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By Tommy Mann Jr.

Special to the News

 

The boys high school basketball regular season has been completed and now several local teams have their sights set on a state title.

The University Interscholastic League’s boys basketball playoffs begin this week as the bi-district round will take place Monday, Feb. 17 and Tuesday, Feb. 18 around the state. Teams from Bridge City, Orangefield, Port Arthur and Vidor have qualified and will now start their quest to bring home a state title.

In the Class 5A Division 2 bracket, the No. 15 state-ranked Port Arthur Memorial Titans (24-9) will represent District 19-5A and will face the Iowa Colony Pioneers (23-11) from District 20-5A in the bi-district round. The game will take place at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 18 at Goose Creek Memorial High School in Baytown. Admission is $5 for students and adults.

The winner of the game between the Titans and Pioneers will face the winner of the game between Brenham and Dayton in the area round later this week.

The area round of the playoffs will be held Thursday, Feb. 20 through Saturday, Feb. 22.

In the Class 4A Division 2 bracket, the Bridge City Cardinals (23-10) represent District 18-4A and will take on the Madisonville Mustangs (23-7) from District 17-4A. The game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Atascocita High School.

The winner of this game will take on the winner of the game between the No. 21 state-ranked Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns and the No. 7 state-ranked Houston Yates Lions.

For the second consecutive season, and for only the fourth time in program history, the Vidor Pirates (23-10) have made the playoffs in basketball. The Pirates will take on the Hudson Hornets (16-17) in the bi-district round with the game being scheduled at 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 17 at New Caney High School Gymnasium in New Caney.

The winner of this game will face the winner of the contest between the Livingston Lions and the No. 6 state-ranked Houston Washington Eagles in the area round of the Class 4A Division 1 bracket.

The Orangefield Bobcats (21-12) had another successful basketball season and have advanced to the bi-district round once again. The Bobcats are featured in the Class 3A Division 1 bracket and will take on the Pollok Central Bulldogs (22-10), the District 21-3A champions, in the first round. The game is scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 18, at West Sabine High School.

The winner of the game between Orangefield and Pollok Central will face the winner of the contest between the Boling Bulldogs and the No. 24 state-ranked Onalaska Wildcats in the area round.

 

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Two local girls basketball teams continue their quest for a state championship and both resume action in the regional semifinals.

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bears (29-8) defeated the Huffman-Hargrave Lady Falcons 53-39 in the area round this past Thursday night. The Lady Bears overcame a six-point halftime deficit in the win as Amaya Meadows scored 13 of her 15 points in the second-half, and Keylie Washburn scored all 13 of her points in the second-half.

The LC-M Lady Bears will now face the China Spring Lady Cougars (19-16) at 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 17 at Waller High School. China Spring defeated Almeta Crawford 58-57 to advance.

The winner of this game will take on the winner of the game between No. 2 state-ranked Waco La Vega and Hardin-Jefferson in the Class 4A Division 1 regional finals later this week.

 

The No. 10 state-ranked Bridge City Lady Cardinals (33-3) defeated No. 9 state-ranked Houston Wheatley 44-32 this past Friday night to advance to the regional semifinals. Whitney Cunningham powered the Lady Cardinals in the victory with 10 points, while Aubrey Small and Rylee Hebert contributed eight-points each in the game.

Bridge City will now play the No. 20 state-ranked Jarrell Lady Cougars (30-6) at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Waller High School. The winner of this game will play the winner of the game between the No. 23 state-ranked Hamshire-Fannett Lady Longhorns and Salado Lady Eagles in the Class 4A Division 2 regional finals.