Playoffs loom for area basketball teams
Jan. 31—With the 2023-2024 University Interscholastic League's basketball playoffs just weeks away, the heat is on for area teams to make their final pushes towards the postseason. Several area teams, such as the Westwood Panthers and Neches Lady Tigers, have already punched their ticket into the playoffs, yet others need to have a strong finish to the year to preserve their invitations to the dance. Let's take a look at how things are going for our area teams.
Westwood
The Westwood Panthers are having one of the most successful seasons in recent memory, currently occupying the top slot in the 20-3A standings. With the emergence of freshman Kavian Bryant, who can take over a game at will, paired with the presence of veterans Brandon Russell and Shannon Jackson, the Panthers will be a true contender as they move into the playoffs.
The Lady Panthers, currently 2-10 within district play, will see their season come to an end next week. The Lady Panthers will look to build momentum over the last two games of the season, gaining valuable knowledge to take into next season. With only one senior on the team, the Lady Panthers will return most of their team next year for another run.
Grapeland
The Grapeland Sandies, 20-10, have turned on the afterburners deep into the season, rocketing past all district foes to claim a 6-0 district record, seeding them in the top slot of the 20-2A standings. The Sandies will have possibly their biggest game of the season to finish out the campaign, as they will host the second place Centerville Tigers in the last game of the season, which could potentially decide the district winner.
The Sandiettes, 11-12 overall, are also looking to make a playoff push, sitting in the final postseason slot with a 3-4 district record. The Sandiettes have a great chance to move up within the district in their final two games of the year, as they will face Lovelady and Leon to finish the regular season, both of whom are currently above Grapeland in the standings.
Cayuga
The Cayuga Wildcats have had a slow run of their district schedule, posting a 1-5 record over their first six district contests. Cayuga plays in one of the hardest 2A districts in the state, boasting talent such as LaPoynor, Frankston and one of the gold standard programs in the state, Martins Mill. The tough competition has sharpened the Cats, but may hold them out of the playoffs.
The LadyCats, on the other hand, are right in the thick of the district standings. Cayuga sits in the fourth and final playoff spot for district 19-2A, but will need to play sharp in the final two regular season games to hold off Cross Roads.
Frankston
The Frankston Indians have compiled a 22-7 overall record this season, but still have a lot of work to do. As mentioned in the Cayuga section, Frankston plays in a district with the LaPoynor Flyers and Martins Mill Mustangs, who have a combined 17 state tournament appearances. Frankston has gone 3-3 in district play thus far, with two losses coming to Martins Mill, and the other to LaPoynor.
The Maidens also sit third within the district, with the same two schools to overcome. The Maidens are 4-4 across the district schedule so far, with all four losses coming at the hands of the Lady Mustangs and Lady Flyers. The Maidens will have a big game tomorrow, as they host Kerens, who sits one game back in the standings.
Oakwood
The young Oakwood Panthers are having a building season, and have made the most of their time as a team. The Panthers hold a 9-16 overall record, 3-6 within district, and continue to hold on to a chance for a playoff berth. Oakwood will host Trinidad this Friday before finishing out their last two games on the road next week in Milford and Bynum.
The Lady Panthers on the other hand are hard charging towards the postseason, posting a 12-6 overall record, and going 8-2 in district play, good enough to hold second place. Oakwood will host the Trinidad Lady Trojans this Friday before heading to Milford for a date with the district top-seed Lady Bulldogs on Tuesday.
Elkhart
The Elkhart Elks have had a tough season, fighting through injuries to some of their top talent to amass a 10-18 overall record. The Elks started their season strong, going 10-8 in the pre-district portion of the schedule, but have struggled in district play, going 0-8 so far with four games remaining.
The Lady Elks are clawing and fighting their way through the season, currently occupying the final playoff slot in district 20-3A. Elkhart has built a 14-15 overall record, going 5-7 in their first dozen district contests. The Lady Elks have two regular season games remaining, one against top district seed Fairfield, the other against Teague, and will need to win at least one to feel confident in their playoff hopes.
Neches
The Neches Tigers have reached a critical junction in their season. The Tigers, 15-11 overall and 3-7 in district 27-1A, have four games remaining this season, with three of them against opponents slotted higher then themselves, who hold the sixth position in the standings. The Tigers will need to string together wins in the final two weeks to rise from the sixth spot into the playoff pool.
Oppositely, the Lady Tigers are in complete control of their district, posting a perfect 7-0 record so far within 27-1A play. The Lady Tigers have carried their dominating nature into 2024, and have not dropped a contest since Dec 28, 2023, when they fell to the top-10 3A Malakoff Lady Tigers. Across all sports, the Neches Lady Tigers went a combined 84-22 in 2023.
Slocum
The Slocum Mustangs are right on the cusp of clinching a playoff spot, currently holding a 9-18 overall and 4-6 district records. The Mustangs will have a tough final two weeks of the season, as they will head on the road to face the top two teams within the district, in Laneville and Martinsville.
The Lady Mustangs are poised to make their third consecutive run at the playoffs, as they currently sit behind only Neches in the 27-1A standings. The Lady Mustangs, 18-11 overall, 7-1 within district, will host Laneville this Friday, before heading to Neches next Tuesday for the final regular season game of the year. The game with Neches will have big implications, as the Lady Mustangs could feasibly jump the Lady Tigers for tops in the district.
