Lady Cougars cruise to title
It was supposed to unfold this way. The state’s only undefeated Class 6A girls basketball team didn’t trip, stumble or fall on its path toward a regional championship and spot in next week’s state tournament.
Cypress Creek’s latest gem on a tour of dominance is a 60-40 win over Clear Springs on Saturday at the Merrell Center in Katy to clinch the Region III-6A championship.
The Lady Cougars are 40-0. They’re averaging 73 points to opponents’ 37. They’ve beaten their last 20 opponents by double digits.
Cypress Creek has been trending toward this moment since November or even further back according to head coach Jennifer Alexander. Still, the amount of emotion from players and coaches indicated they didn’t treat success this season like it was a given, despite the perfect mark.
“February 22nd, that night we lost to Summer Creek, Kyndall (Hunter) and Rori (Harmon) said we were going to get it done,” said Alexander, referring to last year’s regional semifinal loss. “It’s just been a determination and focus since then for a whole year. Every day, these kids, that was the ultimate goal.”
As talented as Harmon and Hunter are in Cypress Creek’s backcourt, it’s good to pair that talent with size. Morgan Hill – at 6-foot-3 – made her presence felt with 15 points and seven rebounds. She scored 11 of those points in the second quarter after scoring just two in the first, and that was a more than apt response to Clear Springs opening the game with a 13-10 lead. Cypress Creek led by 11 at halftime.
Adding to the idea Cypress Creek is more than just its backcourt is junior Taylor Jackson’s 10 points and 14 rebounds. Jackson is also 6-3.
But it’s still understandable if Harmon and Hunter are the draw. Sharpshooting Hunter scored a game-high 22 points. Harmon tallied 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Harmon put on a show through the entire Class 6A Region III tournament this weekend with a James Harden step-back and Skip to my Lou handles in her arsenal.
This is essentially the same Cypress Creek roster from the state tournament team two seasons ago. Harmon and Hunter were freshmen then. Hill was a sophomore. The team’s rise was just beginning, and Summer Creek cut into it in last year’s regional semifinals. That loss was avenged with Friday’s 65-37 victory to set up Saturday against Clear Springs.
“It feels fantastic and it makes us want to work harder because we didn’t make it as far as we wanted to (last year),” said Hill, who later added “it makes me want to cry” when asked at the thought at getting a shot at redemption in her senior season.
Cypress Creek hasn’t seen close games often. Alexander said Cypress Creek relishes and needs those moments. Clear Springs coach Pamela Crawford loved the effort she saw from what she calls a mostly young team.
Clear Springs senior Emma McIntosh led the Lady Chargers with 16 points. Clear Springs sophomore Kenna Gibson had 11 points. Clear Springs was looking for its second state tournament berth.
Cy-Fair was the last team that challenged Cypress Creek, leading 31-30 at halftime of a District 17-6A date in January. The Lady Cougars rode a 24-8 third quarter to win that game by 10.
“I’m proud of my kids,” Crawford said. “Mad respect for Creek. We know they’re the No. 1 team in the area. We knew we were going to have to battle. But my team got a chance to see where they can grow and we fought. We never gave up. Just a few more baskets here and less turnovers there and it could’ve been a different game.”
Perhaps it’s unfair to Cypress Creek, but the celebration won’t even be stale before someone asks, “Can they beat Duncanville?”
The UIL state tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio is re-seeded by winning percentage with the two best teams in opposite brackets. Cypress Creek meets McKinney (22-12) in the 6A state semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday. Top-ranked Duncanville (38-3) meets Judson (33-8) in the nightcap.