An inside look at Boswell girls basketball’s elite talent, state championship potential
In the 2023-24 season, Boswell High School girls basketball came within one game of advancing to the state semifinals.
In that season, the Pioneers defied expectations and competed with the best in Texas basketball with a young squad full of potential. This season, they returned several key contributors and also have several fresh faces, setting up a year with high expectations.
Head coach John Reese, the 2023-24 Star-Telegram Coach of the Year, could sense the joy and the willingness to win within the squad. He said that before the season, he knew his team had the talent and dedication to thrive.
“We knew if we could buy in and everybody pulled for each other, we could experience something special,” Reese said. “We have a long way to go, but I like the way it’s headed.”
“Something special” is a perfect way to describe Boswell’s season thus far. The Pioneers, the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches No. 2-ranked Class 6A squad, have a 32-2 record and are 11-0 in District 3-6A play. The team has obvious state championship potential.
Boswell has already clinched the District 3-6A championship. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, at North Crowley High School, they’ll play the Panthers with a chance to secure an undefeated district title, a rare feat of dominance.
“We are one of a kind,” said senior guard Camille Williams, the 2023-24 Star-Telegram Player of the Year. “Each of our talents — It’s something we’ve never seen before. When we play together, it’s like magic.”
Williams is the No. 36-ranked girls basketball player on ESPN’s national recruiting rankings, the No. 4 player in Texas and a Miami commit. She averages 17 points, four assists, eight rebounds and 3.2 steals. Reese calls Williams a leader who “puts in the work and provides a great example for her teammates.
“With her receiving all the attention that she gets, you would think it would all be about her,” Reese said. “But she is one of the most unselfish kids that I’ve coached. … And she stuffs the stat sheet. She comes to workouts early. She stays late.”
Another key performer is guard Haleigh Jackson, one of Boswell’s senior leaders and a University of Arkansas Fort Smith commit who is averaging 15 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. She missed last season due to a UIL executive committee ruling that deemed she transferred for athletic purposes.
“Incredible athlete,” Reese said. “Finishes either hand at the rim. She does whatever we need her to do. She is the front of our press and an energizer. She goes and gets the ball off the rim, and she guards one through five with her athleticism. She is a walking double-double and just so unselfish.”
Boswell also has two underclassmen with strong potential: Sophomore guard Sydney Durrah, the 2023-24 Star-Telegram Newcomer of the Year, and Seleste Massey, an athlete who has been extremely productive after suffering a torn ACL in her freshman year.
“Both of them shoot the three-ball really well,” Reese said. “It’s a situation where they take what they’re given. They’re both explosive scorers.”
Durrah and Massey round out Boswell’s scoring with 12.4 and 11.6 points per game, yet the Pioneers scoring threat doesn’t stop there. Junior Salena Carrasco averages 7.9 points. All five starters can score, which adds to a well-rounded, versatile offense built around ball movement, selflessness, intensity, and energy.
Williams, Durrah and Massey agreed that chemistry and connection are what make the team special. Factoring in the talent, a relentlessly fast pace and experience make for elite basketball.
“Individually, we’re all talented girls, and when we come together — it’s just magic,” Massey said. “We have a lot of potential. I have a lot of trust in these girls.”
Reese credits the entire team for its selflessness, heart, and unwavering dedication. He said they don’t care about the credit and want the team to succeed regardless of individual stat lines.
“All of these kids could be on another team and be the man,” Reese said. “It’s their ability to play together and have each other’s back. It’s their ability to gel and pull for each other.”
Boswell’s offense also has extremely efficient perimeter shooting, which creates space and puts pressure on opposing defenses. All starters shoot 31% or better from distance, with Massey and Jackson leading the way, both at 39%.
“[Perimter shooting] is going to help us in the long run,” Williams said. “When the other teams play zone, they’re going to have to switch. It’s a major factor.”
Defensively, the Pioneers are extremely versatile. Every player has the ability to take on a key role, and they aren’t afraid to switch to various matchups.
“We can all play every position,” Jackson said. “We’re interchangeable. It puts a lot of pressure on defenses.”
For Boswell, the offensive talent is off the charts. In most regular season games, that will carry the Pioneers to victory. Reese has been preaching the importance of buying in on the defensive end, which is something that could win a close game late in the postseason.
“I think [Reese] is a coach that sees the potential we all have,” Carrasco said. “He pushes us to go and be our best every single day at practice.”
Boswell, an Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD school located in Fort Worth, had its furthest playoff run in the 1976-77 season when the Pioneers advanced to the state semifinals.
The Pioneers were one win away from that mark last season. On Feb. 10, the UIL bi-district round will start, and Boswell embark on another playoff run and attempt to make school history. The path to state has changed with the UIL adding split division playoffs, which creates more state titles and separates 6A schools by enrollment.
“It splits the more populated schools, but the talent is still there,” Reese said. “The road does not get easier. You still have to lace them up and come to play every night. It’s going to be just as difficult as last year. But we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Regardless of the results of Boswell’s upcoming playoff run, Reese says the team has been a blessing in his life. He wants the community to rally behind them as they prepare for a postseason with lofty goals.
“I just love this group,” Reese said. “God has touched this group, and I think that they’re special. They’ve got a story, and they’ve got the pen. We’ll see where it goes. But I pray every night that God keeps them healthy. And as long as they can stay healthy, they’ll have a chance to play for a while.”
This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 10:21 AM.
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