Girls basketball playoff roundup: Crowley, Bell secure wins plus more from Fort Worth-area
The Texas high school girls basketball playoffs are here.
The bi-district round kicked off on Monday, and plenty of teams from the Fort Worth-area competed. See results, stats and more in the Fort Worth-area bi-district roundup.
L.D. Bell survives Keller Fossil Ridge
Without the services of one of its top players due to injury, the Hurst L.D. Bell girls basketball team was able to survive three missed shots by Keller Fossil Ridge in the final 15 seconds of the game to pull out a 45-43 win in a Class 6A, bi-district game on Monday at Grapevine High School.
L.D. Bell (30-4) advances to the area round and will face El Paso Eastwood (26-5) later this week. Fossil Ridge, the second seed of of District 4-6A, ends its season at 19-12.
After a close opening quarter, L.D. Bell jumped out to a 22-14 lead after a bucket by Madi Capers, off an assist from Gracie Schwartz, with 50 seconds left in the second quarter. Capers led the Blue Raiders with 14 points.
But Fossil Ridge rallied with a 13-2 run in the third quarter and the Panthers took a 29-27 lead on a basket by Avy Reed at the 1:33 mark.
Two, big three pointers by Katelyn Tietjen and Hannah Due late in the fourth quarter put the Blue Raiders up 43-35. But the Panthers clawed back to within 45-43 after Adriana Robles, the game’s leading scorer with 18, made one of two free throws with 36 seconds left.
With 15 ticks left, Mackenzie Watkins tried a three that was missed. Robles missed a short jumper with five seconds left, but a jump ball on the rebound gave the ball back to Ridge.
Reed got open for a three just before time ran out, but the ball bounced off the front of the rim and was corralled by Jaida James for L.D. Bell as the buzzer sounded.
L.D. Bell was ranked as high as No. 11 in the state after winning 28 of its first 29 games of the season with its only setback being a 45-39 loss to Keller on November 30th.
But following an injury Enyce Williams, the Blue Raiders lost three of their last four games in the regular season to finish as the third seed out of District 3-6A. L.D. Bell dropped to No. 25 in the final Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 6A state poll.
“We lost a huge piece of what we do,” said L.D. Bell coach Andy Bloodworth. “One of our main players is out for the season with an ACL so losing her was rough.
“She’s our Swiss army knife to be honest. The good thing is that the other girls have worked hard all year and they have found a way to step in and keep the train on the tracks so to speak. It was a good win tonight against a solid team.”
Williams tore the ACL on her right knee a season ago and did the same thing to her left knee in late January.
Crowley soars past Keller Central
Keller Central made its first playoff appearance in 17 years, but the run was short lived.
Crowley (27-6), the No. 2 ranked Class 6A team in the Fort Worth-area, defeated Keller Central 54-38 on Monday at W.G, Thomas Coliseum in the bi-district round of the playoffs. Crowley head coach Ronnie Nichols said “good team basketball” was played as the team fought through last minute rotation changes due to a sick player.
“We took some punches that they delivered and was able to handle them,” Nichols said. “Defensively, I think we played well. We made some adjustments.”
The Central Chargers (14-15) defeated Keller Timber Creek in the regular season finale to earn the playoff appearance.
Central head coach Brittany Foster credited her team for showcasing perseverance throughout the season and fighting for a playoff spot.
“My girls fought,” Foster said. “They’ve been amazing. It’s not the result we wanted, but it’s now an expectation at Keller Central that we’re going to make the playoffs.”
Crowley took a 6-0 lead to start from three pointers by Adiah McGee and Jordan Crawford. The Eagles led the rest of the way, but Central kept finding ways to make the game competitive.
Central cut the Crowley lead to three points with a few minutes left in the first half, but a 6-0 Eagle run re-stretched the lead. The Chargers sunk back-to-back three pointers to start the second half, staying in the game.
Crowley finished an 11-0 run early int he fourth quarter, putting the game out of reach for Central. Nichols said to keep the momentum the team will need good team defense, discipline and execution.
Junior London Harden tallied a game high 15 points for Crowley. Her performance was the foundation of Crowley’s offensive production.
“She is an outstanding young lady,” Nichols said. “Offense, defense. Whatever we need. She is constantly pressuring the ball.”
Crowley, No. 12 in the state in 6A according to the TABC, will face No. 19 Wolfforth Frenship (32-3) in the area round. Nichols said he was proud of how his team navigated injuries and roster changes.
“They played really well tonight,” Nichols said. “Our guards have done a really great job accepting the challenge, stepping up and battling inside and out every night.”
Southlake Carroll pulls away, eliminates North Crowley
Southlake Carroll played close with North Crowley in the first half but pulled away in the second to secure a 57-40 bi-district round win. Sophomore Natalia Jordan dropped 15 points, a team high, for the Lady Dragons.
Southlake Carroll (29-5) led 25-20 at the half and outscored North Crowley (20-11) by six points in both the third and the fourth quarters. North Crowley senior Kendal Robinson led all scorers with 19 points.
The Jordan sisters, led by Natalia Jordan, combined for 50 points. Milania scored 14 points while Gianna and Nadia scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Southlake Carroll, ranked No. 15 in the state by the TABC, will play El Paso Americas (27-6) in the area round at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Midland Christian High School.
Brewer dismantles Fort Worth Southwest
Brewer girls basketball proved why its the No. 2 ranked Class 5A team in the Fort Worth-area with a 90-14 dismantling of Fort Worth Southwest at Wilkerson-Grienes on Tuesday. Brewer has won 10 in a row.
Brewer (29-4) started the contest with a 32 point first quarter, creating an insurmountable lead right from the start. Senior Chania Price led all scorers with 23 points and also outscored the entirety of Southwest’s team by nine points.
Aoloni Woldai scored 16 points while Eryn McKenzie scored 15 points. The fourth Brewer Bear in double digits was Jayla Jackson-Allen, who tallied 14 points.
Brewer will play Colleyville Heritage (22-10) in the area round at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Arlington ISD Athletics Center.
Southwest finishes at 10-14.
Haltom thumped by Highland Park
Haltom struggled to stay competitive with Highland Park, losing 64-19 on Tuesday at the Arlington ISD Athletics Center. Highland Park (26-8) will play Allen (26-9) in the area round at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Carrollton Creekview High School.
Haltom (10-23) scored just seven points in the first half, failing to bounce back after a two point opening quarter. Jasmine Chavez led the Buffaloes with a team nine points. Audrey Walker and Cate Young led Highland Park with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Manfield Lake Ridge’s late surge defeats Waco Midway
Mansfield Lake Ridge turned on the jets in the fourth quarter to take down Waco Midway on Tuesday at Hillsboro High School. Midway (21-12) was on a seven game win streak prior to the bi-district round defeat and only lost one district game.
Lake Ridge, on the other hand, had a 7-7 district play record to claim District 11-6A’s final playoff spot. Of course, rankings and records and thrown out the window once the playoffs begin.
Lake Ridge (19-5) took a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, but only scored three points in the second quarter. Midway took a 30-28 lead into the fourth quarter, where Lake Ridge secured the upper hand.
Lake Ridge junior Joy Egbuna scored a team high 15 points while freshman point guard Jazman Bailey added 10 points. Midway’s Sarah Brown led all scored with 17 points.
Lake Ridge will play Mesquite Horn (20-13) in the area round later this week. Horn defeated Wylie 69-65 in two overtimes on Tuesday to advance.
Boswell cruises past Keller
Keller guard Rebekah Graves’ 30 points weren’t enough as Boswell secured a 76-50 bi-district round victory on Tuesday at Richland High School.
Boswell (32-5), the No. 16 ranked team in the state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, had three scorers with 18 or more points: Junior Camille Williams, freshman Sydney Durrah and sophomore Salena Carrasco.
Carrasco scored a team high 24 points while Durrah and Williams scored 22 and 18 points, respectively.
Boswell, in the area round, will play San Angelo Central (23-11). Keller’s season ends at 16-13.
Aledo races past Fort Worth Wyatt
Aledo jumped out to a 26-3 lead after one quarter and never looked back as the Bearcats ran away from Fort Worth Wyatt 76-40 in a Class 5A bi-district game Tuesday at Saginaw High School.
Four players for Aledo (28-9) scored in double digits led by Kinley Elms with a game-high 23. Brooklyn Dempsey (13 points), Elizabeth Griffin (11) and Natalie Anderson (10) followed with Caroline Browning chipping in nine points.
Zyniesha Horner paced Wyatt (18-12) scoring 17 points with Tianna Johnson adding 11 for the Chaparrals.
Aledo will face Mansfield Timberview (35-1) in the area round on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Cleburne High School. Timberview, the No. 1 team in the state in Class 5A according to the TABC, downed Lake Dallas 66-32.
Argyle stymies Burleson Centennial
Burleson Centennial led 8-7 in the first quarter, but No. 12 Argyle pulled away after that posting a 68-27 win over the Spartans in a Class 5A bi-district game on Tuesday at the Thomas Coliseum in Haltom City.
Argyle (31-5) advances to face Fort Worth Arlington Heights (23-7) in the area round. The game will start at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Haslet Eaton.
Centennial (24-11) trailed 9-8 after the first quarter, but crisp play by the Eagles and poor shooting by the Spartans doomed Centennial.
The Eagles went on a 23-2 run that was finally halted on a three-pointer by Centennial’s Lyric Caldwell with 5:10 left in the third quarter that made the score 32-13.
Caldwell led the Spartans with nine points, all on three-point baskets.
Samantha Bacon sparked the spree for Argyle, scoring 12 of her 16 points in the second and third quarters. Gabby Campbell, who also had 16 points for Argyle, had nine in the third period.
Denton Ryan holds off Burleson
It looked as if the Denton Ryan girls basketball team would run off and leave Burleson early, but the Elks kept battling back.
But in the end the Raiders kept Burleson at arms length to post a 50-37 win over the Elks in a Class 5A bi-district game on Tuesday at the Thomas Coliseum in Haltom City.
Ryan (29-7) jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead on the strength of a pair of Kaylin Jackson baskets, including a three-pointer, that forced a time out by Burleson with 5:18 left in the first quarter.
Burleson (20-14) then proceeded to go on a 7-0 run of its own behind a couple of baskets by Kendall Carlock and a three by Courtlyn Middlebrook.
But Ryan, No. 10 in Class 5A according to the TABC, started to pull away. The Raiders led 17-9 after one quarter and built a 27-12 lead at the half.
Carlock led a comeback for the Elks scoring eight of her team high 15 points during a 10-1 run to start the second half that pulled Burleson to within 28-22 with 4:02 left in the third quarter.
But that was as close as the Elks would get. Jackson accounted for 10 points for Ryan from that point on and finished with a game-high 19.
Kinley Lewis added 12 points for the Raiders. Middlebrook had nine points for Burleson.
Ryan will face Granbury (21-12) in the area round later this week.
This story was originally published February 12, 2024 at 11:37 PM.
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