Polytechnic girls basketball ends 39-year playoff drought. ’Always believe in yourself’
The Fort Worth Polytechnic girls basketball program entered the 2024-25 season with a 39-year playoff drought that began with the 1985-86 season.
Since 2006, Polytechnic has consistently missed the playoffs by multiple games, and the Parrots posted seven winless seasons during that span, according to Max Preps.
Senior La’Lendra Williams was well aware of the team’s bad reputation and said she heard outside noise saying her team didn’t have a chance to succeed, but that didn’t deter her from fighting for her dreams.
Williams and the Parrots had their best season in nearly four decades, securing a fourth-place finish in District 7-5A and a playoff spot to end the drought. In the bi-district round, Polytechnic (8-17, 5-7) will face No. 8 Mansfield Summit (29-5) at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10 at Wilkerson-Greines AC.
“It still kind of seems unreal,” Williams said. “But I’m really grateful, and I’m really appreciative — the fact that it’s my last year. I get to be a part of something special.”
Williams and Merveille Ikibasimbais are the only seniors on the team. The Parrots may be young, but the senior duo understood the expectations and instilled them within the younger players, according to head coach Nathaniel Hollins, a Polytechnic alum.
“This year’s team, they’re very dedicated,” Hollis said. “They work hard — they are more together as a family. That’s what makes them a special team this year. Each one of them holds each other accountable.”
Hollis took over as head coach in 2018-19 season, and the Parrots didn’t win a game in three years. In the last two seasons, Poly won a total of seven district games. It wasn’t nearly enough to make playoffs, but it was a “stepping stone.”
Despite the wins and losses, Hollis said he was building a foundation for the future. Now, the Parrots are reaping the rewards, but it wasn’t an immediate success.
Polytechnic mightily struggled during non-district play, losing 10 of 11 to start the season. Hollis’ goal was to ease the team into having a winning mentality and to slowly “build them up.”
“(Hollis) tries to meet them where they’re at and then tries to get them to meet his expectations,” assistant coach Audie Burns said. “He makes sure there aren’t too lofty of goals, and he works with them, brings them up and makes them better.”
Eventually, Polytechnic started to realize its potential. If they came together as a team, there was a chance to put together a successful season.
“They realized that they do have the capability of playing harder and believing in themselves on the floor,” Hollis said.
The Parrots continued to win five district games, which was good enough to end the playoff drought.
“They didn’t listen to the outside noise,” Burns said. “We don’t always get a lot of support, just because it’s girls basketball. … Or with Poly not making the playoffs in nearly 40 years. They wanted to be the ones to break that streak.”
The Parrot offense saw success with outside shooting from freshman Cecilia Aguilar and junior Celeste Gasca as well as a defense spearheaded by Williams.
The Parrots try to play at a fast pace, force turnovers, and play in transition, and it has guided them to making history and claiming a playoff spot.
“It’s just a special group of girls working together,” Aguilar said. “It’s teamwork.”
On Jan. 31, the Parrots had a crucial game against Fort Worth North Side. With the standings tight, a win or a loss could’ve been a difference-maker. Polytechnic, dealing with a flu outbreak, had to play with only five athletes but was able to secure the season-defining victory.
“Everybody has congratulated us,” Hollis said. “Alumni came out and bought food the other night for us, and they’re coming out and showing support. They appreciate everything we’re doing here for our students. An alumni also designed playoff shirts for us.”
Realistically, the Parrots have an uphill battle against Mansfield Summit, the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches’ No. 8 ranked team. Regardless of the outcome, Hollis will focus on teaching a life lesson, which is always one of his main goals.
“If you can get through adversity in basketball, you’ll be able to get through adversity in life,” Hollis said. “So, I try to instill in them to be relentless. Never stop. Always believe in yourself. Always push yourself. I don’t care what the score is.
“ ... I want them to be able to enjoy the moment. Play hard. We always talk about living in the moment.”
Polytechnic players have embraced a simple mantra when they’re down or need to focus on the game plan: “Let’s lock-in.” The entire team wears Nike Sabrina 2s, a specific shoe the seniors selected to emulate WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu and provide team unity.
“This team is big on togetherness, family and holding each other accountable,” Hollis said.
The Parrots have had to block out negative noise that insinuates Polytechnic, a school with a 92.4% economic disadvantage rate, isn’t capable of athletic success. Williams said the team elects to focus on what they can control: Their attitude and “lifting each other up no matter what.”
“Win or lose,” Williams said. “Whoever we play, I don’t really care. I’m just excited to be in the playoffs.”
This story was originally published February 7, 2025 at 10:42 AM.
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