Final 4 Predictions

 

Nine out of the ten area teams I picked from Region’s 2 and 3 are still alive. The Woodlands who face Pflugerville and Atascocita against Georgetown in Region 2 should be interesting to say the least. Clear Springs vs. Hightower is on Monday, while Cypress Falls vs. Katy Taylor, Elkins vs. North Shore and Elsik vs Cy Woods are all on Tuesday.

 

REGION 2

 

 

 Plugerville vs The Woodlands

The Woodlands will have their hands full against Pflugerville who are very athletic and just keep coming. Nneka Enemkpali is strong and has developed into a beast in the paint, I know Texas can’t wait for her to step on the court. The Woodlands have deadly three point shooters like Paige Bradley, a kid that can alter shots in the lane, Kelsey Lang plus do it all players Anna Strickland and Ashlyn Hargraves.

Atascocita vs Georgetown

At the beginning of the season, I thought “The Taz” was the team to beat period. Georgetown has more than Krystal Forthan and it just depends on which Atascocita team shows up, the one that Cinco Ranch took to overtime or the one that went completely off against Hightower. Curtyce Knox is one of the top guards in the nation and Aggie signee Rachel Mitchell is one of the top posts, that in itself is something to work with. When you throw in Chrishauna Parker and Lauren Price, both can play multiple positions, along with Rachel Arthur and Mekala Bell, you have a recipe for success.

 

REGION 3

Hightower vs Clear Springs

As much as I love Clear Springs, I just don’t believe they can handle Hightower’s interior. I saw them against Atascocita and I know Taylor and Tyler Gilbert who just verballed to U of H, plus Jasmine Prophet are stronger and more athletic than “The Taz” was. Brit Matthew and Raven Lane will have to handle the pressure “Springsbrings”. Brooke McCarty is one of the top freshmen in the country and the addition of her and Courtney Latham have made a good team great this season, Aaliyah Brown is a gifted athlete that can go off on anyone while Joanne Lira’s BBIQ is second to none

Elsik vs Cy Woods

Camille Williams has provided a boost to Cy Woods since transferring, having to play JV and moving up to varsity only a couple of weeks ago. She was the sparkplug in their upset victory over Bellaire, scoring 5 points in the last two minutes, however Elsik isn’t Bellaire and I just don’t see lightning striking twice. For that to happen, Williams has to continue playing solid since moving up, Jenny Nash and Audrey Garcia have to be on fire, while young Olivia Ogwumike will have to grow up fast to contain Crystal Porter. Chelsi Grimes has to run the point to almost perfection, so far she has done just that. Porter, along with Jasmine Ocanas and Akunna Elonu are three of the best juniors in the area and their loss to Bellaire in last year’s Elite 8 is something they plan on avenging. Those three are capable of scoring 50 between them, plus the long range shooting from Lindsey Cypher and lock down defense from Raven Hill makes this team hard to beat.

North Shore vs Elkins

I took some flak for saying Courtney Williams is the best player in the city because sometimes she appeared to not know that she was. Trust me, when you have a kid that can play all five positions very well and creates several match-up issues, well that in itself says it all. Katira Young, Karina Williams, Mo Bedford and TJ Jefferson are trying to break the jinx that has kept them from Campbell Center. Elkins has pulled off the improbable since the return of Danielle Breaux and a win over North Shore would be a story in itself that would be sort of like a fairytale script, along with that fact that post Brianna Butler used to play at Hightower. Williams and Breaux will continue their rivalry in the Big 12 with Kansas and Texas A&M respectively.

Cy Falls vs Katy Taylor

I saved what might be the best for last and the winner of this game may just be your Region 3 representative in Austin. Cy Falls is the number one team in state, which means nothing to Katy Taylor who has knocked off two this season, “The Tower and The Taz”, and I am sure they are thinking” The bigger they are, the harder they Falls” or maybe not, but I do love upsets because I hate being right all the time. Amanda Jungswirth is a very talented and acrobatic player who is the key to Katy Taylors success. If Falls can’t contain her, while Amira Jenkins and Jada Roberts do their thing, I’ll be happy I was at Berry Center and not watching my daughter at Reed Arena. Seriously, I enjoy watching good basketball and I must say Falls has disappointed me only once this season, their loss to Elsik. Sedaia Ellis is the key to this team, they are not the same without her weaving through traffic and slicing her way to the bucket. Macy Moore and Kit Metoyer are two of the smoothest shooters to come through these here parts and their interior may be second only to Hightower. Shernise Robertson was a Chronicle Preseason All Greater Houston and the energy she brings off the bench would give her “The Sixth Man” award if they offered one.