Lady Mustangs Earn First Home-Court Win of Season

The Nixon-Smiley girls basketball team saw its perseverance rewarded over the weekend, closing out its home tournament with a hard-earned victory that underscored the growth taking place within a young roster battling through a challenging season.

After entering the tournament with a 2–16 record, the Mustangs finished play with a gritty 26–21 win over D’Hanis on Saturday, earning their first home-court victory of the season and providing a meaningful boost as district play approaches.

“We’ve battled adversity most of the season — injuries, sickness, all of it — and we’re already a young team,” head coach Trevor Johnson said. “To finally get a win on the home court feels really good. Our record doesn’t show how tough these girls are.”

Nixon-Smiley opened tournament action Friday with a 46–41 loss to Marion. The Mustangs showed resilience throughout the contest, highlighted by a strong third-quarter surge in which they outscored Marion 20–8 to pull back into the game before falling late.

Junior Grace Gomez led Nixon-Smiley with 17 points, while sophomore Ruby Mendez added nine and senior Dulce Mosqueda chipped in six. Despite shooting 27 percent from the field, the Mustangs stayed competitive until the final minutes.

Later Friday, Nixon-Smiley faced St. Joseph of Victoria, falling 55–36 in another tough matchup. After struggling offensively through the first three quarters, the Mustangs responded with renewed energy in the fourth, scoring 17 points to close the game.

Mendez paced the team with 15 points, while Mosqueda and junior Gabriela Limon each scored seven. Nixon-Smiley finished the game shooting 30 percent from the field.

While the results reflected two losses, Johnson said the lessons gained were just as valuable as the final scores.

“The good thing about our girls is they’ve kept their composure,” Johnson said. “They show up every day, continue to work hard, and we haven’t shown any signs of giving up. That’s not easy, especially when you’re young.”

That growth showed Saturday against D’Hanis, as the Mustangs leaned on defense and composure to secure a low-scoring victory. Nixon-Smiley held D’Hanis to just six points across the first half and closed the game with an 8–2 fourth quarter to seal the win.

Johnson said the timing of the adversity his team has faced may ultimately work in its favor.

“Going through this now is when you want to do it, not for the first time in district,” he said. “It gives girls opportunities to get reps, and when we need them later, they’ll be ready.”

With limited varsity experience returning from last season and several players seeing extended varsity minutes for the first time, Johnson said the foundation being built is focused on long-term success.

“There’s a lot to be excited about,” he said. “Even when the wins haven’t been there yet, we’re seeing growth. The leadership will come, and this will pay off.”

Nixon-Smiley now turns its attention to district play, carrying confidence from a home tournament that reflected not just progress on the scoreboard, but a team learning how to compete, respond and finish together.