sandies proved too strong for the Wylie boys basketball team on Tuesday, outscoring the Bulldogs in all four quarters of a 75-48 win.

AHS (4-0) raced out to a 23-12 lead after a quarter and increased its advantage to 20 points by halftime (39-19), before cruising in the second half to the victory.

Wylie, which fell to 0-2 with the loss, was paced offensively by Dylan Jennings’ 24 points. Colby Tanner also reached double figures with 11 points, while Avery Brekke finished with seven.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cisco’s Long takes this week’s award

Cisco quarterback Hunter Long is only a sophomore. And he made his share of sophomore mistakes against an early-season schedule that featured 3A DI powerhouses from Wall and Jim Ned. 

Maturity, however, is beginning to catch up with the CHS signal caller, who has gradually developed into one of the top Class 2A weapons in the Big Country. 

His latest effort typified his development — passing for 210 yards and rushing for 101 in a 46-15 area round rout of Olton. 

Along the way, Long accounted for five Cisco touchdowns, rushing for three and passing for two more to help push the Loboes into the regional semifinals. 

It also earned him our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week award for the week ending Nov. 21.

“Hunter played a great game,” Cisco coach Kevin Stennett said. “He is getting better every week and his execution of our offense has been outstanding during the playoffs. He made very few mistakes, if any, against Olton and has really emerged as the leader of our offense.”

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Albany’s Cotter takes award with two dominating efforts

One dominating performance deserves another. 

Having already helped Albany reach the Region I-2A finals with a 17-kill performance in a win over Plains (22-25, 25-10, 25-22, 25-16) last week, Sarah Beth Cotter wasn’t finished. 

With AHS facing perennial power Wink in the regional finals Saturday in Big Spring, she helped the Lady Lions reach the state semis with 16 kills, two blocks, four digs and an ace in a stunning 25-14, 25-19, 25-20 sweep of the Lady Cats. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Girls Basketball Position Rankings: Posts

After highlighting the top guards and forwards on the Big Country girls basketball scene the past two nights, it’s time to shift our attention to the block.

For the final installment in our three-part position rankings series, we list our top-10 post players for the 2020-21 season.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through these rankings, and make sure to come back next week when we’ll feature the top boys basketball players in the Big Country.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Girls Basketball Position Rankings: Guards

With the girls basketball season underway, it’s time to take a look at the players who will be making the biggest impact during the 2020-21 season.

For the first installment in a three-part series that will cover all positions, we’ll be taking a look at the Big Country’s top guards, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch this season.

As with any such list, these rankings are subjective. We hope you enjoy reading through our selections.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sanchez takes award with unbelievable game

Every few years, someone will deliver a performance that goes beyond exceptional, great, unbelievable or whatever adjective you choose to attach to it.

Bangs’ senior running back Ethan Sanchez is the latest entry into this rare category, taking our Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week after leading the Dragons to a 76-23 win over Brady to help lock up a No. 2 playoff seed. 

The numbers speak for themselves: 14 carries, 440 yards, seven TDs. I’ll say it again: 14 carries, 440 yards, seven TDs. This included scoring runs of 61, 41, 55, 61, 60, 50 and 55 yards. His average per carry: 31.4 yards. And no, this isn’t at the six-man level, where such numbers aren’t unheard of. This was two classifications up in Class 3A DII.

Bangs improved to 8-1 and 4-2 while wrapping up a No. 2 seed in District 2.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: 10 things I’ll take away from the COVID-19 pandemic

I’ve always held to a personal axiom that perspective is everything. True or not, how we view a situation becomes the truth in our minds.
There’s no escaping it and every one of us has our own perspective. 

Well, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown have changed my perspective in several ways on several different things. And for a middle-aged guy who is pretty well set in my ways, this is like the planets aligning.

I’ve managed to list my top 10 takeaways from lockdown, as they pertain to this website and what we’re trying to accomplish here.

Let’s dive in: 

Continue reading “EVAN REN: 10 things I’ll take away from the COVID-19 pandemic” →

by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Virus may teach us some appreciation (for a while)

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”
— Voltaire 

There’s a barbeque place near my home that I don’t like. In fact, I seldom go there — deliberately bypassing it whenever the BBQ craving hits me in favor of better choices. 

But Friday, after two months of COVID-19 exile, I decided to make a quick run to bring home some brisket for the wife and I and elected to go to the very place I try to avoid because it was convenient. 

Funny how one’s perspective can change while in isolation.

Abilene’s worst barbeque was suddenly good. In fact, it was beyond good. It was like freakin’ nirvana. 

I suspect that’s the way it’s going to be with virtually everything I had taken for granted before the lockdown. And I’m already experiencing some of it.

Continue reading “EVAN REN: Virus may teach us some appreciation (for a while)” →

by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: 2020 FCA All-Star Festival canceled

The Big Country chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes made the decision on Thursday morning to officially cancel its 2020 All-Star Festival in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is with heavy disappointment due to continued risks and uncertainties associated with the widespread Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic that the Big Country Fellowship of Christian Athletes staff has made the difficult decision to cancel the Big Country Chevy Dealers 21st annual FCA All-Star Festival scheduled for the week of June 7-13, 2020,” the organization said in a press release.

There was brief talk of postponing to a later date, but ultimately the organization decided that cancellation was best in the current climate, said FCA Area Director Andy Penney.

Continue reading “BREAKING: 2020 FCA All-Star Festival canceled” →

by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2020 Gym Rat Team: The hardest workers in the Big Country

Scoring and rebounding is only part of the story when it comes to basketball. Behind the scenes and beyond the view of the public, is where character is often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps Gym Rat Team that we salute the individuals who exude the most of it. 

This team isn’t about who the best players are, though some of the area’s top players are on 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 2019-20 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2020 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2020 All-Big Country Preps boys 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

All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Superlatives: Galvin sisters, Gonzales take top spots

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2020 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2020 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our third-team selections for the 2020 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

2020 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2020 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

TGCA, TABC All-State teams released with multiple Big Country players honored

A strong contingent of 16 area players were named to their respective all-state teams by the Texas Girls Coaches Association as well on Monday, spearheaded by Abilene High’s Trakenya Roberson in Class 6A. A further 12 (six boys and six girls) were given all-state honors by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. 

The TGCA named Brownwood’s Matyha Thompson to the Class 4A team. Jim Ned’s Brooke Galvin and Alexis Espinosa, Brock’s Olivia Lewis and Torrye Tyler, and Cisco’s Landri Edgar earned roster spots in Class 3A. 

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