By Brandon C. Williams
Managing Editor, The Post Newspaper
The start of the week saw five area boys high school basketball teams still in contention for a spot in next week’s state championships in San Antonio.
Defending 3A state champion Hitchcock has rolled into the regional quarterfinals with a 69-49 win over Coldspring and an 82-30 wipeout of Anahuac. The Bulldogs, who ended the regular season as the state’s number one team in the Texas Basketball Coaches Association polls and have won 17 straight games dating back to December 29, took their 30-3 record against 33-5 Orangefield on Tuesday at Baytown Lee College.
Clear Springs looked to continue a repeat of last year’s postseason run, opening with a 60-44 win over Alief Taylor and a 61-58 upset against Atascoscita, squared up against C.E. King at Pasadena’s Phillips Fieldhouse on Monday in a 6A, Region III quarterfinal matchup.
Meanwhile, Friendswood advanced to the 5A, Region III quarterfinals against state-ranked Fort Bend Marshall at Houston’s Barnett Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. The Mustangs, who opened the postseason with a 59-41 win over Nederland, knocked off Fort Bend Kempner in the area round when Sam Wright’s 3-pointer in the final two minutes helped them to a 40-38 victory.
Fellow 18-5A member Galveston Ball is seeking to return to the regional finals for the first time since 2011 after wins over Goose Creek Memorial (79-68) and Fulshear (49-40) set up the Tors for a quarterfinal date against Port Arthur Memorial at Channelview High School on Tuesday night.
La Marque used defense to grind their way to the 4A, Region III quarterfinals, downing Brookshire Royal 42-37 before topping state-ranked La Vernia when J’Caryous Oliver’s basket with 1.5 seconds left gave the Cougars a 46-45 overtime win. Coach Kevin Wilcox’s squad faced off against District 26-4A rival Stafford for a third time this season when the teams played at Sugar Land’s Hopson Field House on Tuesday night.
