All Area Final Quite Possible

DEKANEY’S KAYLA NEVITT

The Houston area had two teams playing for the state title a couple of years ago, Cy Fair defeated Hightower and Chiney Ogwumike capped four straight trips to state by winning her second ring and also being named to her fourth All-State team. There’s an outside chance that we will be in the position to have two area teams repeat that feat, Region 3 assures  Houston a spot while Region 2 has a couple of teams that have a legitimate chance to win that region, Dekaney and The Woodlands. If either team makes it, that would be great especially since I had both teams as ranked in the Top 10 during preseason and even tagged the Highlanders “The Unranked Woodlands” when no one seemed to remember the squad. Dekaney, ranked No. 4 by TABC, has been injury free this season and should they get to state, they would probably have to go through Desoto in the Region 2 semifinals.Ranked No. 10 in state, the Eagles are a team that has given The Woodlands one of their two losses and also a team that could match Dekaney’s athleticism and athlete’s they have.  Alexis Durley directs everything and is the glue as she and Shunta Nevitt are the seniors that hold them together while Kayla Nevitt is the super sophomore on many Top 25 programs wish list. Desoto has one of the top backcourts in the state with Jordan Jones and Bryce Owens, Jones was just named to both the McDonald’s and WBCA All Star Teams but Dekaney has won 33 games in a row since an opening day loss to North Shore. Those wins include a hefty resume of solid ball clubs such as Hightower and Manvel on their way to the Fort Bend Tournament Championship and it also includes home wins against Clear Springs and Cy Falls, the top teams in Region 3

THE WOODLANDS ASHLYN HARGRAVES

The Woodlands are ranked No. 14, which I guess is better than being “UNRANKED” however you have to wonder why they’re ranking is that low since their two losses have been to Top 10 ranked teams, 4A No. 4 Mansfield Summit was the other, by only two points in each game. Maybe it’s because their only win against a team that is ranked now was against Elsik or maybe their soft tournament schedule other than Texas Invitational or possibly their average margin of victory in district is close to 35 points but I’m sure some of that could be said for a lot of teams. Loaded with firepower from everywhere, the Highlanders have a solid point guard in Paige Bradley and a long range bomber in Ashlyn Hargraves. I’ve called Anna Strickland the glue on that team because she does a lot of the little things that sometimes go unnoticed in the box score many base their opinions on, while Kelsey Lang at 6’4 is rarely unnoticed at all. Their strongest challenge probably won’t come until they reach the Elite 8 and possibly have to face the (36-0) and No.2 ranked Pflugerville who most recently took care of business winning the Mansfield Rotary Tournament which featured heavy hitters from Texas and Arkansas. Itiana Taylor and Ari Booth lead the Panther charge and being undefeated at this stage is not only remarkable but they’ve done so without one of their key players, Jonelle Smith.