Month: January 2014

GIRLS BASKETBALL MID-WEEK REPORT: Burbank upsets rival Edison in 28-4A

Second-half rally carries Southside past 29-4A co-leader Medina Valley; Sam Houston qualifies for playoffs

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Edison, Harlandale, Jefferson, Kennedy, Lanier, McCollum, Memorial, Sam Houston, South San, Southside, Southwest, Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

Burbank built an early lead Tuesday at Alamo Convocation Center but, after Edison threatened to overtake them, the Bulldogs (7-21, 4-10) showed that they also had a finishing kick.

They outscored the fifth-place Golden Bears (12-17, 6-8) 16-12 in the fourth quarter to secure a 40-32 win. Seventh-place Burbank bolted to an 18-8 in the  District 28-4A game.

Sophomore post Antwanisha Riddle led the Bulldogs with 11 points. Senior Alejandra Martinez scored 10. Abigail Macias also was a key contributor with nine points.

Senior Marisa Salas scored a team-high 13 points for Edison.

Southside 43, Medina Valley 42

The third-place Cardinals (16-13, 8-4) outscored Medina Valley (21-9, 10-2) 31-14 in the second half to knock the Panthers out of first place Tuesday in District 29-4A. Medina Valley had shared first place with Floresville until the loss in Castroville.

The improbable comeback began after Medina Valley outscored Southside 14-2 in the first quarter. The Panthers were ahead 28-12 at halftime. The Cardinals slashed the lead to 10 in the third quarter and outscored their hosts 17-6 in the final period for the win.

Senior point guard Sabrina Guzman led Southside with 14 points. Desiree Rodriguez scored 13.

Sam Houston 70, Hawkins 14

The Hurricanes (8-17, 6-2) locked in a District 28-3A playoff berth with a home victory over Hawkins (2-22, 0-8) Tuesday.

Sam Houston limited the Wolfpack to one point in the third quarter.

Senior Dionna Camino led the Hurricanes with 15 points. Dominique Green added 14 points. Jazmyne Perkins scored eight.

McCollum 45, Uvalde 42

The fifth-place Cowboys (10-16, 6-6) won their second-consecutive District 29-4A victory Tuesday at Uvalde (8-17, 2-10).

The Coyotes led 12-5 in the first quarter. McCollum surged into the lead over the next two quarters, outscoring their hosts 31-20.

Senior Emilee Almazan led McCollum with 22 points.  Elva Rios added 10 points.

Kassandra Ortiz led Uvalde with a game-high 23 points.

Lanier 57, YWLA 33

The fourth-place Voks (14-15, 10-5), one of three area District 28-4A teams to clinch a playoff bid, defeated Young Women’s Leadership Academy  (11-16, 5-7) Wednesday at Alamo Convocation Center.

Second-place Brackenridge and third-place Highlands also have qualified for the postseason.

YWLA led 23-20 at halftime after outscoring Lanier 14-2 in the second quarter. The Voks grabbed a 36-31 lead in the third quarter.

Sophomore Ruby Garza led Lanier with 20 points. Amanda Reyes and Sabrina Cortinas each scored 10 points.

The Cardinals received a team-high 12 points from sophomore Karease Williams.

Harlandale 66, Kennedy 49

The fourth-place Indians (18-12, 7-5) turned a close game into a comfortable District 29-4A win over Kennedy (9-18, 4-8) Tuesday at Harlandale.

The Rockets led 23-21 at halftime and were within 34-33 after three quarters. Harlandale outscored Kennedy 32-16 in the fourth quarter.

Senior Connie Garza produced another outstanding overall game with 25 points, 12 rebounds five blocked shots and four steals. But Garza wasn’t the only Indians player to have a big offensive night. Fellow senior Kelly Landin scored 20 points.

Harlandale sophomore Justyne Perez finished with eight points

Junior Esmeralda Manzanares scored 19 points for the Rockets. Janel Contreras added 11 points and Amalee Ramos scored eight.

BOYS BASKETBALL MID-WEEK REPORT: Buttons hold off St. Anthony for 18th-straight win

Unbeaten East Central claims second 28-5A win over Carroll this season

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Central Catholic, East Central, Edison, Fox Tech, Harlandale, Highlands, Jefferson, Kennedy, Lanier, McCollum, Sam Houston, South San, Southwest.

Central Catholic survived its most difficult challenge since its winning streak began Nov. 26.

Despite the test, the Buttons (21-6, 3-0) extended the streak to 18 games with a 69-66 TAPPS District 2-5A win over St. Anthony (17-10, 1-2) Wednesday at the University of the Incarnate Word.

The Yellowjackets led 18-17 after one quarter. Central Catholic, No. 7 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Large Private School state poll, grabbed a 31-29 halftime lead and led at the end of each successive quarter.

Seniors P.J. Escobar and Daniel Kellum each scored 20 points for Central Catholic. Tony Lewis supplied 15 points. Sophomore Brandon Armstrong accounted for a team-best 17 points for St. Anthony.

The Buttons will play Austin St. Michael’s Saturday in a 7 p.m. game at Bill Greehey Arena on the  St. Mary’s University campus.

East Central 67, Corpus Christi King 62

The first-place Hornets (20-7, 6-0) withstood a fourth-quarter rally from Corpus Christi Carroll (3-3 in district) Wednesday in Corpus Christi to secure their ninth-straight win and stay undefeated in District 28-5A.

The Tigers outscored East Central 22-17 in the fourth quarter. The Hornets took a 50-40 lead into the quarter.

Junior wing Brandon Keno was the Hornets’ leading scorer for the second-consecutive game. Keno made three 3-point baskets and scored 17 points. He also contributed seven rebounds.

Brandon McClure finished with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Ceddrick Ali produced 12 points and four assists. Jeremy Jones added 14 points, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots.

Brackenridge 67, Burbank 60 (OT)

The Eagles (14-15, 4-6) outscored rival Burbank (12-16, 3-7) 16-9 in overtime to protect their fifth-place standing in District 28-4A Tuesday at Alamo Convocation Center.

Brackenridge opened a 10-3 lead in the first quarter and had a 10-point lead at halftime. Burbank outscored the Eagles 36-26 in the second half to force overtime. The score was 51-51 at the end of regulation.

Gabe Hildebrand led Brackenridge with 16 points. Ramon Richards (15 points), Antonio Lopez (14 points) and Richard Wallace (12 points) also scored in double figures. Nathan Avila scored eight points.

For Burbank, Moses  Montalvo was the scoring leader with 14 points. Michael Mascorro added 13 points.  Juan Castillo chipped in 10 points and Matthew Juarez had nine.

South San 63, Southwest 56

The Bobcats (13-14, 3-3) moved into a third-place tie in District 28-5A with their second win over Southwest (8-20, 2-4) this season and Carroll’s loss to East Central.

Junior point guard Olando Lopez led a balanced South San scoring attack with 13 points. Eric Alcozer added 11 points. Arthur Rangel and Jesse Samarripas each scored 10.

Senior post Devanta Hayes led the Dragons with 13 points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots.  Aaron Embry (5 rebounds), Hector Murillo and Brian Perez (2 blocked shots) all scored 10 points. Senior Latrel Grant added nine points for Southwest. Senior Nigel Thompson dished three assists.

McCollum 71, Uvalde 38

The Cowboys (17-10, 7-2) blitzed Uvalde (10-16, 3-7) in the first half, outscoring their District 29-4A opponent 38-12 Tuesday at McCollum.

Senior Nathan Martinez and sophomore Tre Johnson each led 12 McCollum scorers with 13 points. Santiago Vasquez contributed 10 points and Joey Villarreal had nine. Freshman Roger Martinez scored eight.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Area playoff picture (thru Feb. 1)

Boys basketball playoff picture

These are the area teams that have a chance to qualify for the playoffs (in alphabetical order):

Through Feb. 1

ALREADY QUALIFIED: Central Catholic (22-6, 4-0), East Central (21-7, 7-0), Edison (20-11, 9-2), Harlandale (20-10, 9-2), McCollum (19-10, 9-2), Sam Houston (19-9, 7-0).

LIKELY QUALIFIERS: Highlands (13-14 ???, 7-4), Holy Cross (8-23, 3-4), Lanier (21-8, 7-4), South San (13-15, 3-4). 

POSSIBLE QUALIFIERS: Brackenridge (14-16, 4-7), Kennedy (5-22 ???, 3-8), Memorial (9-19, 4-7), Southwest (8-21, 2-5).

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Area playoff picture (thru Feb. 1)

Girls basketball playoff picture

These are the area teams that have a chance to qualify for the playoffs (in alphabetical order):

Through Feb. 1

ALREADY QUALIFIED: Brackenridge (25-5, 14-1), East Central (10-18, 3-6), Harlandale (19-12, 8-5), Highlands (22-11, 11-4), Lanier (14-16, 10-6), Sam Houston (9-17, 7-2), Southside (17-13, 9-4), Southwest (23-9, 6-3).

LIKELY QUALIFIERS: none. 

POSSIBLE QUALIFIERS: Holy Cross (10-23, 1-6).

BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL: Area rankings (thru Jan. 27)

Through Jan. 27

BOYS TOP 15:

1. Central Catholic

2. East Central

3. Edison

4. Lanier

5. Sam Houston

6. Harlandale

7. McCollum

8. Highlands

9. South San

10. Southwest

11. Burbank

12. Brackenridge

13. Memorial

14. Jefferson

15. Kennedy

 

GIRLS TOP 15:

1. Brackenridge

2. Southwest

3. Highlands

4. Harlandale

5. Lanier

6. Southside

7. Edison

8. East Central

9. South San

10. Holy Cross

11. Kennedy

12. Sam Houston

13. McCollum

14. Jefferson

15. Burbank

 

BOYS BASKETBALL: This week’s results (thru Feb. 1)

NOTE: teams we cover are in boldface

Games of Jan. 26-Feb. 1

Tuesday’s games

District 28-5A

South San (13-14, 3-3) 63, Southwest (8-20, 2-4) 56

District 28-4A

Highlands (13-13 ???, 7-3) 70, Jefferson (6-21, 2-8) 59

Brennan (24-4, 10-0) 57, Lanier (20-8, 6-4) 47

Brackenridge (14-15, 4-6) 67, Burbank (12-16, 3-7) 60 (OT)

District 29-4A

Harlandale (19-10, 8-2) 72, Kennedy (4-22 ???, 2-8) 57

Medina Valley (14-14, 5-5) 55, Southside (6-23, 1-9) 37

Floresville (13-12, 9-1) 64, Memorial (8-17 ???, 4-6) 45

McCollum (18-10, 8-2) 71, Uvalde (10-16 ???, 3-7) 38

District 28-3A

La Vernia (22-3, 5-1) 53, Pleasanton (8-15, 2-3 ???) 50

Sam Houston (18-9, 6-0) 95, Hawkins (5-21, 0-4 ???) 64

Somerset (4-15 ???, 2-3 ???) at Poteet (5-15 ???, 0-4 ???), 7:45 p.m. (score unavailable)

TAPPS 3-4A

Holy Cross (8-22 ???, 3-3) 54, Cornerstone Christian (3-8 ???, 2-4) 53

San Antonio Christian (30-10 ???, 6-0) 85, Austin Regents (12-12 ???, 2-4) 35

TMI (22-9 ???, 4-1) at Austin Hyde Park Baptist (3-11 ???, 1-1 ???), 8 p.m. (score unavailable)

Victoria St. Joseph (15-14, 4-2) 57, Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (2-16 ???, 0-4 ???) 34

Wednesday’s games

District 28-5A

East Central (20-7, 6-0) 67, Corpus Christi Carroll (16-7 ???, 3-3) 62

Steele (14-13, 4-2) 102, Corpus Christi King (6-16 ???, 0-6) 45

District 28-4A

Edison (19-11, 8-2) 78, Fox Tech (1-25, 0-10) 28

TAPPS 2-5A

Antonian (24-10, 2-1) 82, Austin St. Michael’s (8-17 ???, 0-3) 70

Central Catholic (21-6, 3-0) 69, St. Anthony (17-10 ???, 1-2) 66

TAPPS 3-4A 

Austin St. Dominic Savio (13-12 ???, 4-2) 59, San Marcos Baptist Academy (5-10 ???, 0-4 ???) 49

Friday’s games

District 28-5A

Corpus Christi Carroll (17-7 ???, 4-3) 72, Corpus Christi King (6-17 ???, 0-7) 51

East Central (21-7, 7-0) 91, Southwest (8-21 ???, 2-5) 61

Steele (15-13, 5-2) 56, South San (13-15, 3-4) 45

District 28-4A

Lanier (22-8, 7-4) 51, Highlands (13-14 ???, 7-4) 47

Brennan (25-4, 11-0) 64, Burbank (12-17, 3-8) 38

Edison (20-11, 9-2) 61, Brackenridge (14-16, 4-7) 57

Jefferson (7-21, 3-8) 62, Fox Tech (1-26, 0-11) 36

District 29-4A

Floresville (14-12, 10-1) 57, Uvalde (10-17 ???, 3-8) 42

McCollum (19-10, 9-2) 46, Medina Valley (14-15, 5-6) 31

Harlandale (20-10, 9-2) 89, Memorial (8-18 ???, 4-7) 54

Kennedy (5-22 ???, 3-8) 66, Southside (6-24, 1-10) 62

District 28-3A

La Vernia (23-3, 6-1) 55, Hawkins (5-22, 0-5 ???) 51

Pleasanton (9-15, 3-3 ???) 97, Poteet (5-16 ???, 0-5 ???) 48

Sam Houston (19-9, 7-0) 74, Somerset (4-16 ???, 2-4) 51

TAPPS 3-4A

San Antonio Christian (31-10 ???, 7-0), 90, Cornerstone Christian (3-9 ???, 2-5) 38

San Marcos Baptist Academy (5-10 ???, 0-4) at Austin Hyde Park Baptist (3-11 ???, 1-1), 8 p.m. (score unavailable)

Saturday’s games

TAPPS 2-5A

St. Anthony (18-10 ???, 2-2) 63, Antonian (24-11, 2-2) 53

Central Catholic (22-6, 4-0) 68, Austin St. Michael’s (8-18 ???, 0-4) 46

Brownsville St. Joseph (???, 0-1 ???) 46, Laredo St. Augustine (???) 35

TAPPS 3-4A 

TMI (23-9 ???, 5-1 ???) 67, Austin St. Dominic Savio (13-13 ???, 4-3) 49

Austin Regents (12-12 ???, 2-4) at Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (2-16 ???, 0-4), 5 p.m. (score unavailable)

San Marcos Baptist Academy (5-10 ???, 0-4) at Austin Hyde Park Baptist (3-11 ???, 1-1), 8 p.m. (score unavailable)

Victoria St. Joseph (16-14, 5-2) 40, Holy Cross (8-23 ???, 3-4) 31 

GIRLS BASKETBALL: This week’s results (thru Feb. 1)

NOTE: teams we cover are in boldface

Games of Jan. 26-Feb. 1

Tuesday’s games

District 28-5A

Southwest (22-9, 5-3) 71, South San (10-19, 1-7) 47

District 28-4A

Burbank (7-21 ???, 4-10) 40, Edison (13-19, 6-8) 32

Brackenridge (25-5, 13-1) 70, Jefferson (10-16, 5-10) 38

Brennan (27-1, 14-0) 93, Fox Tech (5-23, 2-13) 10

District 29-4A

Floresville (21-10, 11-1) 74, Memorial (4-25, 0-12) 28

Harlandale (18-12, 7-5) 66, Kennedy (9-18, 4-8) 49

Southside (16-13, 8-4) 43, Medina Valley (21-9, 10-2) 42

McCollum (10-16, 6-6) 45, Uvalde (8-17, 2-10) 42

District 28-3A

Sam Houston (8-17 ??7?, 6-2) 70, Hawkins (2-23, 0-8) 14

La Vernia (23-5, 8-0) 72, Pleasanton (6-23, 3-5) 34

Somerset (13-12 ???, 4-3) at Poteet (4-22, 1-5), 6:15 p.m. (score unavailable)

TAPPS 3-4A

Austin Regents (19-5, 4-1) 41, San Antonio Christian (6-7 ???, 1-1 ???) 33

Cornerstone Christian (15-5 ???, 3-2) 53, Holy Cross (11-24, 1-6) 48

TMI (4-9 ???, 0-4 ???) at Austin Hyde Park (0-4 ???, 0-2 ???), 6:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (25-5 ???, 4-1 ???) 56, Victoria St. Joseph (24-7, 5-1) 51

Wednesday’s games

District 28-5A

Corpus Christi Carroll (25-6, 6-2) 59, East Central (10-17, 3-5) 39

Steele (22-4, 8-0) 66, Corpus Christi King (12-14, 1-7) 33

District 28-4A

Lanier (14-15 ???, 10-5) 57, Young Women’s Leadership Academy (1-24, 0-14) 33

TAPPS 2-5A

Antonian (22-10, 7-2) 57, Corpus Christi John Paul II (9-6 ???, 0-4 ???) 27

Austin St. Michael’s (2-6 ???, 1-3 ???) 65, Providence (2-20 ???, 1-6)  40

TAPPS 3-4A

Austin St. Dominic Savio (21-11, 5-1) 49, San Marcos Academy (1-1 ???, 1-1 ???) 34

Friday’s games

District 28-5A

Corpus Christi Carroll (26-6, 7-2) 55, Corpus Christi King (12-15, 1-8) 36

Southwest (23-9, 6-3) 59, East Central (10-18, 3-6) 46

Steele (23-4, 9-0) 72, South San (10-20, 1-8) 17

District 28-4A

Highlands (22-11, 11-4) 52, Lanier (14-16 ???, 10-6) 41

Brackenridge (26-5, 14-1) 58, Burbank (7-22, 4-11) 29

District 29-4A

Harlandale (19-12, 8-5) 51, Memorial (4-26, 0-13) 44

Southside (17-13, 9-4) d. Kennedy (9-19, 4-9), 6:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

Medina Valley (22-9, 11-2) 58, McCollum (10-17, 6-7) 45

Floresville (22-10, 12-1) 67, Uvalde (8-18, 2-11) 28

District 28-3A

La Vernia (24-5, 9-0) 64, Hawkins (2-24, 0-9) 28

Sam Houston (9-17 ???, 7-2) 52, Somerset (13-13 ???, 4-4 ???) 38

Pleasanton (7-23, 4-5) 40, Poteet (5-23 ???, 2-6  ????) 38

TAPPS 2-5A

Antonian (23-10, 8-2), 65, Providence (2-21 ???, 1-7) 15

Brownsville St. Joseph (30-2, 7-1) 54, Austin St. Michael’s (11-13, 2-3) 30

St. Anthony (18-8, 4-4) 64, Corpus Christi John Paul II (9-6 ???, 0-4 ???) 39

TAPPS 3-4A

Cornerstone Christian (16-5 ???, 4-2) 56, San Antonio Christian (6-8 ???, 1-2 ???) 48

San Marcos Baptist Academy (???, 1-1 ???) at Austin Hyde Park (0-4 ???, 0-2 ???), 6:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

Saturday’s games

District 28-4A

Jefferson (11-15, 6-9) 44, Young Women’s Leadership Academy (1-25, 0-15) 36

Brennan (28-1, 15-0) 82, Edison (12-18, 6-9) 8

TAPPS 2-5A

Austin St. Michael’s (11-13, 2-3) at Brownsville St. Joseph (30-2, 7-1), noon (score unavailable)

TAPPS 3-4A

Austin St. Dominic Savio (19-11, 3-1) at TMI (4-9 ???, 0-4), 1:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

Victoria St. Joseph (25-7, 6-1) 53, Holy Cross (11-23, 1-6) 32

Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (26-5 ???, 5-1 ???) 61, Austin Regents (20-6, 5-2) 42

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Cardinals take place among 29-4A leaders with win over Uvalde

Southside rides 17-1 run to third place in district

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE STORY ON THE STORY ON THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/southside/news/article/Cardinals-take-place-among-leaders-in-29-4A-5179973.php

It’s rare for a team to invade the District 29-4A throne room reserved for Floresville, Harlandale and Medina Valley, but that’s what Southside has accomplished so far this season.

The Cardinals (15-13, 7-4) took over third place in 29-4A with a 62-44 victory over Uvalde (8-16, 2-9) last Saturday evening at Southside. The win, coupled with Harlandale’s 56-53 loss to Floresville earlier in the day, broke a tie that the Cardinals had forged with a 68-43 over Memorial (5-22, 1-9) Jan. 21.

“We just needed to take care of business,” Southside senior Desiree Rodriguez said. “For the most part, we’ve been doing it this year.”

Seventh-place Uvalde defeated Southside Dec. 30 and was within 41-39 with 2:14 left in the third quarter. The Cardinals forced 11 turnovers and scored the last seven points in the quarter. That spurt grew into a game-deciding 17-1 run.

Southside had a double-digit advantage over the Coyotes in the turnover department.

“That’s what really helps us out,” said Southside senior Sabrina Guzman, who scored six of her 14 points in the second quarter. “Defense is king.”

Although missed close-range shots held the Cardinals back in the first half, they were generating turnovers and getting out in transition from the game’s early stages.

Their lead reached 12-7 in the first quarter when Guzman took a defensive rebound the length of the court for a layup.

Uvalde closed to 13-12 on a three-point basket from Ally Ortiz (15 points) just 11 seconds into the second quarter. The Coyotes tied the score three times in the quarter. Ortiz produced 10 points and guard Kim Chapa (13 points) added another six.

After the first two minutes, Southside lost the lead only briefly. Ortiz made another three-pointer, followed by a fast-break layup. A driving basket from Chapa gave Uvalde a 25-21 edge with 2:19 until halftime.

“We made a few adjustments in the second half,” Southside coach Dolores Sulaica said. “We were getting pressure on their main scorers and just being disciplined defensively.”

Sendejo put back a rebound and Guzman nailed two free throws that tied the score at 25-25. Substitute post Stephanie Quintero responded to a Coyotes score with another rebound basket and a free throw, which put Southside ahead 28-27.

“It’s like a weight lifted off our shoulders,” Guzman said of production from Southside’s front court. “When they step up, they do a really good job. It’s really good when they do their job.”

Rodriguez added, “Before, we were just getting scoring from one or two players. Now everybody on the team has been contributing.”

Guzman knocked down two more free throws and made the halftime score 30-27 in Southside’s favor.

“Once I saw we were struggling, I knew I had to step up,” Guzman said. “As point guard, that was something I needed to do to help my team.”

Rodriguez followed her own missed shot to score a rebound basket that started the Cardinals’ big run. She also contributed a jumper from the left corner off an assist from Guzman with 40.8 seconds left in the third quarter. A free throw from sophomore wing Mayra Sendejo (15 points) increased the lead to 48-39 as the quarter ended.

Kimberly Robles came off the bench to claim two offensive rebounds that extended a possession. Robles scored on the second and increased the Cardinals’ lead to 52-39 with 6:15 remaining.

“She’s getting a lot more comfortable,” Sulaica said. “When you put her in, she’s not shy.”

Quintero, Robles and Kat Mancha each made key contributions up front for the perimeter-oriented Cardinals.

“The subs don’t have to score a ton of points,” Sulaica said, “as long as they score quality points or get defensive stops. At the beginning of the year, I think my seniors felt like they had to do it all.”

Sendejo netted four consecutive points and Mancha scored on an offensive rebound for a 58-40 lead with 3:11 left.

“They came ready to go,” Sulaica said of her team. “We started off a little slow but, luckily, we put it all together.

“They’re a great group. They get along on and off the court. They’re very unselfish.”

Southside will play at Medina Valley Tuesday and play host to Kennedy Friday (both 6:30 p.m.). They’ll finish the season Feb. 4 at Harlandale, whom the Cardinals defeated in the first round of district play.

“We still have three tough games left,” Sulaica cautioned.

In addition to the four teams listed above, Kennedy and McCollum both have a chance to qualify for the playoffs. After Saturday, though, it appears more and more that the Cardinals are on the fast track to the postseason in one of the area’s most competitive districts.

Having won five of its last six games, Southside is even winning over the skeptics.

“I expected a lot, because of our offseason program. Everyone participated in the whole program,” Rodriguez said. “Last year, we were so close to the playoffs. I thought (the season) would go well for us.”

BOYS BASKETBALL: Sam Houston avoids distractions, romps past Poteet

Senior Seals makes welcome contribution for Hurricanes

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK TO STORY ON THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/southside/news/article/Sam-Houston-conquers-formidable-district-foe-in-5179999.php

Sam Houston had a couple of reasons to have a letdown Saturday in Poteet.

First, the game was one of 11 in the area to be postponed from Friday to Saturday because of icy weather. The unusual Saturday morning start time was a built-in excuse, if the Hurricanes chose to use it.

Second, the first-place Hurricanes weren’t expected to encounter much resistance from the Pirates.

Sam Houston didn’t entertain any thoughts of a letdown, powering past Poteet 86-28.

Hurricanes coach Ike Thornton and his staff typically come up with objectives for games the team might have a difficult time getting motivated for. Although Sam Houston’s players didn’t achieve a perfect score, they received a high passing grade.

“When we play Poteet – especially there – it’s usually one of those games the kids can get distracted,” Thornton said. “But I’m pretty happy. They stayed engaged the whole time.

“It was a good game all-around.”

The objectives were based on maintaining high energy and making plays indicative of hustle.

“The number of offensive rebounds, the number of deflections and the number of charges taken,” Thornton said, “were areas we were monitoring. Hustle stats are what we were trying to keep an eye on. We just try to make sure we are playing with a purpose.”

Sam Houston held the Pirates to 10 points or fewer in each quarter. The Hurricanes led 22-5 in the first quarter and 47-11 at halftime.

Jordon Harris led Sam Houston with 16 points. Devin Allen scored 15 and senior Brandon Seals had 14 points in his second-straight start in place of promising sophomore Robert Christian.

“Brandon shot the ball well, and that’s something we’re going to need from him down the stretch,” Thornton said. “Brandon stepped up and played some more minutes. We were hoping to get him going.”

Allen also was in double digits in rebounding.

“Devin was active,” Thornton said. “We know he had at least eight offensive rebounds. That was something we wanted to get out of him, more rebounds.”

BOYS BASKETBALL WEEKEND REPORT: Indians hand Floresville first District 29-4A loss

Southwest defeats 2012 state finalist Steele; Central Catholic downs rival for 17th straight

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Central Catholic, East Central, Edison, Fox Tech, Harlandale, Highlands, Lanier, McCollum, Memorial, South San, Southwest.

Photos taken by KJ Toso. For more photos or to purchase photos, please visit: kjtoso.photoreflect.com

Jacob Martinez (24) contributed to Harlandale's win over Floresville.
Jacob Martinez (24) contributed to Harlandale’s win over Floresville.

The host Indians (18-10, 7-2) were tied with Floresville after three quarters Saturday at Harlandale, but that changed in the next three minutes.

Harlandale scored 12 unanswered points in that timeframe to spurt ahead and gave itself a lead it never relinquished for an 83-77 win. Each of the four baskets was a three-pointer. Jose Salinas (9 points) sank two while Ram Torres (15 points) and Mando Guerrero (14 points) found the target on one apiece.

It was the first District 29-4A loss for first-place Floresville (12-12, 8-1). Harlandale and McCollum, which defeated Memorial Saturday, share second place.

Floresville closed to 77-75 in the final minute on a pair of free throws from junior Chris Albert (18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocked shots). Two free throws from Torres and a basket from Jesus Maltos (12 points) lifted the Indians out of harm’s way.

The Indians had spurted to a 9-2 lead in the first quarter behind three-pointers from Guerrero and Torres, but the Tigers closed to 29-25 by the quarter’s end, giving an indication of the barnburner to come.

Harlandale never trailed, but never led by more than seven before its fourth-quarter shooting flurry.

Joshua Rodriguez was one of four Harlandale players in double figures with 11 points. Estevan Mendiola scored a game-high 21 points for Floresville.

Southwest 77, Steele 73

The Dragons (8-19, 2-3) battled for a four-point victory over Steele, which reached the Class 5A state quarterfinals last year, Saturday at Southwest. The win moved Southwest into a fourth-place tie with South San (12-14, 2-3).

Southwest had a 32-31 halftime lead and took charge with a 29-point third quarter. The Knights (13-13, 3-2) outscored the Dragons 22-16 in the fourth quarter.

Dragons coach David Brawner said the key to victory for his team was its perseverance and never-quit attitude.

Senior guard Brian Perez led Southwest with 21 points. Junior Aaron Embry supplied 19 points. Devanta Hayes chipped in with 15 points. Latrel Grant scored eight.

Edison 49, Highlands 46

The Golden Bears (18-10, 7-2) broke a second-place tie in District 28-4A Saturday, edging Highlands (12-10, 6-3) at Alamo Convocation Center.

The Owls  led 26-23 at halftime. Edison outscored Highlands 11-10 in the third quarter and 15-10 in the fourth.

The Golden Bears received 13 points and four rebounds from senior guard Justin Torres, who made six of seven free throws. Jared Zapata added 10 points and five rebounds. Justin Rodriguez scored nine.  Lorenzo Vela finished with 10 rebounds and seven assists.

For Highlands, Demarcus Hartfield had a team-best 19 points.

Central Catholic 50, Antonian 34

The pendulum swing back toward the Buttons (20-6, 2-0) in the Central Catholic-Antonian rivalry. Central Catholic also won their first meeting in 2012-13 and the Apaches won the re-match.

Central Catholic extended its impressive winning streak to 17 games in the TAPPS District 2-5A contest at St. Mary’s University’s Bill Greehey Arena.

Antonian (23-10, 1-1) was within 18-15 after a quarter and 24-19 at halftime. The Buttons, No. 7 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Large Private School state poll, added 12 points to their lead in the third quarter for the commanding victory.

Senior post Daniel Kellum, whose father also played for the Buttons, had a team-high 18 points. Fellow big man Tony Lewis battled foul trouble to score 10 points.

Central Catholic plays host to St. Anthony (17-9, 1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in a 2-5A game.

East Central 97, Corpus Christi King 64

The Hornets (16-7, 2-0) ran the area’s second-longest winning streak to eight games Friday and remained undefeated in District 28-5A Friday at East Central.

First-place East Central made a serious run at the century mark against Corpus Christi King (0-5 in district), rolling to a 53-30 halftime lead. The final total was a season-high scoring output for the Hornets.

Junior wing Brandon Keno had a breakout game for East Central, scoring 22 points. Senior Dylan Guerrero (15 points), Ethan White (12) and Albert Jimenez (11) also scored in double figures. Patrick Hamilton and Brandon McClure each contributed eight points.

McCollum 77, Memorial 68 (OT)

These District 29-4A teams went to overtime for the second time this season.

Just as they had in their first meeting Dec. 29,  the Cowboys (17-10, 7-2) prevailed Saturday at Edgewood Gym. This time, McCollum outscored hard-luck Memorial (9-27, 4-5) 16-7 in overtime.

It was the third overtime loss in district play for the young Minutemen.

The Minutemen were prepared for the contest, forging an 18-11 lead in the first quarter. McCollum gained the upper hand by outscoring the Minutemen 23-4 in the second quarter. Memorial scored 39 second-half points to overcome the 12-point halftime deficit.

Senior guard Nathan Martinez scored a career-high 30 points for the Cowboys. Angel Loera added 17 points and Tre Johnson contributed 15. Cosmo Cantu and Joey Villarreal each scored 15.

The 1-2 punch of senior Joe Aguilar (26 points) and junior Bryan Obregon (20 points) came through for Memorial. Joseph Aguillen provided 10 points and Albert Machado had eight. 

MORE TO COME

GIRLS BASKETBALL WEEKEND REPORT: Edison fends off scrappy Jefferson for 28-4A win

Sam Houston bounces back for easy win in 28-3A

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Edison, Harlandale, Highlands, Holy Cross, Jefferson, Lanier, McCollum, Memorial, Sam Houston,Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

Two of the scrappier teams in District 28-4A collided Friday at Alamo Convocation Center, with Edison (12-16, 6-7) earning a hard-fought win over Jefferson.

Jefferson (10-14, 5-8) outscored Edison 20-7 in the second quarter to take a 27-23 halftime lead. The Golden Bears pulled ahead 35-33 in the third quarter and held on for the victory. They won 43-39.

Marisa Salas led Edison with 20 points, four steals and three assists. Rachel Campos added 15 points and three steals. Amy Marcos finished with nine rebounds and Paula Moreno had eight.

Adriana Aguinaga scored 16 points for the Mustangs. Angela Hardcastle put in nine points and Sasha Barrientos contributed eight.

Sam Houston 58, Poteet 27

The Hurricanes (7-17, 5-2) bounced back from a loss to first-place La Vernia Tuesday to trounce Poteet (5-22, 2-5) Saturday in Poteet.

Sam Houston established a 15-5 lead in the first quarter and were ahead 32-9 at the half.

Dajah Thomas led the Hurricanes with 14 points. Dominique Green contributed 12 points. Dominique Green scored eight.

McCollum 42, Memorial 32

The fourth-place Cowboys (9-16, 5-6) established a 20-7 halftime lead Saturday for a District 29-4A win over Memorial (4-24, 0-11) at McCollum.

Senior Emilee Almazan was McCollum’s scoring leader with 18 points. Aileen Alonzo chipped in with 11 points. Elva Rios also was in double figures with 10 points.

Sophomore Larrisa Lopez led the Minutemen with 15 points. Lucinda Mireles scored eight.

Burbank 49, Fox Tech 23

The Bulldogs (6-21, 3-10) outscored Fox Tech (5-20, 2-10) in each quarter Friday in a District 28-4A  at Lanier.

Senior Alejandra Martinez led Burbank with 16 points. Freshman Cory Sepulveda added eight points.

Ashwini Bhakta led the Buffaloes with 11 points.

Highlands 69, YWLA 27

The Owls (21-11, 10-4) defeated Young Women’s Leadership Academy (1-23, 0-13) in a District 28-4A game Saturday at Alamo Convocation Center.

Sophomore Jazmine Jackson led Highlands with 16 points. Aaliyah Prince provided 15 points. Kiara Pesina scored 10 points. Jessica Herrera added eight points.

The Cardinals received seven points apiece from Azel Garza and Clarissa Castro.

MORE TO COME

GIRLS BASKETBALL MID-WEEK REPORT: Brackenridge comeback nets win over Highlands

Southside blasts Memorial, ties for third in 29-4A

TEAMS INCLUDED:Brackenridge, East Central, Edison, Fox Tech, Highlands, Jefferson, Kennedy, Lanier, Memorial, Providence, Sam Houston, South San, Southside, Southwest.

Photos taken by KJ Toso. To view more photos or to purchase photos, please visit: kjtoso.photoreflect.com

Providence freshman Gabriele Mitchell scored a game-high 15 points against Antonian.
Providence freshman Gabriele Mitchell scored a game-high 15 points against Antonian.
Providence freshman Gabby Gutierrez battles an Antonian defender for possession.
Providence freshman Gabby Gutierrez battles an Antonian defender for possession.
Providence freshman Christiana Howell (11) gets rebounding position against Antonian's Jazmin Howard (23).
Providence freshman Christiana Howell (11) gets rebounding position against Antonian’s Jazmin Howard (23).

Highlands made second-place Brackenridge (22-5, 11-1) work hard for its fourth-consecutive District 28-4A victory Wednesday at Alamo Convocation Center.

The third-place Owls (20-11, 9-4) overcame a 12-7 first-quarter deficit to lead 29-25 at the half. The Eagles led 43-42 after the third quarter. Brack prevailed over Highlands 58-56.

Senior Miranda Acuna led Brackenridge with 18 points. Backcourt partner Breeann Hernandez added 14  points. Up front, Skyler Reyna scored 10 points and Tevis Thomas finished with eight.

Sophomore Aaliyah Prince (10 rebounds) once again was Highlands’ leading scorer with 19 points, but she had support from classmate Jazmine Jackson (16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocked shots). Prince made three 3-point shots.

Kiara Pesina scored nine points and cleared four rebounds. Emily Pearce contributed five rebounds and four steals to go with seven points.

Southside 66, Memorial 43

The Cardinals (14-13, 6-4) achieved a tie for third place with Harlandale with this District 29-4A win Tuesday at Memorial.

Southside limited the Minutemen (4-23, 0-10) to 14 first-half points while establishing a 17-point lead.

Senior leader Sabrina Guzman produced 20 points for the Cardinals. Mayra Sendejo (14 points) and Kimberly Robles (10) also scored in double figures for Southside. Katherine Mancha added nine points.

Sophomore Larissa Lopez scored well over half of Memorial’s points. She finished with 28.

Lanier 33, Edison 29

The fourth-place Voks (13-14, 9-4) outscored fifth-place Edison  (11-16, 5-7) 8-4 in the first quarter and led at the end of each quarter, although the score remained close Wednesday at Alamo Convocation Center for a District 28-4A win.

The Golden Bears were within 24-23 when the fourth quarter started.

Lanier received a team-high 13 points from Sabrina Cortinas. Ashley Lopez scored 10 points.

Junior Amy Marcos led Edison with 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Marisa Salas was the Golden Bears’ top scorer with 16 points. Senior Paula Moreno added nine points.

East Central 53, South San 46

The Hornets (10-15, 3-3) fortified their hold on fourth place in District 28-5A Tuesday at the Bonewitz Center.

East Central led fifth-place South San (10-17, 1-5) 25-19 at halftime. The Bobcats closed to 36-31 by the end of the third quarter.

The Hornets received 15 points from freshman Brittany Rodgers. Senior Na’Kia Reid added 10 points. Ariel Allen scored nine.

Senior Kim Tobias led South San with 17 points. Desiree Orta and Serina Martintez each scored seven points.

Antonian 41, Providence 32

The Apaches (21-8, 6-0) had their hands full with an inspired Providence (2-18, 1-3) team Tuesday in a TAPPS 2-5A game at the Pro-Vets’ gym.

Antonian led 23-18 at halftime and held the five-point lead heading into the final quarter.

Freshman Gabriele Mitchell led the Pro-Vets with 15 points. Mitchell was the only Providence player in double figures. Esther Knodell was next in the scoring column with five points.

MORE TO COME

BOYS BASKETBALL MID-WEEK REPORT: Buttons begin district play with 16th-straight win

Lanier gets revenge on Edison with overtime victory

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Central Catholic, Edison, Fox Tech, Harlandale, Highlands, Jefferson, Lanier, McCollum, Memorial, Sam Houston, Southside.

Central Catholic (19-6), No. 7 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Large Private School state poll, crunched Austin St. Michael’s 79-32 Wednesday in Austin to record their 16th-consecutive victory.

Tony Lewis led the Buttons with 15 points in their District 2-5A opener. Daniel Kellum added 14 points. Chad Plummer scored 11. P.J. Escobar contributed nine points.

Lanier 45, Edison 44 (OT)

The Voks (19-7, 5-3) outscored Edison (17-10, 6-2) 6-5 in overtime to claim a District 28-4A win Wednesday at the Alamo Convocation Center.

Lanier led 26-23 at halftime. The Golden Bears fought back to take a 30-28 lead at the end of three quarters. It was 41-41 at the end of regulation.

Senior point guard Louis Garza was Lanier’s only double-figure scorer with 14 points. Ajax Reyes, Chris Salazar and Isaiah Vargas each scored seven points.

Junior guard Lorenzo Vela led Edison with 18 points. Senior post Andy Castro scored nine points.

The Golden Bears had defeated Lanier 59-56 in overtime Dec. 20.

Harlandale 89, Medina Valley 52

The Indians (17-11, 6-2) hammered Medina Valley (12-14, 3-5) early and often Tuesday at Harlandale.

Harlandale outscored the Panthers 31-13 in the first quarter and 59-28 in the opening half.

Senior Brandon Ramon led Harlandale with one of the best games in his four-year varsity career. Ramon recorded 24 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

Ram Torres scored 18 points with two three-point baskets. Jesus Maltos made four 3-pointers to finish with 14 points and five rebounds. Jose Salinas sank three 3-pointers for 11 points and dealt three assists. Mando Guerrero supplied 10 points and three steals. Senior Jacob Martinez led Harlandale with nine steals. He also contributed nine points, six rebounds and three assists.

Highlands 57, Burbank 55

The Owls (12-9, 6-2) skated past Burbank (12-15, 3-6) to set up a second-place showdown with Edison. Highlands had to outscore the Bulldogs 20-12 in the final quarter to pull out the District 28-4A victory Wednesday at Lanier.

Highlands built a 17-9 lead in the first quarter, but the Bulldogs forged a 29-29 tie at halftime. Burbank surged into the lead in third, outscoring the Owls 14-8 over the eight-minute span.

Demarcus Hartfield led the Owls with 17 points. Samuel Jackson and Jamaria Moody each contributed nine points.

Burbank received a career-high 28 points from Michael Mascorro (9 rebounds, 4 assists). Moses Montalvo scored nine points with nine rebounds and four assists. Alonzo Ortega grabbed five rebounds.

Highlands will play Edison 1 p.m. Saturday at the Alamo Convocation Center. 

MORE TO COME

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Providence vs. Antonian photo gallery, Jan. 22, 2014 (photos by KJ Toso)

Photos taken by KJ Toso. For more photos or to purchase photos, please visit: kjtoso.photoreflect.com

Providence freshman Gabriele Mitchell scored a game-high 15 points against Antonian.
Providence freshman Gabriele Mitchell scored a game-high 15 points against Antonian.
Providence freshman Christiana Howell (11) gets rebounding position against Antonian's Jazmin Howard (23).
Providence freshman Christiana Howell (11) gets rebounding position against Antonian’s Jazmin Howard (23).
Providence freshman Gabby Gutierrez battles an Antonian defender for possession.
Providence freshman Gabby Gutierrez battles an Antonian defender for possession.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Kennedy vs. Memorial photo gallery, Jan. 17, 2014 (photos by KJ Toso)

Photos taken by KJ Toso. To view more photos or to purchase photos, please visit: kjtoso.photoreflect.com

Memorial senior Joe Aguilar (15) led the Minutemen with 20 points.
Memorial senior Joe Aguilar (15) led the Minutemen with 20 points.
Memorial's Daniel Flores (22) tries to knock a rebound away from Kennedy's Vincent Rios (15).
Memorial’s Daniel Flores (22) tries to knock a rebound away from Kennedy’s Vincent Rios (15).
Daniel Flores (22) of Memorial establishes rebounding position against a pair of Kennedy players, including Jose Espinoza (23).
Daniel Flores (22) of Memorial establishes rebounding position against a pair of Kennedy players, including Jose Espinoza (23).
Kennedy junior Isaac Castro (21) hauls in a rebound against Memorial.
Kennedy junior Isaac Castro (21) hauls in a rebound against Memorial.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Harris shines in Hurricanes’ 28-3A showdown

Sam Houston hits free throws to keep La Vernia at bay

Jordon Harris dissected La Vernia’s defense for 42 points, allowing Sam Houston to silence La Vernia’s comeback in a battle of state-ranked Class 3A teams Tuesday at Alamo Convocation Center.

The Hurricanes (16-9, 4-0), No. 6 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches rankings, made six of eight free throws over the last 2 minutes, 35 seconds to secure a 69-64 win and hold on to first place in District 28-3A. The No. 23 Bears (20-3, 3-1) refused to go quietly despite falling behind 10-2 in the first four minutes.

“Any time a team has had that kind of success, it’s going to be confident,” Sam Houston coach Ike Thornton said. “It was exactly like I expected it to be. I expected it to be a dogfight.

“That’s definitely the type of game we need to play in our district. Coach (Scott) Grubb has done a great job getting them to play tough and to play the right way.”

The game had a playoff atmosphere, aided by Sam Houston’s entourage. In addition to cheerleaders, the school brought its dance team and pep band, both of which performed throughout the contest.

“It was a really big game,” Harris said. “We wanted to show them who was really No. 1.”

Harris converted a one-and-one opportunity at the foul line with 2:35 remaining. The senior guard also nailed two free throws following a three-point basket from La Vernia’s Austin Pickens (19 points), putting Sam Houston ahead 67-60.

It also gave Harris 14 points in the decisive quarter.

“Jordon put us on his shoulders,” Thornton said. “He scored and he shut down their scorer. One of our goals for the game was to play with an undeniable will. For the whole game, I thought they were the ones playing with an undeniable will.

“We had some guys step up in the second half, most notably Jordon. Whether it was getting the big rebound, playing defense or getting the big shot, he was the person to do it.”

The Bears’ Dalton Ruckowitz and sixth-man Justus Parker made quick layups between a pair of game-clinching free throws from Sam Houston sophomore Robert Christian (7 points). The last came after Devin Allen (7 points) claimed one of his eight rebounds.

Harris scored six of the game’s first eight points, while Allen provided the other basket. Harris drove for a layup, scored on the fast-break off a steal from freshman Jawon Anderson (6 points, 4 steals, 2 assists), threw an outlet pass to Allen for a layup and scored on a steal and assist from Anderson in the first three minutes.

That was the signal the 5-foot-11 guard would have a special night. In fact, he recorded a career scoring high.

“We knew coming in (that) he was really good,” said La Vernia guard Colby Sims, who guarded Harris for a portion of the game. “He can do everything. He’s just a good player.”

Sims (28 points) actually had matched Harris point-for-point in the first half. Both had scored 20.

The 6-1 La Vernia wing scored 13 points in the second quarter alone. Sims sank all eight foul shots he attempted during those eight minutes.

“He really took us on his back in the first half,” Grubb said. “He kept us in the game.”

Sam Houston forced eight turnovers in the first quarter, which helped propel it into the lead.

A three-pointer from Sims, .4 seconds before the first quarter launched the Bears’ comeback. It brought them within 18-11 and started a 14-5 spurt that carried them to a 27-25 lead.

“I think, in the first quarter, we were a little shell-shocked,” Grubb said. “I think we weren’t ready for all the fans, the new court and the band.

“I had to remind them that the court was the same size as every other one. But, after that, we got back to playing our type of defense and we played well.”

Both teams had to cope with foul trouble.

Pickens and Parker saw limited playing time for the Bears. The absence of Allen and starter Raymonte Prime, who eventually fouled out, likewise took away two important offensive weapons from the Hurricanes.

“Everybody else had to step up,” Harris said. “We came together as a team.”

The Bears never led by more than two points, but neither did they fall out of striking range.

A fast-break basket from Harris, followed by a pair of free throws from Sims, brought the first half to a close with the Hurricanes leading 33-31. Christian was fouled after a steal – the Bears’ fifth turnover in the quarter – and made both foul shots to give Sam Houston a 43-38cushion with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter.

Sims finished a three-point play and frontcourt sub Nick Simpson scored on an assist from Jonathan Garcia  with 1:39 to play. Suddenly, La Vernia held a 46-45 advantage.

Harris nailed back-to-back three-pointers, his only two of the game, and the Hurricanes finished the quarter ahead 51-49.

Another development during that stretch was that Harris picked up Sims defensively for the rest of the game.

“Jordon wanted to check him earlier in the game,” Thornton said. “We didn’t put him on (Sims), but he kept asking. When we did, he got a couple of baskets. Once Jordon adjusted to what he was doing, he shut him down.”

The La Vernia standout didn’t score in the fourth quarter. “I just wanted to shut him down, every way I could,” said Harris, who had a game-high four assists. “No shots. No easy baskets.”

Although Sims was locked down, the Bears kept clawing.

A shot from Pickens in the left corner brought La Vernia within 57-56 with 5:28 to play. Harris scored six of his team’s next eight points, including that crucial one-and-one that hiked the lead to 65-57.

“We’re playing great,” he said. “We’re playing team ball every single game.”

MORE TO COME

BOYS BASKETBALL: This week’s results (thru Jan. 25)

NOTE: teams we cover are in boldface

Games of Jan. 19-25

Tuesday’s results

District 28-5A

Steele (13-12, 3-1) 68, Corpus Christi Carroll (13-7 ???, 2-2) 58

East Central (18-7, 4-0) 62, South San (12-13, 2-2) 47

Southwest (6-19 ???, 1-3) 84, Corpus Christi King (6-14 ???, 0-4) 68

District 28-4A

Brennan (20-4, 8-0) 71, Jefferson (6-19, 2-6) 30

Brackenridge (12-14, 3-5) 72, Fox Tech (1-23, 0-8) 21

District 29-4A

Floresville (12-11, 8-0) 71, McCollum (16-10, 6-2) 57

Harlandale (17-10, 6-2) 89, Medina Valley (12-14, 3-5) 52

Memorial (8-15 ???, 4-4) 61, Southside (6-21, 1-7) 41

Kennedy (4-20 ???, 2-6) 78, Uvalde (9-15 ???, 2-6) 76

District 28-3A

Hawkins (5-20, 0-3) at Poteet (5-13 ???, 0-3), 7:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

Sam Houston (16-9, 4-0) 69, La Vernia (20-3, 3-1) 64

Pleasanton (8-14, 2-2) 69, Somerset (4-14 ???, 2-2) 66

TAPPS 3-4A

Cornerstone Christian (2-5 ???, 2-2) 69, Austin Regents (11-11, 1-3) 68 (OT)

Holy Cross (7-18 ???, 2-1) 60, Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (2-15 ???, 0-3) 53

Wednesday’s results

resultsDistrict 28-4A

Highlands (12-12 ???, 6-2) 57, Burbank (10-14, 2-6) 55

Lanier (20-6, 6-3) 45, Edison (17-11, 6-2) 44 (OT)

TAPPS 2-5A

Antonian (22-9, 1-0) 49, St. Anthony (16-9 ???, 0-1) 48

Central Catholic (20-6, 1-0) 79, Austin St. Michael’s (7-14 ???, 0-1) 32

Friday’s results

District 28-5A

East Central (18-7, 5-0) 97, Corpus Christi King (6-14 ???, 0-5) 64

Corpus Christi Carroll (13-5 ???, 3-2) 53, South San (12-14, 2-3) 46

Southwest (6-19 ???, 1-3) at Steele (13-12, 3-1), 7:30 p.m. (rescheduled to 2 p.m. Saturday)

District 28-4A

Brennan (21-4, 9-0) 74, Brackenridge (12-15, 3-6) 56

Burbank (11-14, 3-6) 80, Fox Tech (1-24, 0-9) 24

Lanier (21-6, 7-3) 53, Jefferson (6-20, 2-7) 48

District 29-4A

Floresville (12-11, 8-0) at Harlandale (17-10, 6-2), 6:30 p.m. (rescheduled to 11:30 a.m. Saturday) 

Medina Valley (13-14, 4-5) 56, Kennedy (4-21 ???, 2-7) 34

McCollum (16-10, 6-2) vs. Memorial (8-15 ???, 4-4) at Edgewood Gym, 6:30 p.m. (rescheduled to noon Saturday)

Southside (6-21, 1-7) at Uvalde (9-15 ???, 2-6), 6:30 p.m. (rescheduled to 11 a.m. Saturday)

District 28-3A

Pleasanton (8-14, 2-2) at Hawkins (5-20, 0-3), 7:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

Sam Houston (16-9, 4-0) at Poteet (5-13 ???, 0-3), 7:30 p.m. (rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday)

La Vernia (21-3, 4-1) 61, Somerset (4-14 ???, 2-2) 53

TAPPS 2-5A

Central Catholic (20-6, 2-0) 50, Antonian (22-10, 1-1) 34

Corpus Christi John Paul II (16-3 ???, 1-0) 85, Brownsville St. Joseph’s (???, 0-1) 58

TAPPS 3-4A

San Antonio Christian (28-10 ???, 4-0) 73, San Marcos Baptist Academy (5-9 ???, 0-3) 35

Austin Hyde Park Baptist (3-11 ???, 1-1) at Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (2-15 ???, 0-3), 7 p.m. (rescheduled to Saturday ???)

Saturday’s results

District 28-5A

Southwest (7-19 ???, 2-3) 77, Steele (13-13, 3-2) 73

District 28-4A

Edison (18-11, 7-2) 49, Highlands (12-13 ???, 6-3) 46

District 29-4A

Harlandale (18-10, 7-2) 83, Floresville (12-12, 8-1) 77

McCollum (17-10, 7-2) 77, Memorial (8-16 ???, 4-5) 68

Uvalde (10-15 ???, 3-6) 72, Southside (6-22, 1-8) 60

District 28-3A

Sam Houston (17-9, 5-0) 86, Poteet (5-14 ???, 0-4) 28

TAPPS 2-5A

St. Anthony (17-9 ???, 1-1) 72, Austin St. Michael’s (10-14 ???, 2-4) 53

TAPPS 3-4A 

Austin Regents (12-11 ???, 2-3) 66, Holy Cross (7-20 ???, 2-3) 55

TMI (22-8 ???, 4-0) 81, Cornerstone Christian (2-6 ???, 2-3) 43

Victoria St. Joseph (14-14, 3-2) 47, Austin St. Dominic Savio (12-12 ???, 3-2) 45

Austin Hyde Park Baptist (3-11 ???, 1-1) at Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (2-15 ???, 0-3), 7 p.m. (score unavailable)

GIRLS BASKETBALL: This week’s results (thru Jan. 25)

NOTE: teams we cover are in boldface

Games of Jan. 19-25

Tuesday’s results

District 28-5A

Southwest (20-7, 4-2), 65, Corpus Christi King (11-13, 0-6) 46

Steele (20-4, 6-0) 66, Corpus Christi Carroll (23-7, 4-2) 31

East Central (10-15, 3-3), 53, South San (10-17, 1-5) 46

District 28-4A

Brennan (22-0, 13-0) 71, Burbank (5-18 ???, 2-10) 30

Jefferson (10-14, 5-8) 72, Fox Tech (5-21, 2-11) 21

District 29-4A

Medina Valley (20-8, 9-1) 54, Harlandale (17-11, 6-4) 35

Kennedy (9-16, 4-6) 54, Uvalde (8-14, 2-7) 34

Floresville (19-10, 9-1) 69, McCollum (8-16, 4-6) 37

Southside (14-12, 6-4) 66, Memorial (5-22, 1-9) 43

District 28-3A

La Vernia (23-5, 6-0) 59, Sam Houston (5-17 ???, 4-2) 50 

Somerset (12-11 ???, 3-2 ???) 59, Pleasanton (5-22, 2-4) 34

Poteet (5-21, 2-4) 49, Hawkins (2-14 ???, 0-5 ???) 37 

TAPPS 3-4A

TMI (4-7 ???, 0-2) at San Antonio Christian (1-3 ???, 0-0 ???), 7:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (24-5, 3-1) 52, Holy Cross (11-21, 1-3) 34

Cornerstone Christian (10-3 ???, 1-2) 53, Austin Regents (18-5, 3-1) 41

TAPPS 2-5A

St. Anthony (17-7, 3-3) 51, Austin St. Michael’s (11-12, 2-3) 47

Wednesday’s results

District 28-4A

Brackenridge (23-5, 11-1) 58, Highlands (19-11, 9-4) 56

Lanier (12-14 ???, 9-4) 33, Edison (12-18, 5-7) 29

TAPPS 2-5A

Antonian (20-8, 5-0) 41, Providence (2-19 ???, 1-5) 32

Incarnate Word (19-8, 5-2) 41, Corpus Christi John Paul II (9-4 ???, 0-4) 13

Friday’s results

District 28-5A

Corpus Christi Carroll (24-6, 5-1) 78, South San (10-17, 1-5) 39

Corpus Christi King (12-12, 1-5) 35, East Central (9-16, 2-4) 29

Southwest (19-7, 3-2) at Steele (19-4, 5-0), 7:30 p.m. (rescheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday)

District 28-4A

Brackenridge (24-5, 12-1) 58, Lanier (12-15 ???, 9-5) 37

Burbank (6-18 ???, 3-10) 49, Fox Tech (5-21, 2-11) 23

Edison (13-18, 6-7) 43, Jefferson (10-15, 5-9) 39

District 29-4A

Harlandale (17-10, 6-3) at Floresville (18-10, 8-1), 6:30 p.m. (rescheduled for 11:30 a.m. Saturday)

Medina Valley (19-8, 8-1) at Kennedy (8-16, 3-6), 6:30 p.m. (rescheduled, details TBA)

Memorial (5-21, 1-8) at McCollum (8-15, 4-5), 6:30 p.m. (rescheduled for noon Saturday)

Uvalde (8-13, 2-6) at Southside (13-12, 5-4), 6:30 p.m. (rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday)

District 28-3A

La Vernia (23-5, 6-0) 46, Somerset (11-12 ???, 2-3 ???) 39

Sam Houston (5-16 ???, 4-1) at Poteet (4-21, 1-4), 6:15 p.m. (rescheduled for noon Saturday)

Pleasanton (6-21, 3-3), 65, Hawkins (2-14 ???, 0-5 ???) 35

TAPPS 2-5A

Austin St. Michael’s (11-12, 2-3) at Corpus Christi John Paul II (9-3 ???, 0-3), 6 p.m. (rescheduled ???)

TAPPS 3-4A

San Antonio Christian (1-3 ???, 0-0 ???) at San Marcos Baptist Academy (???, 1-1), TBA (score unavailable)

Austin Hyde Park (???, 0-2) at Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (24-5, 3-1), 5:30 p.m. (rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Saturday)

Non-district

Brownsville St. Joseph (???) 41, Antonian (20-9) 37

Saturday’s results

District 28-5A

Steele (20-4, 6-0) 88, Southwest (19-8, 3-3) 47

District 28-4A

Highlands (20-11, 10-4) 69, Young Women’s Leadership Academy (1-23, 0-13) 27

District 29-4A

Floresville (19-10, 9-1) 56, Harlandale (17-11, 6-4) 53

McCollum (9-15, 5-5), 42, Memorial (5-22, 1-9) 32

Southside (14-12, 6-4) 62, Uvalde (8-15, 2-8) 44

Medina Valley (20-8, 9-1) 57, Kennedy (8-17, 3-7) 51

District 28-3A

Sam Houston (6-16 ???, 5-1) 58, Poteet (4-22, 1-5) 27

TAPPS 2-5A

Brownsville St. Joseph (???, 3-1 ???) 32, Antonian (20-10, 5-1) 28

Incarnate Word (20-8, 6-2) 53, St. Anthony (17-8, 3-4) 44

TAPPS 3-4A

Cornerstone Christian (11-3 ???, 2-2) 62, TMI (4-8 ???, 0-3) 35

Austin Regents (19-5, 4-1) 54, Holy Cross (11-22, 1-4) 50

Victoria St. Joseph (24-6, 5-0) 58, Austin St. Dominic Savio (19-11, 3-1) 49

Austin Hyde Park (???, 0-2) at Corpus Christi Incarnate Word (24-5, 3-1), 5:30 p.m. (score unavailable)

BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL: Area rankings (thru Jan. 19)

Through Jan. 19

 

BOYS TOP 15:

1. Central Catholic

2. East Central

3. Edison

4. Lanier

5. Sam Houston

6. McCollum

7. Harlandale

8. South San

9. Highlands

10. Southwest

11. Brackenridge

12. Burbank

13. Memorial

14. Jefferson

15. Kennedy

 

GIRLS TOP 15:

1. Brackenridge

2. Southwest

3. Harlandale

4. Highlands

5. Lanier

6. South San

7. Edison

8. Southside

9. East Central

10. Holy Cross

11. McCollum

12. Kennedy

13. Sam Houston

14. Jefferson

15. Burbank

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Highlands records 20th win of season against Edison

Pearce, Prince lift Owls past determined Golden Bears

 

Highlands guard Aaliyah Prince scored 22 points against Edison.
Highlands guard Aaliyah Prince scored 22 points against Edison.

PLEASE RETURN TO THIS STORY TUESDAY FOR A LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE

 

For a young team, it’s always good to have achievement milestones to measure itself by. Highlands obtained one of those last Friday, when it recorded its 20th victory of the season.

The Owls (20-10, 9-3) defeated Edison (12-17, 5-6) 63-56 at Lanier to reach the 20-win mark for the first time in three years. It has been a long climb for Highlands to that summit. Two years ago, its last in Class 5A, the team finished 6-26 overall and was winless in 10 district games.

This year, Highlands has held third place in District 28-4A for most of the season. Edison is in fifth.

“We’ve been playing really well,” Owls coach Adrianna Wiatrek said. “We didn’t play too well but, before that, I’ve been happy with the way we’re playing. And, of course, we still beat Edison.”

The victory was Highlands’ sixth in seven games.

Highlands had an 11-7 lead after one quarter and Edison was within 31-29 at halftime. The Owls extended their lead in the third quarter, outscoring the Golden Bears 15-10 with help from do-it-all junior Emily Pearce (10 points).

“Emily hasn’t been one of our main scorers,” Wiatrek said, “but she hit back-to-back three(-point baskets). That was what got us over the hump. For the last two games, she’s been at eight or 10 points. She’s usually around two or three points.”

From there, Highlands relied on standout sophomore Aaliyah Prince. Prince produced 22 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, six steals and four blocked shots for her best overall performance of the season.

“Pretty much, Aaliyah put us on her shoulders and carried us,” Wiatrek said. “She only had eight points in the second half. With her defense and getting other girls to score, she kept us going.”

Jazmine Jackson contributed 10 points and freshman guard Kiara Pesina scored eight, but both of them fouled out, so Highlands had to rely on help from junior Jina Lackey (7 points) and senior Mercedes Reyes (6 points).

“Our bench is doing well,” Wiatrek said. “Jina Lackey has been coming off the bench, but she’s used to being a starter. Mercedes Reyes has been doing a pretty good job coming off the bench. She’s been getting rebounds and putting in some shots.”

Junior Amy Marcos led Edison with 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Marisa Salas contributed 13 points and three assists. Jody Alatorre finished with nine points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.

Despite the win, Highlands made just eight of 25 free throws (40 percent).

“One thing we have to improve is our free-throw shooting,” Wiatrek said. “We’re also been giving away too many turnovers. Those are the key aspects we have to fix.”

Highlands was scheduled to face second-place Brackenridge (21-5, 10-1) Wednesday.

The Owls biggest challenges in that game will be their main concerns as they prepare for the playoffs. Brackenridge fed on Highlands mistakes for a 67-45 win Dec. 13, in the first round of district play.

“We’d break the press, but then turn the ball over when we had a two-on-one or three-on-two break,” Wiatrek said. “That game we ended up with 35 turnovers, which is just unheard of. For a team (Brack) that wants to run, that’s like death.”

Obviously, though, the positive Highlands can build on for Wednesday is its ability to break Brackenridge’s press, which fuels the Eagles’ offense.

“It’s a positive and a negative for us,” Wiatrek said. “They want to share the ball that much. It’s good that they want to keep the ball moving and get everybody involved, but we need better decision-making.”

She attributes the decision-making dilemmas to relative inexperience.

“I guess its the maturity level,” Wiatrek said. “I don’t have a true leader. My best players are freshmen and sophomores. So it’s like the young leading the young.”

The benefits will be reaped over the next couple of years, but Highlands has restored itself as a playoff team and a program to watch in Class 4A.

“I still don’t feel like we’ve peaked,” Wiatrek said. “We’re still trying to get to that point. I’ve been telling the girls every day in practice, once it all clicks, you’re going to be amazed.”

BOYS BASKETBALL WEEKEND REPORT: East Central grabs first place in 28-5A battle with Steele

Memorial pulls away from Kennedy in second half

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, East Central, Edison, Highlands, Jefferson, Kennedy, Lanier, Memorial, Sam Houston, South San, Southwest.

Memorial senior Joe Aguilar (15) led the Minutemen with 20 points.
Memorial senior Joe Aguilar (15) led the Minutemen with 20 points.

 

Memorial's Daniel Flores (22) tries to knock a rebound away from Kennedy's Vincent Rios (15).
Memorial’s Daniel Flores (22) tries to knock a rebound away from Kennedy’s Vincent Rios (15).
Daniel Flores (22) of Memorial establishes rebounding position against a pair of Kennedy players, including Jose Espinoza (23).
Daniel Flores (22) of Memorial establishes rebounding position against a pair of Kennedy players, including Jose Espinoza (23).

In a game to determine first place in District 28-5A, East Central asserted home rule. As in, Steele wasn’t going to win in the Hornets’ house.

The Hornets (17-7, 3-0) took charge early and amassed a 45-29 halftime lead. In big games this year, East Central has let opponents catch up in the second half. That didn’t happen Friday. Although Steele (12-12, 2-1) outscored the Hornets by two in the second half at Stan Bonewitz Center, the hosts cruised to a 76-62 victory.

It was East Central’s sixth-consecutive win.

Hornets senior post Albert Jimenez made a statement of his own, recording a career-high 29 points. Senior point guard Ceddrick Ali chipped in 17 points. Brandon McClure supplied 11 points and Jeremy Jones had 10.

Memorial 72, Kennedy 57

Memorial (8-16, 3-4) made its second-half shots Friday at Edgewood Gym to subdue archrival Kennedy (3-20, 1-6). It was the second-consecutive win in the series for the Minutemen.

The Minutemen, who share fourth place in  District 29-4A with Medina Valley (12-13, 3-4), clung to a 29-28 lead at halftime. They turned up the heat thereafter, scoring 43 points in the last 16 minutes.

Memorial senior wing Joe Aguilar was the game’s top scorer with 20 points. Xavier Abrigo supplied 13 points. Bryan Obregon added nine points.

Kennedy was led by junior Isaac Castro with 14 points. Mark Esquivel contributed 13 points. Benny Trevino scored eight points.

Highlands 52, Brackenridge  48

The Owls (11-12, 5-2) got underway with a strong first quarter and held off Brackenridge (12-14, 2-5) down the stretch for a District 28-4A victory.

Highlands jumped out to an 18-9 first-quarter lead, but the Eagles fought back to within 24-22 at halftime.

Demarcus Hartfield produced a team-high 23 points for Highlands. The Owls received 13 points from JerMichael Shirley. Jamaria Moody finished with nine points.

Gabe Hildebrand led Brackenridge with 15 points. Sophomore Richard Wallace added 13 points. Davonte Anderson scored eight.

The Eagles are part of a three-way tie for fifth place with Burbank (11-14, 2-5) and Jefferson (6-17, 2-5).

Sam Houston 95, Pleasanton 49

The Hurricanes (15-9, 3-0) have won their first three District 28-3A games by an average margin of 32.3 points following a victory Friday at Pleasanton (7-14, 1-2).

Sam Houston rolled to a 28-7 first-quarter lead.

Senior Jordon Harris (21 points) was the top scorer among 12 Hurricanes in the scoring column. Devin Allen added 12 points. Jawon Anderson and Kendall Ellis each contributed nine points. Dewayne Brown and Brandon Seals each accounted for eight points.

Lanier 38, Burbank 33

The first half belonged to Burbank, but the fourth-place Voks (17-7, 3-3) rallied to claim a District 28-4A victory Saturday at the Alamo Convocation Center.

Burbank established a 20-15 halftime lead. Lanier bolted into the lead in the third quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 8-2 in the quarter.

Freshman post Isaiah Vargas was Lanier’s team-high scorer with 12 points. Senior point guard Louis Garza finished with eight points and classmate Rodrigo Garcia scored seven.

Juan Castillo led fhe Bulldogs with nine points. Michael Mascorro scorerd eight.

South San 70, Corpus Christi King 59

The Bobcats (12-12, 2-1) moved up to a tie for second place with a District 28-5A win Friday at South San. South San is tied with Corpus Christi Carroll and Steele.

South San led 16-13 at the end of the quarter and steadily built its lead.

Senior wing Eric Alcozer led South San with 22 points. Olando Lopez contributed 19 points. Jesus Samarripas chipped in 14 points.

Edison 50, Jefferson 30

Edison (16-9, 5-1) got a strong challenge from the Mustangs in the first half, but wore them down in the last 16 minutes for a District 28-4A victory Friday at Lanier.

Jefferson led 9-6 in the first quarter and trailed just 23-21 at halftime. Edison slipped away by outscoring the Mustangs 17-5 in the third quarter.

Senior Justin Torres led Edison with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Senior Justin Rodriguez finished with eight points. Antonio Alvarado, Andy Castro (3 steals) and Jared Zapata all grabbed six rebounds for the Golden Bears.

Jefferson received 13 points from Brandon Garcia and nine from Jordan DeLuna.

Corpus Christi Carroll 82, Southwest 81 (OT)

For the second-straight Friday, Southwest (5-19, 0-3) incurred a heart-breaking District 28-5A loss on the road. The Dragons led by 13 points in the third quarter, but couldn’t hold off a ferocious comeback by host Carroll (2-1 in district) to send the game into overtime.

Individual scoring for Southwest was unavailable.

BOYS BASKETBALL: McCollum defeats Harlandale, takes second in 29-4A

Guerrero leads Harlandale with 16 points

PLEASE RETURN TO THIS STORY TUESDAY FOR A LINK TO THE SOUTHSIDE REPORTER WEBSITE

McCollum has been at its best under pressure during the District 29-4A.season, and that was never more true than last Friday at Harlandale.

The Cowboys (16-9, 6-1) won in double overtime against Memorial and in overtime against Kennedy. So McCollum was on familiar turf when Harlandale (16-10, 5-2) tied the score late in the game. It weathered the storm for a 75-68 victory.

“One of my assistant coaches made that point after the game,” McCollum coach Luke MacKay said. “We’ve played nothing but close games in our district. They’re used to the pressure. It was a close game into the second half, so I think it did help.”

The teams entered the game tied for second place in  District 29-4A. McCollum’s sixth-consecutive win vaulted it into second place while the Indians fell to third.

McCollum got some separation from Harlandale in the third quarter, when it outscored the Indians 25-13 to build a two-point halftime lead.

“It was a back-and-forth game except for the third quarter,” MacKay said, “when we wrested control from them a little bit. Our defense and rebounding were a little better. They have a high-potential scoring offense, so that was important.

“We just stuck to what we were doing (offensively), but we took better care of the ball. Their overall team speed is really phenomenal. It seems like they can be in multiple places at once.”

A rare four-point play from senior guard Nathan Martinez (15 points ) helped the Cowboys keep Harlandale at bay in the fourth quarter.

“They tied it up in the fourth quarter and we made a couple of free throws,” MacKay said. “They went small. They put out five little guys, but we were able to hold on.”

Harlandale scored 26 points in the quarter, but McCollum made its free throws down the stretch for the win.

“Joey Villarreal made some really big plays,” MacKay said. “Tre Johnson was outstanding all night. He had a double-double (in points and rebounds).”

A McCollum freshman also sparked the team’s finishing kick. Santiago Vasquez (10 points) converted a steal into a fast-break layup late in the game.

“Coming off the bench, he made a big impact,” MacKay said. “He’s a talented player and that was a big play when they were making a run. He was able to finish among three Harlandale guys.”

“Santiago scored 10 big points, but he also made some big defensive plays that helped us protect the lead.”

Senior Nathan Martinez led McCollum with 15 points. Villarreal scored 13 points for McCollum. Angel Loera and Cosmo Cantu contributed 12 points apiece. Johnson added 10 points to go with double-digit rebounds.

Senior Mando Guerrero led Harlandale with a 16-point outing. George Rodriguez produced 11 points and Joshua Rodriguez scored 10. Jesus Maltos added nine.

McCollum has an important test looming Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Cowboys will play host to first-place Floresville (11-11, 7-0). The Tigers’ size will present problems for McCollum.

“They have really good size,” MacKay said, “and because of that, they’re really a tough matchup for ourselves and the rest of the district.”

Floresville defeated the Cowboys 68-32 Dec. 20 in Floresville, which put a team that had been inconsistent with only flashes of its potential in the non-district season in the 29-4A lead.

“That probably was our worst game of the year,” MacKay admitted. “We really cracked under the pressure of our first district game. We were up 7-0, then they stole it and dunked it, and it just went downhill from there. “Now we’ve played a double-overtime game, an overtime game and played in that hostile environment at Harlandale. The guys have learned to deal with that kind of game. They don’t let it get to them too much.”

Harlandale will play host to rapidly improving Medina Valley (12-13, 3-4) Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Results of last 10 Harlandale-McCollum games

LAST 10 HARLANDALE-McCOLLUM GAMES

Harlandale 5 wins, McCollum 5 wins

Date                Harlandale         McCollum           Location

Jan. 17, 2014        68                       75                    Harlandale

Feb. 12, 2013        60                       39                    Harlandale

Jan. 18, 2013        62                       32                    McCollum

Feb. 14, 2012        60                       62                    McCollum

Jan. 20, 2012        44                       48                     Harlandale

Dec. 3, 2011          67                       60                    South San

Feb. 15, 2011        65                       74                     Harlandale

Jan. 21, 2011        61                       75                     McCollum

Feb. 16, 2010        66                       46                     McCollum

Jan. 22, 2010        62                        53                    Harlandale

GIRLS BASKETBALL WEEKEND REPORT: Sam Houston crushes Pleasanton for fourth-straight win

Herrera steps up to lead Harlandale past McCollum

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Harlandale, Holy Cross, Kennedy, McCollum, Memorial, Sam Houston, South San, Southwest, Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

Brackenridge's Skyler Reyna (31), guarding Highlands' Kiara Pesina (1) in a recent game, scored 15 points against YWLA.
Brackenridge’s Skyler Reyna (31), guarding Highlands’ Kiara Pesina (1) in a recent game, scored 15 points against YWLA.

Sam Houston started kind of slow, but overwhelmed their hosts over the next three quarters at Pleasanton for a 67-26 victory.

It was the fourth-consecutive District 28-3A win for the Hurricanes (6-16, 4-1).

Pleasanton (4-20, 1-2) was within 15-11 after a quarter. Sam Houston outscored the Eagles 24-5 over the next eight minutes. The second half belonged to the Hurricanes, who limited Pleasanton to just 10 points.

Senior Dominique Green led a balanced Sam Houston lineup with 13 points. Dionna Camino scored 12.   Jasmine Darden contributed 10 points. Dajah Thomas and Jazmyne Perkins each scored eight points.

Harlandale 56, McCollum 35

The Indians (17-10, 6-3) cemented their hold on third place in District 29-4A victory Friday with a win over the rival Cowboys (8-15, 4-5) at McCollum.

Junior Elizabeth Herrera produced one of her best offensive games for Harlandale with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Connie Garza added 16 points, eight rebounds and eight blocked shots. Justyne Perez finished with 12 points, four rebounds and four steals. Kelly Landin scored six points, claimed five rebounds and made four steals.

Senior Emilee Almazan led McCollum with 24 points. Miranda Moreno scored seven points.

South San 66, Corpus Christi King 48

The Bobcats (10-16, 1-4) won their first District 28-5A game Friday at Corpus Christi King (11-12, 0-5).

Senior Kim Tobias erupted for a career-high 32 points, leading South San to victory. Desiree Orta scored 12 points and Lauren Estrada added 11 as the Bobcats turned up the tempo.

The Mustangs led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter. The Bobcats stepped things up afterward, breaking out with 25 points in the second quarter and 20 in the third.

South San ended a six-game losing streak.

Lanier 57, Fox Tech 8

The fourth-place Voks (12-14, 8-4) kept Fox Tech (5-20, 2-10) scoreless in two quarters Saturday morning at the Alamo Convocation Center for a District 28-4A win.

Lanier gained an 18-point advantage in the first quarter. The Voks were led by Sabrina Cortinas with 15 points. Ruby Garza was credited with 10 points and Kim Garza added nine. Amber Laque chipped in eight points.

Ruby Chapa led the Buffaloes with four points.

Holy Cross 45, TMI 36

The Knights (11-20, 1-2) claimed a TAPPS District 3-4A Friday at TMI.

Holy Cross broke open a close game in the third quarter. The Knights outscored the Panthers 17-7 in the quarter.

Senior Joslyn Flores led Holy Cross with 15 points. Brianna Salinas contributed 11 points. Julia Flores added eight points.

Kennedy 48, Memorial 30

The Rockets (8-16, 3-6) raced out of the gate to a 15-9 lead and never looked back in their second win over rival Memorial (4-22, 0-9) in the District 29-4A season Friday at Kennedy. Kennedy also defeated the Minutemen in the Edgewood ISD Tournament.

Junior Esmeralda Manzanares scored 14 points for the Rockets. Amalee Ramos added 12 points. Cameron Orta scored eight.

Memorial received a team-high seven points from senior Justine Davila.

Brackenridge 75, YWLA 31

The second-place Eagles (21-5, 10-1) recorded their third-consecutive District 28-4A win  Friday at Alamo Convocation Center, defeating Young Women’s Leadership Academy (1-22, 0-12)

YWLA was within 24-15 at the end of the first quarter. Brackenridge outscored the Cardinals 22-9 over the next two quarters.

Senior guard Miranda Acuna led the Eagles with 21 points. Breeann Hernandez and Skyler Reyna each added 15 points.

Sophomore Karease Williams led YWLA with nine points. Azel Garza scored eight.

Corpus Christi Carroll 66, Southwest 58

Corpus Christi Carroll (23-5, 4-1) won the District 28-5A  second-place showdown Friday at Southwest.

Southwest (20-8, 3-2) took a 23-16 lead in the first quarter and led 40-33 at halftime. The Tigers outscored the Dragons 20-11 in the third quarter and Southwest wasn’t able to catch up.

Senior standout Tiffani Rodriguez led Southwest with 18 points. Alexandra Busby added 13 points.

Darias Whittington scored 18 points for Carroll.

GIRLS BASKETBALL MID-WEEK REPORT: Southwest holds second place in 28-5A with win over East Central

Southside cools off Cowboys, forges fourth-place tie in 29-4A

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, East Central, Edison, Fox Tech, Harlandale, Highlands, Jefferson, McCollum, Sam Houston, Southside, Southwest, Young Women’s Leadership Academy.

Southwest (20-7, 3-1) cleared a bit of the second-place logjam in District 28-5A Tuesday with a 60-52 victory over East Central (9-14, 2-2) at the Stan Bonewitz Center. The Dragons can have second to themselves with a win Friday at Southwest.

The Dragons and East Central entered the game tied with Corpus Christi Carroll, which defeated Corpus Christi King 57-46 Tuesday,  for second place. Southwest will play host to Carroll (22-5, 3-1) at 7 p.m. Friday.

East Central, which fell to fourth place with the loss, led 36-28 at halftime. The Dragons outscored the Hornets 26-12 in the third quarter and hung on through a slowdown fourth quarter.

Senior standout Tiffani Rodriguez led Southwest with 20 points. Junior post Cheyenne Ortiz contributed 11 points.

Freshman Brittany Rodgers scored a team-best 19 points for East Central. Junior Taylor Lewis added 11 points and Miranda Olmos had 10.

Southside 58, McCollum 50

The Cardinals (12-12, 4-4) recorded their second-consecutive high profile win in District 29-4A Tuesday, stopping McCollum’s winning streak at four games.

Southside, which won its third-straight game, moved into a fourth-place tie with the Cowboys (8-14, 4-4) because of the win. The Cardinals also raised both their regular season and district records to .500. They upset third-place Harlandale (16-10, 5-3) last Friday.

McCollum was within three points at halftime. Southside outscored the Cowboys 31-20 in the final 16 minutes at Southside.

Senior point guard Sabrina Guzman erupted for 24 points to lead the Cardinals. Guzman also dealt three assists and made two steals. Mayra Sendejo contributed 17 rebounds and 16 points. Desiree Rodriguez scored 10 points.

Individual scoring information for McCollum was not available.

Harlandale 52, Uvalde 43

The Indians (14-9, 2-0) tuned up for their Friday rivalry game at McCollum with a District 29-3A victory     over Uvalde (8-13, 2-6) at Harlandale.

Coming off a loss to Southside, Harlandale asserted its offense early, outscoring the Coyotes 23-11 in the first quarter. The Indians took a commanding 43-27 lead into the fourth quarter.

Senior post Connie Garza produced an outstanding game for Harlandale, making 10 of 11 field-goal attempts for 20 points. Garza also grabbed 16 rebounds and made two steals.

Indians guard Justyne Perez finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Elizabeth Herrera scored 10 points to go with seven rebounds. Senior Kelly Landin added five rebounds.

Sam Houston 33, Somerset 24

The Hurricanes (5-16, 3-1) won their third-consecutive game in District 28-3A Monday at the Alamo Convocation Center on the strength of their fourth-quarter performance against Somerset (10-11, 1-2).

The teams were tied 21-21 after three quarters. Sam Houston limited the Bulldogs to three points in the last eight minutes.

Junior Monisha Jones led a balanced Hurricanes lineup with nine points. Dionna Camino scored eight.

Highlands 70, Fox Tech 23

The third-place Owls (19-10, 8-3) approached their 20th victory of the season with a win over Fox Tech (5-19, 2-9) Tuesday at Lanier.

Highlands led 25-5 after a quarter and held the Buffaloes to 10 points in the first half.

Sophomore Aaliyah Prince led the Owls with 15 points. Freshman guard Kiara Pesina had 12 points. Jazmine Jackson contributed 10 points. Emily Pearce chipped in eight points.

Ashwini Bhakta recorded a team-high 15 points for Fox Tech.

Jefferson 50, Burbank 35

The sixth-place Mustangs (9-12, 4-6) recorded a key District 28-4A win over the Bulldogs (5-20, 2-9), who share seventh place with Fox Tech, Tuesday at the Alamo Convocation Center.

Jefferson established a 22-14 halftime lead.

Senior Sasha Barrientos led the Mustangs with 15 points. Angela Hardcastle scored 11. Melanie Ybarra added 10 points and Mary Loera had nine.

Junior Olivia Cardenas finished with a team-high 12 points for Burbank.

Edison 65, YWLA 30

The Golden Bears (11-15, 5-5) remained in fifth place with the District 28-4A victory over Young Women’s Leadership Academy (1-21, 0-11) Tuesday at the Edison.

Sophomore Rachel Campos led Edison with 18 points and seven steals. Marisa Salas also forced seven steals to go with nine points and six assists. Amy Marcos scored nine points and claimed six rebounds.

Senior post Paula Moreno had a team-high 17 rebounds for the Golden Bears. Jody Alatorre added 12 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Jasmin Chapa made five steals and Jessica Torres distributed three assists.

Junior Clarissa Castro led the Cardinals with eight points. Senior Serina Trevino contributed seven points.

BOYS BASKETBALL MID-WEEK REPORT: Central Catholic makes a meal of FEAST for 14th-straight win

Burbank snaps three-game losing streak, beats Jefferson

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Burbank, Central Catholic, Edison, Fox Tech, Harlandale, Highlands, Jefferson, Lanier, McCollum, Memorial, Sam Houston, Southside.

Central Catholic (17-6), No. 6 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coahes Large Private School state poll, drubbed FEAST 73-37 Tuesday at the Buttons’ gym for its 14th-consecutive victory.

FEAST (10-14), a team comprised of home-schooled students, faced an uphill against streaking Central Catholic. The Buttons led 23-4 after a quarter.

Senior post Daniel Kellum led the Buttons with a career-high 26 points. Another big man, junior Tony Lewis, finished with 12 points. Nine other Central Catholic players scored, but none scored more than six points.

The Buttons’ winning streak is safe for at least eight more days. Central Catholic won’t play again until Jan. 22 when it embarks on its District 2-5A schedule at Austin St. Michael’s.

Central Catholic hasn’t lost since Nov. 23 against MacArthur in the NEISD Tournament.

Burbank 54, Jefferson 45

The Bulldogs (11-13, 2-4) ended a three-game losing streak with a convincing District 28-4A victory at Lanier. Jefferson (6-16, 2-4) edged Brackenridge by four points in overtime last Friday in its previous game and owned a two-game winning streak.

Burbank outscored Jefferson 28-21 in the second half to claim the win.

The Bulldogs’ Michael Mascorro led all scorers with 15 points. Juan Castillo added 13 points for Burbank.

Jefferson received 13 points from Jordan DeLuna and 11 from Brandon Garcia.

Sam Houston 78, Somerset 46

The Hurricanes (14-9, 2-0) rolled to their second District 28-3A victory Monday at the Alamo Convocation Center, defeating Somerset (5-18, 0-1) at Sam Houston.

Sam Houston, No. 6 in the TABC Class 3A state poll, charged to a 41-24 halftime lead.

Hurricanes senior Jordon Harris was the game-high scorer with 18 points. Devin Allen scored 14. Raymonte Prime produced 10 points for the second-straight game. Senior Brandon Seals added eight points.

East Central 78, Southwest 56

The Hornets (16-7, 2-0) recorded their second-consecutive District 28-5A win and fifth overall Tuesday at Southwest.

Individual scoring for East Central was unavailable.

Senior guard Brian Perez led Southwest (5-18, 0-2) with 15 points and nine rebounds. Ricardo Garcia scored nine points and Latrel Grant had eight. Aaron Embry grabbed seven rebounds. Senior Tony Rodriguez and freshman Tristan Quintana each dealt three assists.

Highlands 70, Fox Tech 19

The Owls (10-9, 4-2) crunched Fox Tech (1-21, 0-6) behind 29 points from sophomore wing Demarcus Hartfield Tuesday at Lanier.

Highlands took a 29-7 lead in the opening quarter and kept the Buffaloes scoreless in the fourth quarter.

Owls junior Noel Ramirez contributed eight points.

Fox Tech was led by senior Santos Vargas with seven points.

McCollum 78, Southside 58

The Cowboys (15-9, 5-1) prepared for their Friday showdown at rival Harlandale with a dominating victory over Southside (6-19, 1-5) Tuesday at McCollum. Harlandale and McCollum share second place in District 29-4A.

Senior guard Nathan Martinez led the Cowboys’ attack with 22 points. Tre Johnson added 18 points. Cosmo Cantu and Joey Villarreal each scored 15.

Senior post Drevon Brown led Southside with 22 points. Ben Phillips chipped in 12 points. David Garza added eight points.

Lanier 55, Brackenridge 36

The Voks (17-7, 3-3) moved into fourth place in District 28-4A with a victory over Brackenridge (12-13, 2=4) Tuesday at the Alamo Convocation Center. The Eagles are tied with Burbank (11-13, 2-4) and Jefferson (6-16, 2-4) for fifth.

Lanier romped to a 22-6 advantage in the first quarter, but Brackenridge closed to 25-20 at halftime. Lanier put the game out of reach with 30 points in the second half.

Senior Ajax Reyes led the Voks with 15 points. Louis Garza broke out of a scoring slump with 12 points. Freshman post Isaiah Vargas contributed 10 points.

Senior sharpshooter Gabe Hildebrand led Brackenridge with 17 points.

Harlandale 74, Uvalde 39

The Indians (16-9, 5-1) broke open a 14-13 game in the second quarter Tuesday in Uvalde. Harlandale outscored the Coyotes (9-13, 2-4) 18-8 in the second period and never looked back in the District 29-4A victory.

Harlandale senior post Ram Torres had team-high totals of 10 points and 10 rebounds.  Joshua Rodriguez (3 steals, 3 assists),  Joshua Rodriguez (5 assists) and Jose Salinas (3 three-pointers) all scored nine points for the Indians. Seniors Brandon Ramon (5 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists) and Armando Guerrero (7 rebounds) each scored eight points. Jesus Maltos added five steals.

Brennan 48, Edison 44

Edison (16-9, 5-1) tied the score late in the game on a three-point basket from Jared Zapata, but the Bears (20-4, 6-0), ranked No. 14 in the TABC Class 4A state poll, scored the last four points Monday at the Alamo Convocation Center to  escape the upset bid in District 29-4A.

The victory gave Brennan first place in the district, while the Golden Bears slipped to second.

Oluwatobi Osidele (15 points) gave Brennan the lead with 29.6 seconds left. Guard Da’Shawn Key (16 points), best known as the Bears’ football quarterback, then stole the ball and added a pair of insurance free throws. Brennan’s top scorer for the season, Jordan Murphy, injured a knee during the game and finished with five points.

Junior guard Lorenzo Vela led Edison with 18 points. Senior post Andy Castro scored nine points.

Senior post Drevon Brown led Southside (6-18, 1-4) with 15 points. Ben Phillips supplied 11 points and

Medina Valley 44, Memorial 43 (OT)

Medina Valley (11-13, 2-4) outscored the Minutemen 3-2 in a strategic overtime session to earn the win in District 29-4A. It was the second time in three games that Memorial (7-16, 2-4) had played overtime.

The Minutemen, who had won their previous two games, trailed just 18-17 at halftime and forged a 30-30 tie by the end of the third quarter. Both teams scored 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Senior Joseph Aguillen led Memorial with 13 points. Adam Villanueva supplied 11 points.

Six-foot-5 Joseph Dauphin led the Panthers with 16 points. Medina Valley had lost its previous two games.

GIRLS BASKETBALL WEEKEND REPORT: Southside upsets Harlandale with fourth-quarter comeback

 

Southwest guard Alexandra Busby (3) scored 21 points against South San.
Southwest guard Alexandra Busby (3) scored 21 points against South San.

Lanier survives another test in 28-4A

TEAMS INCLUDED: Brackenridge, Edison, Harlandale, Kennedy, Lanier, McCollum, Sam Houston, South San, Southwest, Southside.

Southside (11-12, 3-4) trailed 31-27 entering the fourth quarter Friday at Harlandale, but the Cardlnals rallied behind their defense to pull out a 38-37 victory.

The Cardinals outscored Harlandale (15-10, 4-3) 11-6 in the decisive quarter. The teams were tied 8-8 at the end of a quarter, but Southside built an 18-13 halftime lead. The Indians responded by outscoring the Cardinals 18-9 in the third quarter.

Senior Desiree Rodriguez made two 3-point shots and led a balanced Southside lineup with 10 points. Mayra Sendejo finished with nine points, six rebounds and three steals. Point guard Sabrina Guzman scored eight points, claimed five rebounds, made four steals and dealt three assists. Katherine Mancha also grabbed five rebounds for the Cardinals.

Harlandale individual statistics weren’t available.

Lanier 39, Burbank 37

The fourth-place Voks (11-13, 7-3) recorded their second two-point , District 29-4A win of the week Friday at the Alamo Convocation Center, edging Burbank (5-19, 2-8). Lanier defeated Jefferson 47-45 Tuesday at the ACC.

Burbank led 11-8 at the end of a quarter. The Voks gained a 24-23 halftime lead.

Sophomore Ruby Garza led Lanier with 22 points. No other Voks players scored more than four points.

Senior Alejandra Martinez had 19 points for the Bulldogs. Abigail Macias added nine points.

Southwest 64, South San 43

Coming off a tough loss to district leader Steele, the Dragons (19-7, 2-1) took charge early in this District 28-5A game at Southwest.. The home team led rival South San (9-15, 0-3) 25-7 after a quarter Friday and 43-14 at the half.

Sophomore wing Alexandra Busby continued to emerge as an offensive weapons for the Dragons. Busby led all scorers with 21 points. Senior Tiffani Rodriguez added 16 points.

Senior Kimberly Tobias led the Bobcats with 14 points. Junior Jennifer Sifuentes scored eight.

Sam Houston 69, Hawkins 22

The Hurricanes (4-16, 2-1) won their second-consecutive game Friday, blasting District 28-3A rival Hawkins (2-15, 0-3) at Sam Houston.

Senior Chardonnay Green led Sam Houston with 24 points. Dionna Camino contributed 13 points. Jasmine Darden added nine points.

McCullom 51, Kennedy 35

The Cowboys (8-13, 4-3) won their fourth-consecutive game Friday at McCollum, defeating Kennedy (7-15, 2-5) in a District 29-4A contest. McCollum experienced no letdown after knocking Medina Valley out of first place Tuesday – a spot the Panthers regained a share of with a victory at Floresville Friday.

Senior sharpshooter Emilee Almazan led McCullom against the Rockets with 16 points. Miranda Moreno contributed 11 points. Aileen Alonzo and Elva Rios chipped in eight points apiece.

Kennedy received 12 points from junior Amelee Ramos. Cameron Orta added eight points.

Brackenridge 64, Edison 39

The second-place Eagles (20-5, 9-1) overpowered Edison (10-16, 4-5) early Friday at Lanier. Brackenridge jumped out to a 25-5 first-quarter lead.

Senior Breeann Hernandez led the Eagles with 18 points Skyler Reyna finished with 17 points. Miranda Acuna scored eight.

Senior point guard Marisa Salas was the leading scorer for Edison with 13 points. Amy Marcos added eight points, four rebounds and four steals. Paula Moreno corralled a team-best nine rebounds. Jody Alatorre had four rebounds and three steals.