Playoff picture clears up for Gonzales area basketball teams

Apaches need help to take back control of playoff destiny

A loss to Cuero last Tuesday muddied the playoff picture for the Gonzales Apaches boys basketball team. Taking a road loss to Navarro on Friday made it that much difficult for the Apaches to get back to the postseason.

Gonzales lost 56-41, creating a three-way tie at fifth with Navarro (2-6) and Poteet (2-6). Cuero is now in the driver’s seat for that final playoff berth as the Gobblers sit at 3-5.

This week’s games:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Poteet (2-6) at Gonzales (2-6)
  • Pleasanton (7-0) at SA Brooks Academy (5-3)
  • Navarro (2-6) at La Vernia (6-1)
  • Cuero (5-3) OPEN
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Gonzales at Pleasanton
  • Cuero at Navarro
  • La Vernia at Poteet
  • SA Brooks Academy OPEN

***

Two straight wins moves Gonzales to third place

The Lady Apaches shocked previously undefeated-in-district Cuero last Tuesday, knocking off the Lady Gobblers 51-49. The team followed that up with a 66-52 win over Navarro on Friday, taking sole possession of third place in District 30-4A.

“We wanted to fall no farther than third place when the district started,” Gonzales head coach Brock Ramsey said after last Tuesday’s win over now ranked 25^th in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 4A state poll Cuero. “So that’s our first goal, was make sure we didn’t finish fourth, because fourth place finisher will get Devine and Devine is a very good team and we feel like no matter where we sit at with first, second or third, we got a pretty good matchup in the bi-district.”

Devine is ranked 13^th this week in the TABC Class 4A state poll.

The win over Navarro was an important one for a Gonzales team that sits at 6-3 with three games to go in district. They take on the bottom three teams (Pleasanton, Poteet, SA Brooks Academy) of District 30-4A.

This week’s games:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Poteet (2-7) at Gonzales (6-3)
  • Pleasanton (3-6) at SA Brooks Academy (0-10)
  • Navarro (6-4) at La Vernia (7-2)
  • Cuero (9-1) OPEN
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Gonzales at Pleasanton
  • Cuero at Navarro
  • La Vernia at Poteet
  • SA Brooks Academy OPEN

***

Mustangs winless first half of district

Nixon-Smiley was 27.4 seconds away from earning their first win in district. Up 48-43, the Mustangs allowed Yoakum to score seven straight points to lose 50-48 and drop to 0-5.

“It’s tough to deal with, but it’s who we are right now,” Nixon-Smiley head coach Carlton McKinney said after the loss on Friday. “The only way we change it is if we change it.”

The season isn’t over for the Mustangs. With five games to go, a turnaround is possible, especially when looking at how the team has done so far. Three of the five losses the team took this district have been by single-digit scores, two of which were one-possession games. If the team can turn it around, playoffs are not out the realm of possibility.

This week’s games:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Nixon-Smiley (0-5) at Stockdale (2-3)
  • Karnes City (3-2) at Luling (5-0)
  • Poth (4-1) at Yoakum (1-4)
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Poth at Nixon-Smiley
  • Luling at Stockdale
  • Yoakum at Karnes City

***

Nixon-Smiley back in playoff contention

It’s been written about already but worth repeating, the District 27-3A girls basketball group is a tough one. Karnes City is 7^th in Class 3A while Poth is 11^th. Luling, currently in third in the district, has been ranked before but currently find themselves out of the top 25 this week. With those three fighting for top three spots, that leaves an opening for fourth place between Nixon-Smiley, Yoakum and Stockdale.

The Lady Mustangs avenged their earlier season loss, beating Yoakum on Friday night 40-32 to force a tie at fourth place at 2-5. Assuming a tie at the end of the season, both teams will play a tiebreaker came to determine who goes to the playoffs.

This week’s games:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Nixon-Smiley (2-5) at Stockdale (0-7)
  • Karnes City (7-0) at Luling (4-3)
  • Poth (6-1) at Yoakum (2-5)
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Poth at Nixon-Smiley
  • Luling at Stockdale
  • Yoakum at Karnes City

***

Luling Eagles unbeaten in the first half of district

Luling topped off the first half of district with an impressive 66-58 victory over Poth on Friday night. The Eagles are now 5-0 in District 27-3A, outscoring opponents 331-226. Their eight-point victory Friday was the closest score this district season for the Eagles.

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Nixon-Smiley (0-5) at Stockdale (2-3)
  • Karnes City (3-2) at Luling (5-0)
  • Poth (4-1) at Yoakum (1-4)
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Poth at Nixon-Smiley
  • Luling at Stockdale
  • Yoakum at Karnes City

***

Lady Eagles stuck in third place

The Luling Lady Eagles haven’t found a way to knock off the top two teams in district as they took a 53-44 loss on the road last Friday against #11 Poth, their third loss of the district season and second loss to Poth. The top-heavy District 27-3A features #7 Karnes City at 7-0 while Poth moved to 6-1. With three games remaining, Luling just need one more win to clinch a playoff spot. Friday might be the night as they travel to Stockdale (0-7).

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Nixon-Smiley (2-5) at Stockdale (0-7)
  • Karnes City (7-0) at Luling (4-3)
  • Poth (6-1) at Yoakum (2-5)
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Poth at Nixon-Smiley
  • Luling at Stockdale
  • Yoakum at Karnes City

***

State-ranked Wildcats back on track

After suffering a district defeat by the hands of the Dime Box Longhorns, the Waelder Wildcats have now won two straight to stay in the top three of District 30-1A. At 6-2, the Wildcats host their rivals Tuesday night, a must-win if Waelder wants to fight for a district title against Moulton (8-0). In their last game, six players suited up with their seventh man unable to play. Despite the lack in numbers, Waelder kept the game close until Moulton pulled away in the fourth quarter, beating the Wildcats 55-37.  

Moulton is ranked 11^th in Class 1A this week. Dime Box sits at 13^th while Waelder remains at 14^th.

This week’s games:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Moulton (8-0) at Waelder (6-2)
  • Round Top-Carmine (4-4) at Dime Box (6-1)
  • Fayetteville (2-5) at McDade (0-8)
  • Prairie Lea (1-7) OPEN
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Waelder at Fayetteville
  • Dime Box at Moulton
  • Prairie Lea at Round Top-Carmine
  • McDade OPEN

***

Lady Cats’ struggles continue

It’s been a tough season for the Lady Cats basketball team. Key Injuries and inexperience on the court have plagued the Waelder girls basketball program so far as the team dropped to 0-9 in District 30-1A. The Lady Cats are eliminated from playoff contention. They have three games left in the season.

 This week’s games:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29
  • Moulton (8-1) at Waelder (0-9)
  • Round Top-Carmine (5-5) at Dime Box (4-5)
  • Fayetteville (8-1) at McDade (1-9)
  • Prairie Lea (7-3) OPEN
• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Waelder at Fayetteville
  • Dime Box at Moulton
  • Prairie Lea at Round Top-Carmine
  • McDade OPEN

***

Cardinals now state-ranked

In their quest to repeat as district champions, Shiner St. Paul finished the first half of district schedule 3-0 after knocking off Victoria Faith Academy last Tuesday 65-45, then beating San Antonio St. Gerard 56-26. Both teams were at one point ranked by TABC in the 2A Private School poll, but after St. Paul’s impressive victories, the Cardinals are now the ones ranked 10^th in the list of top 10 this week.

District play starts back up this Friday:

• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Shiner St. Paul at Bulverde Bracken Christian
  • Victoria Faith Academy at San Antonio St. Gerard

***

Lady Cardinals continue path toward district title

Shiner St. Paul has been dominant this district season, outscoring their opponents 158-59 to move to 3-0. The Lady Cardinals remain 2^nd in the TABC 2A Private School poll.

District play starts back up this Friday:

• Friday, Feb. 1
  • Shiner St. Paul at Bulverde Bracken Christian
  • Victoria Faith Academy at San Antonio St. Gerard