Playoffs Continue for Three Teams
Postseason Second Week Recap
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
EAST TEXAS – The second week of the 2019-2020 UIL Basketball Postseason Tournament brought jubilation to one team, determination to continue to a pair of teams and heartbreak to a trio of others.
The Grapeland Sandiettes punched their tickets to San Antonio over the weekend as they won the Region III Tournament held in Bryan.
The Sandiettes took care of business in the Regional Semifinals as they dispatched the Timpson Lady Bears by a final score of 59-42.
The win moved Grapeland into the Regional Finals where they faced the Woden Lady Eagles. Woden played tough throughout the contest and led most of the first half. In the end, however, the Sandiettes took out the Lady Eagles, 48-44, to advance to the State Semifinals in San Antonio.
They will play the Gruver Lady Greyhounds on Friday, March 6 at 8:30 am.
On the boys’ side of the tournament, the Crockett Bulldogs cranked up their postseason with a 52-41 win over the MacGregor Bulldogs. Crockett’s win moved them into the Area round where the hammered the Palmer Bulldogs by a final score of 52-41.
The Area victory moved the Bulldogs into the Regional Quarterfinals where they faced the Little River Academy Bumblebees. As of press time, however, the final score was unavailable.
The Grapeland Sandies opened their quest for a return trip to the Alamodome with an 89-71 win over the Kerens Bobcats to advance to the Area Championship. In order to cheer on the Sandiettes on Friday, the Sandies moved their game against the Chilton Pirates to Thursday.
It really didn’t matter as Grapeland ran past Chilton by a score of 96-63 and into the Regional Quarterfinals against the Rosebud-Lott Cougars.
The game against the Cougars was held on Tuesday, March 3 but as of press time, the final score was unavailable.
The Lovelady Lions’ season, unfortunately came to an end in the Area Championship as they fell to the Marlin Bulldogs, 42-34. The Lions had defeated the Cayuga Wildcats in Bi-District, 55-48, to make it to the Area Round.
The Slocum Mustangs season also came to an untimely end. Slocum seemed poised for big things in the postseason after they defeated the Itasca Wampus Cats in Bi-District by a final score of 90-81.
At Area, they ran up against a tough Crawford Pirates team and while they had a chance to pull it out, Slocum fell by a final of 42-36.
The Palestine Wildcats were looking to get back to their winning ways after a mid-season lull and seemed ready to make some noise after their 60-54 win over the Hudson Hornets.
Unfortunately, the Top 10 ranked Life Waxahachie Mustangs stood in the Wildcats path to advance. In a hard fought game, Palestine came up one point short as they fell to Waxahachie by a final score of 52-51.
Best of luck to all of the remaining playoff teams and congratulations on a great year to those teams who are no longer in the postseason.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
