FW Southwest Christian eliminates district rival, clinches spot in TAPPS state semis

The Fort Worth Southwest Christian girls basketball team is No. 1 in the state in the Class 5A Private School rankings for a reason.

The duo of playmaking twins Arieona and Ariele Rosborough, and a tenacious defense are a tough puzzle to solve. Just ask Fort Worth Christian who was playing the Eagles for the fourth time this season.

The game, between the District 1-5A rivals, was closer than the other three, but Southwest Christian’s 12-2 run late in the second quarter and into the third proved to be too much to overcome as the Eagles downed Fort Worth Christian 51-35 in a TAPPS 5A Regional at Grace Prep Academy.

“Everyone knows that Fort Worth Christian is our rival and they always give us a really good game,” said Arieona Rosborough, who led Southwest with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. “We had one game that was a blow out, but the last time they played really good defense and were making their shots.”

Southwest (23-1) beat FWC by 18, 43 and 19 in the three previous meetings this season.

“This time we knew being the playoffs that anything can happen,” said Arieona. “We knew we had to show up and not take it easy against them.”

The Eagles jumped out to a 13-4 after Arieona Rosborough made a pair of free throws with 6:19 left before the intermission, but Fort Worth Christian (18-7) rallied.

Six made free throws and a three-point basket by Emaline Pearson cut the Southwest lead to 14-13 with 3:11 left in the second quarter, but that’s when the Eagles took off on their 12-2 spree.

When Arieona Rosborough wasn’t scoring she was dishing off to a strong supporting cast including Emily Doane who had nine points for Southwest Christian. Four points came on back-to-back baskets off assits by Arieona during the run. Three of Doane’s four field goals came off assists from Arieona.

“I call Emily Doane my sophomore sensation,” said Southwest Christian coach Larry Menendez, Jr. “She’s stepped up this year tremendously, but our total team is good. Our top six players are going to get out there and they’re going to contribute.”

Ariele Rosborough quietly had an excellent night with 12 points, seven rebounds and nine steals to lead the Eagles’ swarming defense that made it almost impossible for FWC to get close to the basket.

The Cardinals’ first two-point field goal came with six seconds left in the second quarter.

“Wow, Southwest Christian is a fantastic team,” said Fort Worth Christian coach Ben Woodward. “They play in the air and they attack the offensive boards aggressively. Just like everybody else, we had a hard time keeping them off the glass.”

Southwest did lead the game in rebounding, but only 24-20. However, the Eagles did have 14 offensive rebounds to five for FW Christian. Both teams shot about the same, 36% for SCS and 35% for FWC, but Southwest took twice as many shots (53-26).

Fort Worth Christian cut the lead to seven points twice in the second half. The first time, 26-19, on a pair of free throws by Karlie Tenery, who led the Cardinals with 13 points, at the 5:08 mark of the third quarter.

Tenery’s basket with 2:34 left in the third made it 28-21, but FWC would never get any closer. A pair of made free throws by Arieona Rosborough gave SCS its biggest lead at 51-31 with 1:06 left in the game.

“Southwest is really a hand full, but I’m really proud of our team,” said Woodward. “We’ve come a long way. We have a group of six seniors (Madie Devillier, Jill Reed, Kylee Moore, Ava Owen, Avery Crist and K.K. Hooper) that have been playing together since about the third grade and I just couldn’t be more proud.”

Devillier chipped in eight points for the Cardinals with Pearson adding six. Reed had two points, five rebounds and three assists for FWC.

Southwest Christian advances to the state semifinals and will face No. 2 Dallas Christian (18-7) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, back at Grace Prep.

“They’re a fast team and a very skillful team,” said Menendez, who said he had seen Dallas Christian play a couple of times this season. “The thing with us is that we’re just going to get out there and play basketball. I tell my girls all the time to do what you know how to do and do it as good as you can do it.”

This story was originally published March 6, 2021 at 12:34 AM.