District secured, Dawson set for playoffs
After fifth consecutive league crown, Eagles plan state flight
Dawson will raise another district championship banner this season, but that’s a matter for another day. The postseason begins next week.
Fresh off a fifth consecutive district title, the Eagles are flying high but now must turn their focus to the ultra-tough Region III-6A playoff bracket.
“What - ever you have accomplished doesn’t matter anymore,” Dawson coach Mark Barre said.
The Eagles routinely have been a tough team to eliminate. Last year in their first try in the state’s largest classification they lost to eventual regional runnerup Clear Creek by four points in the third round.
In2012 and 2013Dawson also lost in the third round andwas dangerously close to sneaking into the regional tournament.
In 2012 the Eagles had won 30 games and took a three-point lead into the closing seconds against Houston Jones. They missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and then succumbed to a 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer that forced overtime. Jones made another triple at the buzzer in double overtime to win the game.
The following year Dawson was behind by a couple of points in the final seconds against Brazosport and though it was going to be on the good end of a three-point play opportunity to take the lead. An official called the Eagles’ player for a charging violation and waved offthe bucket.
“In all three of those third-round games we are a possession or two away from the regional tournament,” Barre said.
One thing this season’s team has as an advantage is its ability to play well on the road. While most playoff games are not true road games, they are intense atmospheres in which the Eagles have thrived.
Look no further than last week’s game at South Houston that clinched the District 22-6A championship. Dawson limited South Houston star Nick Hernandez and won the game56-47.
The district title allows Dawson to take the No. 1 seed into the playoffs. The Eagles will face Deer Park, Baytown Sterling or Channelview in the first round. If they win that game they’ll face one of their toughest tests of the playoffs in the No. 2 seed out of Fort Bend ISD. That will be Hightower or Travis, both ranked in the state’s top 13.
Barre said it would be foolish for his team to look past the No. 4 seed out of District 21.
“You can look at High- tower and Travis, but if you’re not on top of your game you could get it handed it to you in the first round,” he said.
Pearland and Manvel entered the week tied for third place with Dobie and were scheduled to play one another on Tuesday. It was a virtual win-and-in scenario for Pearland and Manvel because Dobie’s regular season finale was against eighth-place Pasadena Memorial.