The basketball rivalry between Wimberley and Fredericksburg had reached a fever pitch last year following a thrilling overtime game that saw the Texans knock off the Billies.
While the anticipated rematch was worth the wait, the result might have shocked a few fans.
A 27-point outburst in the first quarter followed by a 24-point fourth quarter was enough for the Texans to take home 80-54 win.
The Texans improved their record to 20-3 overall with a 1-0 district record.
While the offense was on point, it was the defense that was front and center in the game.
Wimberley was able to hold Fredericksburg to under 15 points in each quarter and were only outscored in the second quarter when the Billies outscored the Texans 13-10.
Leading the way for the Texans in scoring was Miles Scheleder who scored a season high 33 points including eight made three pointers.
Hayes Pounds and Robbie Ritcher both were seconded in scoring with 13 points each and Thomas Watson was fourth in scoring with 11 points.
Pounds also completed a double-double in the game with 10 assists.
The win is a high water mark for the Texans basketball team at this point of the season as Wimberley looks to win their first playoff game since the 2017-2018 campaign.
For Head Basketball Coach Mike Whitten, one of the major changes in the program has been a change in mentality.
“We’ve started with the expectation that we are going to do things differently than in the past,” Whitten said.
“We are trying to change the culture here but not just the way we play. The guys on the bench are really into the game where in the past we haven’t had that here. These guys get along great and have great chemistry with each other. They support each other and when someone is doing good on the court everyone is behind them. That has been a huge identity for us, our co hesiveness and how well we play with each other.”
As Wimberley has gained notoriety for their football and volleyball programs, the basketball team wants to earn the same type of recognition.
“This is not a negative thing, but our school is so well known for football,” Whitten said. “They have a great culture and reputation. They (the players) want that in basketball too. We want to develop a culture and a reputation that ‘Hey Wimberley is a great basketball school also.’ Those guys have taken it upon themselves to try and make that mark and be the team to turn things into winning ways.”
“That is not to say our basketball program hasn’t been successful,” Whitten added. “We’ve made the playoffs every year but we want to go three or four rounds deep into the playoffs and make some noise. We just want to gain some recognition and for people to say ‘Man, Wimberley has a great program’. Every game our players go into each game with a chip on their shoulder and want to prove something to everyone.”
