A FAMILY AFFAIR: Cousins Meekins and Smith spearhead Nocona's continued success

There is only one undefeated UIL girls basketball team in Texas.

And that team resides in Nocona.

On Tuesday, the Lady Indians used a dominant fourth quarter to beat top District 9-2A threat Windthorst, 57-40, improving to 27-0.

According to the state polls conducted by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, there isn’t another undefeated UIL girls basketball team in Texas. It’s easy to assume that if there was, that team would be ranked by the TABC.

Success on the basketball court isn’t new in Nocona. The Lady Indians have consistently put a winning product on the court since current Northern Colorado standout Averee Kleinhans was a freshman in the 2017-18 season.

Kleinhans’ four seasons at Nocona were prolific, finishing with 3,204 career points. She’s one of three girls basketball players in the TRN Sports coverage area to eclipse 3,000 career points, including Windthorst’s Tatum Veitenheimer (3,311) and Bowie’s Rene Hanebutt (3,186).

Kleinhans took the Lady Indians to the third round of the playoffs in three straight seasons, including as a senior in 2021.

Everyone outside the program and small town located about 50 miles east of Wichita Falls expected the Lady Indians to fall on hard times after Kelinhans’ graduation.

Little did we know Kleinhans had two cousins ready to take up her mantle.

Enter Skyler Smith.

Smith was Nocona’s second-leading scorer as a freshman. She had a memorable moment that season, scoring more than 40 points in a game Kleinhans missed due to injury, letting everyone know that the cupboard wouldn’t be totally bare.

“I was grateful to show the ropes to Skyler my senior year,” Kleinhans said. “I think that was a great experience for both of us.”

But Smith wasn’t going to carry the load alone.

Enter Megyn Meekins.

Meekins swept onto the scene as a freshman, leading the Lady Indians in scoring and earning Red River 22 recognition.

Last season, Meekins and Smith led a veteran squad to a 33-5 record and a fourth straight third-round appearance in the playoffs.

“I wasn’t expecting it to go as well as it did,” Smith admitted. “It turned into so much more than what I thought could happen. It just felt good to carry on what Averee had started.”

Meekins watched Nocona’s turnaround from the stands of the high school’s small box gym but got unique insight into the program, not just from her cousin, but also older sister, Emma. The elder Meekins was a Red River 22 honoree as a junior in 2017 and a senior on the 2018 team that started the program’s recent five year run of postseason berths.

“I’m always thankful for my family. They’re always here for me,” Megyn Meekins said. “I always looked up to my sister and wanted to follow in her footsteps and play at Nocona. It’s rare that all of the family gets together, but when we do we talk a lot about basketball. It’s a great time.”

“Megyn was at almost every game watching and seeing what it was about, so no doubt she knew what to do when the time came,” Kleinhans said. “They could go the whole season without losing a game if they put their mind to it.

“I think they were able to continue the tradition because it’s in their blood.”

Meekins is again leading the Lady Indians in scoring, averaging 23.3 points per game. She’s also the team’s top facilitator with an area-best 6.1 assists per outing. She’s shooting an impressive 47 percent from 3-point range.

Smith is complimenting her cousin with 17 points and a team-best 8.9 rebounds per game. She’s also accurate from long range, draining 34 percent of her 3-pointers.

“We started playing together in Little Dribblers, so we’ve been on the same team pretty much since first grade,” Smith said. “It’s so much fun. We always know what each other is thinking. We always have that look we can give each other.”

“It’s amazing. If one of us is doing bad, then the other is on fire,” Meekins said. “We have each other’s back.”

Those backs have a big target on it now that the Lady Indians are 27-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state at the Class 2A level.

It’s a fact coach Kyle Spitzer is preaching to his team.

“Everyday, coach Spitzer is telling us that we’re going to get everybody’s best game because we’re No. 1,” Smith said. “Everyone is going to be trying to beat us and hand us that first loss. No one is overlooking the No. 1 team.”

Kleinhans isn’t shocked by the team’s success.

“I’m not surprised one bit,” Kleinhans said. “They were made for it, and it’s what they do. That’s what they do down in Nocona is win, and 27-0 is awesome especially with some of the ranked teams they’ve played.”

No one is overlooking the impact Smith and Meekins are making for their undefeated squad. Of course, the dynamic duo has plenty of help. Whether it be the strong 3-point shooting of junior Sydnee Mowry and Reagan Phipps or the strong rebounding by sophomore Avery Crutsinger, Smith and Meekins aren’t alone on the court.

Then there’s the third cousin of the team with the familiar last name. Freshman Aubree Kleinhans isn’t filling up a scorebook like her older sister, but she’s carved out a strong role on the team, making 36 percent of her 3-pointers this season.

“I really thought we might have some trouble because of all the girls that graduated last year, but this team has really stepped up,” Smith said. “This is more than I expected, and it’s really exciting.”

Of course an undefeated record and No. 1 ranking may feel a little empty if the Lady Indians can’t finally get over that third round hump.

In previous seasons, Brock and Peaster served as the roadblock in Nocona’s path to a regional tournament. The Lady Indians haven’t advanced that far in the playoffs since 1995.

The drop from Class 3A to 2A eliminates running into Brock or Peaster, but the Lady Indians aren’t taking anyone lightly.

“Averee is always telling us, ‘Don’t take anything for granted,’” Meekins said. “We’ve been looking forward to this, but we still have to show everyone that we can do it. That’s what helps motivate us.”

Regardless of how this season ends, it’s plain to see that this run of postseason, and family, success isn’t ending in Nocona soon.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Megyn Meekins and Skyler Smith continue family tradition at Nocona