Bench helps Pflugerville top Bowie in 6A playoffs

Panthers advance to Class 6A, Region II tourney starting Friday.

Bowie had the skill, will and savvy to keep up with state-ranked Pflugerville in a Class 6A girls regional quarterfinal contest Tuesday night, but the Bulldogs didn’t have the bench, and that proved the difference as the Panthers pulled away for a 62-43 victory.

“We’ve been preaching depth all season,” said Pflugerville coach April Hundl, whose team advanced to the Class 6A, Region II tournament that tips off in Dallas on Friday. “Teams may stay with us a while, but our depth makes a difference in the second half. You could see that happening a little bit tonight.”

Pflugerville’s decisive run in the second half at Delco Center proved Hundl’s point. With the Panthers (29-7) clinging to a 32-31 lead midway through the third period, Hundl brought juniors Kennedi Hodge and Starr Omozee off the bench. The duo promptly contributed to a 12-2 run to close the quarter.

Hodge had three of her team-high 11 points in the spurt, and Omozee added four of her nine points during the same span.

“Our bench, we complement the starting five,” Hodge said. “They sub (us); we go in and we do our job. That’s how we play.”

Overall, Pflugerville’s bench accounted for 27 points as the Panthers advanced to a regional tournament for the second straight season. In contrast, Bowie post Katelyn Dill had four points and five rebounds while filling in for the foul-plagued Carly Ott, but no other reserve scored for the Bulldogs (20-13).

Bowie, the District 14-6A champ, pulled to within 47-41 on a 3-pointer by Savannah Ralph with 6:10 to play in the game, but after Ralph prevented a layup with a hard foul against Pflugerville’s Britney Onyeje, the two players exchanged words and drew offsetting technical fouls. The technical gave Ralph her fifth foul and sent Bowie’s leading scorer this season to the bench.

Ralph finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a pair of steals, but with her sidelined, Bowie’s offense struggled as the Panthers closed the game with a 15-2 run.

Hodge said Ralph drew the attention of Pflugerville’s defense from the opening whistle.

“Our plan was to just to keep the ball out of Savannah’s hands,” Hodge said. “If she gets the ball, she can shoot from anywhere. I took it as my job to not let her get the ball. If she passed it, don’t let her get it back.”

Hodge also stayed away from the heated exchanges that led to four technical fouls in the game.

“I can keep my cool,” she said. “I was OK out there; I’m not a fighter, I’m a lover.”

Onyeje added 10 points for Pflugerville.

Four advance to Class 5A regional tournaments: Georgetown, Rouse, Austin High and Marble Falls all triumphed in regional quarterfinals Tuesday night.

Senior guard Brooke Elliott scored 23 points for Georgetown (277), which will be joined by District 19-5A rival Rouse at this weekend’s regional tournament in Houston.

Austin High (27-5) slipped past Kerrville Tivy 50-48 as 6-foot sophomore Tiana Gardner totaled 15 points.

The Maroons and Marble Falls advanced to the 5A, Region IV tournament in San Antonio.