Love is in the air...

It is Valentines Day and Love is in the air.

Except when the girls high school basketball playoffs kickoff later today. Then competitive juices will start flowing and watch out. Expect some combative back and forth action between all the teams remaining. 

Fans will be yelling and griping at the Referee's, at the Coaches decisions, at the players, at the food, at the no parking available etc
Coaches will be yelling at the Refs, at the players. Players might be yelling at other players, at their own teammates......

Love in the air, no more.

San Antonio is left with the top eight 5A schools vying for an opportunity to get to the Big Dance, the Final Four tournament in Austin, TX.

Steele vs Judson
What a match up in athleticism. There is no question that defense is going to rule but who is going to muster enough offense to win the game. There is probably going to be over 40 turnovers combined between both teams. Who can respond to the pressure? If it goes to the end of the game, who has the biggest names and players in the team? The edge goes to Steele even though Judson won earlier in the year. Revenge will be on Steele's mind.

Churchill vs Jay
A match up in two of the best point guards and leaders in the city ending their storied high school careers as they both are seniors. Jay has a deeper and stronger supporting cast but Churchill has enough to beat anyone especially with their floor leader at the helm. What is considered two of the best girls High School coaches squaring off against each other, that in itself should be worth the price of admission. Conventional wisdom will tell you the team with the deeper bench will win. Unless the other team has probably the city's  MVP on its side.

Reagan vs Stevens
Reagan has beaten a depleted Stevens team a few times this year. But the Stevens team is a stronger squad than earlier in the year. Stevens offense needs to exploit Reagan's inside. Defensively they need to try and get Reagan to get in a running game. Reagan needs to do what they have done all year. No flash, no pizazz, no show off, Just Win! They always find a way. A different player seems to step up when they need it. Reagan has the edge simply because they are the defending champ. To beat the champ, don't let it go to the scoring tables. You need to knock them out. Stevens has a decent chance because Reagan might take them lightly since they already beat them 3 times.

Wagner vs Clark
Until last year, Wagner and Jay dominated the city landscape in girls High School basketball.
That means Tradition will work heavy in Wagner's favor.  Coaching experience in big games will strongly be in Wagner's side. How many D1 commits have come out from both schools in the last 5 years? Overall Talent, big name and known players favors Wagner. But if there is a year that someone can change that, it is right now with this Clark team. Somehow they have underperformed but that could be a good thing. It could be the best is still to come. We haven't seen it consistently from them all year. Clark's guards have to play strong and hit big shots. They have to work the middle without turning over the ball over. Clark needs to try and get Wagner's big girls in trouble. Instead of the other way around. Is Wagner going to have team Chemistry? It seems to me Wagner will come out strong to knock out Clark early. Can Clark withstand and maybe take it to Wagner early themselves. The edge goes to Wagner but don't count out Clark especially if Wagner's big girls get in foul trouble.

So Happy Valentines Day!
Enjoy cause only time will tell how much longer LOVE will be the air.....

Go support Girls High School Basketball!

MAYBE NEXT YEAR AND HAPPY TRAILS......

From the RiverCityHoopScoop website, a little recognition for SA Islanders Tara and Alexia as their freshman High School season comes to an end.

THE SCOOP
 The Latest News in San Antonio Girls Basketball
Monday, February 11
MAYBE NEXT YEAR....
Before the playoffs begin tonight we want to pay tribute to a few teams that are missing out this season. Some teams barely missed the playoffs on play-in games while others couldn't wait for the brutal regular season to end so they could prepare for next season. With that said, it's only hope for the future for those non-playoff teams...Maybe next year???? 
 
The Marshall Rams cracked the Honorable Mention of our High School Rankings a few times and started off district on the right track.  The story with Rams was injuries. UTSA commit Carlie Heineman had a phenomenal junior campaign but was sidelined with injury on several occasions. Marshall's other major contributors Alexia Torres and KK Saenz also were sidelined on occasion.  It was a great run for the Rams and promise for the future but this year's run was cut short. Alexia Torres and Carlie Heineman give Marshall a returning backcourt that could compete for a district championship next season but until then... Maybe next year for the Marshall Rams.....
For all the other programs that missed the playoffs, we commend you for your completed seasons and wish you all the best. MAYBE NEXT YEAR....... 


Wednesday, February 13
HAPPY TRAILS
The first round of the playoffs is in the books. We wish all the winners the best of luck in the second round, but would like to send the others off with "Happy Trails".....  
 
Happy Trails to the Johnson Jaguars:
According to several preseason polls, the Jags were one of the favorites to win Region 4 and make it to the state tournament.  After only 11 games, UCLA commit Recee' Caldwell chose to part ways from Johnson high school basketball.  Caldwell's departure was a shock to many and brought even more drama to a program that was already in question because of recent transfers.  New head coach Randy Evans and the Johnson Jaguars were forced to play point guard by committee and had to find a new identity in the post-Caldwell era. Nevertheless, the talented Jags were just fine and still remained one of the top teams in the city.  Dallas area transfer Tiara Davenport (2014-Texas Tech) was a huge addition to the Jaguars and filled the void of a "Big" the Jags had always been missing. They will return 2014 stud Gabbi Bowie, 2015 Texas Tech commit Erica Sanders as well as two 2016 rising stars Sandy Ramirez and Tara Molina. Next year the Jags will once again be a Top 5 team in the city.  Happy Trails......
And Happy Trails to the rest: Lanier, Harlandale, Somerset, McCollum, and Smithson Valley   

Girls High School Action

 SA Islanders Tara Molina 




 Click link below

SA Islanders Tara Molina playing with Johnson against Judson