Second Time Around

Region I. What a great region for Class 3A girls basketball. Small school girls basketball rocks in that region. Before the playoffs began there were nine teams from Region I ranked in the top 20 of the state. All the way from NO.I Canadian to No. 20 Wall. In between you have the llikes of Jim Ned, Idalou, Shallowater, Peaster, Bushland, defending state champion Brownfield and Wall.

I hate the UIL moved the Region I-3A tournament from Midland's Chaparral Center . It was easy access for great basketball viewing. Two years ago it was moved to Plainview at Wayland Baptist University's Hutcherson Center.

This year the tournament will be in Lubbock. The girls will play at Frenship High School gym. The boys tournament, next week, will be played at Lubbock Christian University's Rip Griffin Center.

Another regional basketball tournament the area is losing in Region I-5A which was held in Snyder's Scurry Coliseum. Those tournaments will be played at Wichita Falls' Kay Yeager Coliseum.

LADY STEERS PROVE THEIR METTLE

Kudos to Eric Tuttle and his Big Spring Lady Steers basketball team. Leaps and bounds. That's how far you've progressed in the last couple of years. Coming one win away from playing in the Region I-4A tournament was so unexpected and so welcomed.

Upset wins in both playoff games, won by two each game. Big Spring went to the dreaded Panhandle and conquered Hereford. They went out west to catch a El Paso Mountain View squad looking ahead. Big Spring made them pay Next stop was a real, real good Seminole squad. Second meeting. The first game was 80-15 Seminole. Second game same thing. I'm thinking Seminole is the real deal. Basketball, on any given day, is a mystery like all sports. In a tournament game in November, Mountain View beat Seminole 63-55. Go figure it.

Coach Tutte may be turning the corner as far as Big Spring girls basketball goes. He's He relates to his team well. Young and energetic, breathes confidence into his players. Lady Steers surpassed the bar this season.

Switching gears. Steers guard Chris Martinez is only 5-6 but I'm hoping he gets a chance at the next level.one of the quickest players I've seen. He can get himself open for a shot with his quick release. His shot is deadly. Give him a few screens and he's instance offense. Here's hoping he gets a chance. AREA BALLERS HAVING SUCCESS

Two players with local ties are getting lots of playing time for the Sul Ross State University Lobos basketball team. Caitlyn Corley and Keona Loftis are a pair of 5-foot-8 sophomore guards.

Corley, who played at Coahoma High, has played in 20 of 25 games this season, starting 10. Corley averaged of 12 minutes playing time per game. She's averaging two points and two rebounds per game.

Loftis played her high school ball at Bushland n the Amarillo area. She came to Sul Ross via playing one season at Howard College. She's played in all 25 games for the Lobo, starting 15.. She averages 22 minutes per game. Loftis is averaging six points and two assists per game.

Sul Ross is 14-11 for the season.

Omar Boone played his high school ball at Colorado City High. The 6-5 junior forward is a starter for the Colby- Sawyer (NH) Chargers. He's averaging 12 points and six rebounds per game. He shoots 46 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the foul line.

Colby- Sawyer, like Sul Ross, is a Division III school. The Chargers are 9-14 this season.

STEERS WIN FIRST TRACK MEET

The Big Spring Steers won their season opening track in Midland Greenwood last week. The Steers scored 118 points, three more than runner up Fort Stockton. The Lady Steers finished third in the team race behind Monahans and Greenwood.

The Steers were led by Adrian Solis who won the 800 and 400 meters. Braxton Pearson won the discus and finished third in the shot put.the Steers foursome of Abram Jackson, Jose Munos, Z Franklin and Abrham Jackson won the 800 relay.

The Lady Steers got a strong performance from sophomore Alexa Mehan who easily won the 100 and 300 hurdles events. Kayla Mathews ran away from the field in the 200 and Jha'niah Johnson placed second in the discus and third in the shot put.