Mansfield Timberview girls, 30-0, seek perfection in playoffs

Undefeated regular-season runs raise eyebrows around the state, and, in Mansfield Timberview’s case, across the nation.

The Wolves (30-0) begin the UIL playoffs Monday against Seagoville (7-11) as the No. 1-ranked Class 5A team in the state, according to the Texas Association of Basketball coaches, and No. 22 in the MaxPreps national poll.

But, as a few area teams know from recent experience, going undefeated in the regular season is one thing. Completing a storied undefeated run to a state championship is a unicorn made even more elusive by mounting pressure, statewide attention and stiffer competition every round.

If Timberview coach Kit Martin and her team need any evidence, they only have to look as far as the Duncanville girls to the east, or Kennedale boys to the west.

The Duncanville girls, who enter this year’s playoffs at 29-0, had a three-year undefeated run snapped in 2014 by Manvel in the 5A state finals. That same year, Kennedale had an undefeated run snapped in the 3A state semifinals by Houston Yates.

Martin said making an undefeated run was something the team pointed to as a possibility as far back as August, the first day of the school year, even with only two seniors on the roster.

“We knew we had the pieces to the puzzle as long as we were never satisfied with ourselves,” Martin said. “We don’t feel like we’ve got a weak spot in our starting five, and our bench has built itself up nicely as the season has progressed.”

Junior guard Chennedy Carter leads Timberview with 18.3 points per game, and fellow junior Trelynn Tyler averages just a shade under 13 points a game. Posts Allison Hinds and Lauryn Thompson, the Wolves’ only senior starter, have both played in all 30 games for Timberview and have combined for just under 12 points and 12 rebounds a game.

It’s a consistent formula that has produced 62.9 points per game and allowed opponents just 42.8. Four of Timberview’s 11 wins in District 14-5A, though, have come by single digits, so the Wolves are used to playing in close games.

“We won’t be seeing anything for the first time in the playoffs,” Martin said. “We’ve got a sense of confidence that we can pull wins out even if it’s not going well early.”

Kennedale boys coach Doug Groff recalls his team’s 38-0 unbeaten streak in 2013-14.

“Every team’s experience is unique, but we tried to keep ourselves in our own bubble along our run,” he said.

“Our focus was more on execution than the streak, because once we got into district play we were able to handle teams, and once we got into the playoffs, the statewide focus shone on some other teams more so than it did us, so we had a very focused bunch.”

Timberview has been able to focus and compartmentalize in a similar way.

The Wolves literally shut the book on the regular season after Tuesday’s 81-26 win over Red Oak because the official scorer’s book Timberview used all season only had room for 30 games.

They will open a new score book Monday against Seagoville, one that Martin and her Wolves hope will house the results of seven more wins.

This story was originally published February 13, 2016 at 4:17 PM with the headline "Mansfield Timberview girls, 30-0, seek perfection in playoffs."