SPORTS
STORM CENTER: No home court in Texas hoops
Well, the 2015 high school basketball playoffs are underway, and the sports editor is certainly logging plenty of miles.
The University Interscholastic League doesn’t believe in giving home-court advantages for playoff games.
The sports editor can buy that thinking, but not totally.
I think to cut down on travel, any team that wins its district should be given a home game during the bi-district round.
That’s what all these teams around here fight for during the regular season.
Look, the Bowie girls and Bellevue boys went through their district slates without a loss. The Bowie boys fought back from down in a 1-2 hole to garner 11 straight games – capped by Tuesday’s 40-22 conquest of Henrietta.
Shouldn’t these teams be rewarded with a home playoff game? Just one? I think so.
In other states, teams with better records and higher standing in their district get at least one postseason game at home.
That’s one difference Bellevue girls’ basketball coach Bryan Goehring noted as a difference between North Carolina and Texas.
In North Carolina, teams with better records can get up to three home games through the postseason. That’s a little bit much, but now you see how another state does it.
Texans sure love to travel.
Monday, the sports editor drove 126 miles round trip from The Bowie News office to Sanger as the Lady Rabbits took on Whitesboro in a Bi-District game.
Thursday, the Lady Rabbits road continued with a game at Texas Woman’s University in Denton. This was a 114-mile round trip. Read more in the weekend Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Bowie High School student Josh Monkres covers his mouth while cheering on the Lady Rabbits during Thursday’s Conference 3A Area game. In the state of Texas, all playoff basketball games take place on what’s considered a neutral court. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)
In its first match since last year’s state semifinal appearance, Saint Jo hosted Bryson Aug. 11 and took a 25-13, 25-12, 25-21 win over the Cowgirls.
The Lady Panthers lost some talent to graduation but have five seniors ready to have a successful season. Savannah Hil, one of the five, got Saint Jo rolling offensively with a four-point serving string, including a pair of aces. Abby Carter’s kill and Kamron Skidmore’s block helped put the Lady Panthers up 5-2 in game one.
Hadleigh Moore added a four-point string of her own to extend the lead to 10-3. Tatum Morman’s pair, helped by a Hill kill, gave Saint Jo a 14-5 lead. Bryson got within five before a Hill 3-pointer, with help by a Carter kill, put the lead back at 18-10.
After an Olivia Johnson kill broke serve, Jordyn O’Neal served up the final five points, with Johnson providing a kill to move things along.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Despite being the smallest school in the Brock varsity classic volleyball tournament, the Lady Indians finished 4th out of the eight teams there.
After losing to the host team in its first pool play match Aug. 14 18-25, 14-25 and also to Class 3A Wall 12-25, 8-25, Nocona rebounded to close out pool play with a 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 win over Christoval. Sy Parker had 16 kills and 7 blocks in the three matches. Raylea Bowles had 12 kills, 17 digs and served up three aces. Maddyn Bowles had seven kills and 14 digs while Paige Davis had seven kills and 15 digs. Baylee Thomas added 11 digs.
From the setter spot, Kasi Castro had 20 assists, served up five aces and contributed 14 digs. Leah Meekins added 18 assists and six digs during the three matches.
To open Saturday’s bracket play, the Lady Indians posted a 25-18, 18-25, 26-24, 25-19 win over Fort Worth Christian. Castro staked Nocona to a 2-0 lead in game one. Kills by Parker set up pairs of points from Raylea Bowles and Leah Meekins helped Nocona negate an early deficit and take a 10-9 lead.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
County football teams had their first scrimmage of the season Aug. 14 with mixed results.
Forestburg hosted Azle Christian and Victory Christian. Under a new system with new head coach Cori Hayes, the Longhorns looked pretty good in the coach’s eye.
“The first team looked good,” Hayes explained. “Overall we need to work on our pace and blocking assignments and blocking assignments. Overall we looked good for the new regime.”
Forestburg hits the road to scrimmage Newcastle Aug. 21.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS4 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death