Sports are a statistic- ridden part of life. Statistics can reveal the deeper story for an individual seeking the hidden rationale when a game or score doesn’t look right. Such is the case with the Wimberley High School Lady Texans basketball game last Tuesday. The Greyhounds won 92-29.
It would be easy to assume that little could be discovered by such lopsidedness. Boerne High School’s basketball team is certainly good. Either Boerne or Fredericksburg High School have played in the state final or semi-final each of the past three years. They are capable, but the numbers show a very young — and somewhat inexperienced — Lady Texan team stood toe-totoe against Goliath in the first quarter of last Tuesday’s matchup.
The first quarter closed with the Lady Texans down only by four points: 19-23. Coach Caleb Hall’s team shot 70%, nearly matching the Greyhounds during the quarter.
“It was probably the strongest quarter we’ve played this season,” Hall commented. “I’m excited by the first quarter results. They bested us only because we took a few lower percentage shots. Where we got caught was feeling pressure, trying to do too much to keep pace with their scoring.”
Boerne is a long team, and their bench is deep, including three seniors and three juniors with significant playing experience. Comparatively, the Lady Texans are younger without any senior leadership. The program is building with multiple sophomore starters and four juniors coming into their own with limited experience as varsity starters over the past two seasons.
“Boerne shot lights out from the field. It wasn’t just dink and dunk shots from next to the goal, though they scored 42 from the paint. They averaged nearly 50% on 27 three-point attempts,” Hall said. “They were nine of 13 on three-pointers from the left side, scoring 27 on threes alone. When you see that, there’s pressure to try to keep up. When we’re rushed and putting pressure on ourselves, that leads to taking a low-percentage shot.”
After the close first period, the Greyhounds went on to shoot 65% and an unheard of 80% from the field in the second and third quarters respectively. During the same quarters, the Lady Texans shot 14% and 7%.
“Our communication on court is coming along. That’s the essence of team basketball. There are times to pass off of a good shot for a teammate to take a better, higher percentage shot,” said Hall.
Laney Hennessee led Lady Texan scoring with nine points. Lily Dela Rosa added eight, and Raygan Pack had seven. Dela Rosa paced the team with five rebounds and a couple of assists. Rhagen Masur notched two steals during her time on court.
Hall’s team came home to host Harper High School Friday, Jan. 6 at Texan Gym with a bitter taste in their mouth, a renewed vigor for victory and an opportunity to get healthy. They took care of business, defeating the Longhorns 57-33.
“We talked after Boerne about the need to trust each other,” Hall said. “We needed to distribute the basketball, pass up good shots for great shots, and take care of the ball.”
Dela Rosa took the instruction to heart and put on a passing clinic with no-look passes to her teammates and facilitating scoring for the other Lady Texans. Hall commented that the stats showed four assists but insists the number would be closer to 10. Scoring statistics prove the efficiency as Campbell Woodward (13) and Pack (11) both scored in double digits. Although Dela Rosa’s own scoring fell below her average, the remainder of the players available for the game averaged five points. Moreover, every team member scored at least one point.
“Lily played lights out. She initiated the offense, played with such a high IQ on the offensive end and brought everyone’s level up,” commended Hall. “We played ‘team basketball’ and it showed. We discovered that Cameron Thames and Holland Wyatt work well when on the court together. Laney had some good looks and played unselfishly.”
Hall was clear that these types of connections are not found in practice but through the stress of competition. Competition such as the HoopFest tournament has energized and released a few players to play with a renewed abandon. Kylie Garner and Pack are two players who seem emancipated since the tournament and are playing with new energy.
Hall says it was like a switch flipped for them.
“Sometimes experience is the only teacher,” he explained. “We’re not quite there yet but we’re getting there. As these girls gain more game time exposure and meaningful minutes we’ll be capable of sustaining the momentum it takes to beat very good teams. That first quarter at Boerne was a statement. We can play with them.”
The Lady Texans (208 overall, 1-3 district) played a district game at home Tuesday, Jan. 10 versus Navarro. They play away games Friday, Jan. 13 (Canyon Lake High School) and next Tuesday, jan. 17 (a rematch with Fredericksburg) before returning to Texan Gym to face Davenport High School on Friday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
