Paetow puts 23-game win streak on the line
Like most everyone, Paetow’s boys basketball team has experienced the disruptive effects of life with COVID-19.
A district-wide shutdown at the start of the school year scratched seven games and approximately 15-18 practices in November. Whatever potential Paetow thought it had during the summer — and coach Michael Niemi saw a high ceiling for his Panthers — would have to be realized later. The Panthers were going into 2020-21 cold.
“Going into that first Cy Lakes game, we had one practice,” Niemi said of Dec. 1’s 61-52 loss to an eventual 6A regional quarterfinalist.
Paetow hasn’t lost a game since, reeling off 23 consecutive wins.
Every year in the Houston area, some nascent high school athletic program finds unbridled success almost instantly. It’s the Panthers’ and Beaumont United’s turn in the spotlight as the Class 5A Region III title game tips off at 7 p.m. Friday at the Campbell Center.
United, a consolidation of basketball-rich Ozen and Central high schools, and Paetow are a combined seven years old. United was No. 2 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches rankings at season’s end, while Paetow was 20th.
Niemi said the team has a grounded approach to 2020-21, with last year serving as proof the pandemic could swipe away the season at any moment.
“We decided we had to take every situation as it comes,” Niemi said. “We weren’t going to put ourselves in a situation to where we put too much stock into any one thing. We were just going to go out every day and compete because that may be the last day we get to practice or the last game we get to play.”
And if it wasn’t immediately evident, the potential for this group is now being realized. Talents like 6-8, 250-pound junior center Charles Chukwu stand out. The three-star recruit has a host of offers, with TCU, Georgia Tech and Rice among those pursuing him.
Niemi says it wasn’t until recently that the team “bought into each other,” and the postseason and the pressure it packs reveal what the Panthers were truly capable of.
They’ve won big in the playoffs with a 74-55 win over New Caney in the bi-district round and 70-42 win over Goose Creek Memorial in the regional semifinals. They’ve grinded out wins, too, with a 49-43 triumph over Pflugerville Weiss and 42-39 win over Kingwood Park.
Something else revs his team — setting a standard in uber-competitive Katy ISD.
Tompkins’ 2017-18 state finalist team is the only one from the district to make a boys basketball state tournament appearance.
“We always use that as a goal and a gauge,” Niemi said. “Who’s done it before us in the district and can we surpass that?”
Hargrave taking on a state power
Huffman Hargrave has been stuck on the doorstep of a state tournament bid. The Falcons must get through Silsbee to fully realize it in the Class 4A Region III championship game at 7 p.m. Friday at La Porte High School.
Hargrave is in the regional finals for the first time. It had never seen a regional semifinal until Tuesday’s 48-37 win over Carthage.
Before that were just three trips to the regional quarterfinals, with two of those coming within the last five seasons.
“The kids aren’t satisfied,” Hargrave coach Scott Barrett said. “They have a real drive to get to the state tournament. It’ll be tough. We’re playing Silsbee. But we’re just trying to take advantage of the opportunity that’s in front of us.”
Silsbee is one of the more fascinating teams left in the bracket. The Tigers start two freshmen and bring another off the bench. They handed Yates a rare area round loss this postseason.
But Silsbee’s pedigree — including state titles in 2017 and 2018 — usually overcomes all.
Hargrave will counter with 6-7 junior Grey Soileau. Trinity Universitybound guard Jacob Harvey is a do-it-all scorer averaging 24 points per game this year. Junior Jesse Viramontez adds scoring punch, too. Luke Thomas, better known as the football team’s quarterback, is a major contributor defensively.
UIL to let schools raise attendance
The University Interscholastic League updated its COVID-19 risk mitigation guidelines Thursday in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s lifting the statewide mask mandate, effective Wednesday.
The UIL says schools can set their own limits on fan capacity. It’s a departure from the 50 percent maximum the league had allowed. Schools also may arrange seating to allow for social distancing.
The UIL still requires spectators and participants to wear masks or face coverings “upon entry to an area where UIL activities are being conducted and when not actively practicing or participating in the contest, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.”
There remain exceptions, including for persons younger than 10, people with medical conditions that prevent wearing face coverings or when spectators and participants are eating and drinking.
The girls basketball state championship games are March 10-11 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The boys championships are March 12-13 at the same venue.
Face coverings will be required at the Alamodome, and capacity will be limited to 3,500 per game.
Finalists named for Lewis Award
Eleven finalists for the 2021 Guy V. Lewis Award, which recognizes the Greater Houston area’s boys basketball player of the year, were announced Thursday. All will be invited to a virtual award reception March 29.
The finalists, in alphabetical order, are: Goose Creek Memorial junior Sam Bradford, Houston Memorial senior Gaston Elie, Hightower junior Bryce Griggs, Crosby junior PJ Haggerty, Northside senior Ronald Holmes, Yates senior Chuks Isitua, Concordia Lutheran senior RJ Keene, Houston Christian senior Noah Kon, Cypress Creek senior DJ Richards, Shadow Creek senior Ramon Walker and Manvel senior Shaun Walker.