The playoffs are in full swing and Rankings are out the window!
It's literally anyone's game to lose or win, depending on how you look at it.
Clark and Steele, which were ranked #1 or #2 for the majority of the season wobbled into the playoffs.
Brandeis which lost to at least 8 teams that were ranked at one time or another in the Express News Top 10, is looking like they can be a contender. And why not, when you have a dynamic playmaker leading the way, and a capable surrounding cast, anything can happen.
Clark is looking to get a signature win in the playoffs. They have been a steady presence with real good teams in the past few years. It almost seems they graduated their whole team last year, but give them credit, they have had a real good season. They have a real nice inside out presence. Can they make some noise in the playoffs? They have a great opportunity tonight.
Judson has quietly been moving along all season steadily improving might just be the TEAM to beat! They ended the season with a bang which has fueled its confidence that they can beat anyone. They have a lot of athletes and a lot of capable shooters. What makes them dangerous is that they are deep and can wear an opposing team down.
Judson's District rival, Wagner is still very capable of representing Region IV, yes, AGAIN! When you have two kids that have the experience, skill and know how to take over a game at any time, you just can't count them out.
And you can't count Steele out as well. They cruised all season losing only once and avenging its only loss to Austin Bowie before losing to Wagner and Judson to end the season. But that might have been the best thing to happen. Sometimes losses takes the pressure off especially when nothing changed. They still remained the #1 seed. Losses also can refocus the team and the coach.
But then again, sometimes losses simply just expose weaknesses!
One team that is hard to pinpoint is Johnson. Sometimes teams go through stretches of not playing well and stretches of clicking on all cylinders. Well, with Johnson, they can have a bad loss that might signal trouble ahead and then they rebound the very next game with a big win. They can have a great game against a tough foe and you can say, watch out, here they come and then they lose the very next outing. Which team is going to show up in the playoffs?
O'Connor has just been steady moving along beating the teams they need to beat to stay alive. Nothing spectacular, the team has a very blue collar approach to games. Their backcourt is very capable of pulling off a surprise! They beat a talented Southwest squad in the first round.
Taft has been a feel good story all season. Along with Lee HS, they have shown that through hard work, it is possible to change programs around. I remember when this Taft Senior class were freshmen, their Varsity squad went 4-27 for the season and 0-16 in District play. They followed it up with 2-14 and 3-10 District records the following years. Now they stand at 30-7 for the year including a 9-4 District record. They beat a #1 Seed CC Carroll in the first round.
So Wagner vs Clark tonight and tomorrow you have O'Connor vs Steele, Brandeis vs Johnson, Taft vs Judson.
Gone are the days you had clear favorites and clear underdogs.
Who is going to advance? Which players and teams are going to step up?
And let's not forget Antonian and Incarnate Word are still finishing out District play this weekend and don't start playoffs till next weekend.
Wouldn't it have been something if you could have added them both to the whole mix and really get a True #1 in the city!
I don't know, does anyone KNOW? When is the last time two San Antonio private girls schools have risen to at least the #2 team in the city's Express News Rankings. You might and I say might have had one, but TWO Teams! That is quite impressive from both Antonian and Incarnate Word programs.
And how about Floresville, Devine and SA Cole all playing well and looking to go far in the playoffs!
Plus a lot of local smaller private schools trying to make their mark in the playoff scene!
It just shows and proves, Talent is everywhere!
And because of it, many more teams are more than capable which makes the girls basketball landscape that much more competitive!
So who is the #1 team in the city?
GO OUT AND SUPPORT GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL!
And maybe, just maybe, you will be able to determine it with your own eyes and not have to read about it!
