Despite COVID-19 challenges, Fort Worth area girls basketball teams make some history
After three months battling COVID-19 and opposing teams, the girls basketball postseason gets rolling with the bi-district round on Thursday and Friday.
This season’s playoff bracket looks different thanks to the virus.
There will be no regional or state tournaments, however, state championship games will still be held at the Alamodome in San Antonio over March 5-6.
But here’s one thing that hasn’t changed, the level of competitiveness across the Fort Worth-area. For four area schools, they’ve climbed over the mountain top to make history.
Joshua, Arlington Sam Houston, Fort Worth Carter-Riverside and Mansfield will continue their seasons while snapping significant playoff droughts.
Mansfield hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2012 ... Sam Houston since 2001 ... and Carter-Riverside since 1992.
Joshua is making history for a different reason as its program is going to the dance in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 63 years.
“Happy for them. They’re a hard working and good group of kids,” Joshua coach Michelle Connelly said. “They made the decision a few years ago that they wanted this for the program. They’ve put in the work to make it happen.”
Joshua (11-13) finished fourth in District 14-5A and will play Highland Park on Thursday.
The Owls’ playoff trip in 2020 was their first in 12 years.
“It was a huge deal last year and they just wanted to add to it,” said Connelly, who has no seniors. “It was a struggle early on, but we kept working hard and now it’s great to see the program being recognized.”
Quarantine Won’t Slow Them Down
In a year full of quarantines, Joshua’s team made it through the season without the entire program having to suspend activities. But Carter-Riverside, Mansfield and Sam Houston weren’t so lucky.
Mansfield and Sam Houston quarantined just before district play.
Still, the Sam Houston Texans finished the regular season with a 15-7 record, their most wins since the 2007-08 season in snapping their 20-year playoff drought. They play Richardson on Thursday.
“Their commitment to be successful and eagerness to learn the game of basketball makes this group so special and so close,” said Sam Houston coach Brandon Keeling, who spent the last eight seasons as an assistant with the boys team.
Even with the past struggles, Keeling could see the potential of a program-changing season.
“I could see the talent, just not developed. They had a good group coming back,” Keeling said. “I had a feeling we could have a special season. Sam had a rich tradition in the ‘90s and before, and I wanted to restore that and bring it back. It’s been huge for the community and school to return to the playoffs. It means so much here on the east side of Arlington.”
As for Mansfield, the Tigers (17-6) rose to the challenge. During the UIL realignment in February 2020, coach Kenni Patton predicted her team would join the Arlington district.
Instead, the UIL put Mansfield with Duncanville, DeSoto and Cedar Hill in District 11-6A, one of the toughest in the state. DeSoto is ranked No. 2 in 6A, Duncanville is No. 3 and won state last season, and Cedar Hill is No. 23.
The Tigers, who open playoffs with Harker Heights, won nine district games and finished fourth.
“It’s always been the goal to make the playoffs,” said Patton, who’s been with the program since 2006. “They announced the new district and we thought ‘Oh my God.’ But one of our players spoke up and said, ‘Well, if we’re going to make playoffs, we might as well do it in the toughest district in the state.’
“We never looked back,” she said. “They didn’t let anything get in their way.”
30 years later
Carter-Riverside (8-9) finished fourth and like Sam Houston, the Eagles did it with a new head coach this season in Katherine Coulter. The Eagles will face Decatur on Thursday.
“Took a lot of hard work to get here, but we’re headed in the right direction and I’m proud of the girls making the playoffs,” Coulter said. “It’s definitely been hard with a new coach and new system, but the girls figured it out.”
Coulter said her team has improved since Day 1, despite having to go into quarantine twice this season.
“It was one of those jobs that came looking for me,” she said. “They were up front with me in the very beginning about the struggles trying to move the program forward. But the girls have done well. They have turned it around from the first game to the last game. They have improved tremendously.”
Senior forward Dally Coulter is averaging 19.8 points and 14 rebounds per game. Sophomore Kieuana Criss is chipping in 9.1 points and 8.6 rebounds and senior Nevaeha Cesenas is averaging 8 points, 4.4 assists and 2.2 steals.
