Basketball recap: Martin, Bell girls set up matchup; Eaton, Grapevine boys clinch
Girls
Arlington Martin 57, EP Montwood 34
Autumn Smith scored a game-high 16 points and Mariah Roberts added 14 as the fourth-ranked Lady Warriors beat Montwood in a Class 6A Region 1 area round game on Friday at Lamesa.
Martin (34-4) wins its 13th straight game and heads to the regional quarterfinals for the second year in a row and fourth in the past seven seasons.
“The motto for this group is ‘desire only greatness.’ I think there is a hunger and determination to smash the ceiling other Martin teams haven’t been able to bust through,” Martin coach Brooke Brittain said. “We know it isn’t an easy road, but we love the fight and so excited that the opportunity is finally here.”
With another win, Martin will clinch a spot in the regional tournament for the first time in program history.
The Warriors doubled up Montwood 14-7 in the first quarter and held the opposition to five points in both the second and third quarters. Diavian Spencer chipped in 10 points.
LD Bell 79, Amarillo Tascosa 60
In the area round for the first time since 2014, the 12th ranked Lady Blue Raiders got 26 points from New Orleans bound Kyla Davis during their 6A Region 1 matchup at Vernon.
Bell (31-3) will meet Martin, 7:30 pm Tuesday at UTA’s College Park Center.
Twin sophomore sisters Hallie and Jayden Rhodes added 14 points apiece and 4-star Alabama bound Myra Gordon chipped in 11 for the Raiders, who made the regional final in 2014.
Bell outscored Tascosa 26-10 in the opening period. The lead was cut in half by the end of three, but the Raiders won the fourth quarter, 21-10.
Boys
Eaton 50, Timber Creek 45
For the first time in program history, the Eaton Eagles are playoff bound in boys basketball after they beat the Falcons in a 5-6A play-in game at Coppell.
Eaton (18-16) clinches the fourth and final playoff spot and will face 6-6A champ Coppell (28-5) at 7 pm Tuesday at Euless Trinity.
The Eagles led 14-8 after the first quarter and took a 29-19 lead into intermission. Devondre Mayfield and Bobby Maccarthy scored 13 points apiece. Ryan King and Andrew Parker added 7 each.
Grapevine 62, Saginaw 50
The Mustangs wrapped up the first round of district 1-6 after a loss to Chisholm Trail on Jan. 24. Then the program was 2-7 with five games left.
Playoff hopes looked slim.
But Grapevine won its final five regular-season games to force a tie for fourth in 7-5A and then beat Saginaw in a play-in game at Richland.
Grapevine (20-17) will get 8-5A champ Braswell (25-9) in the playoffs, 7 pm Monday at Denton Guyer.
