Mixed results for girls basketball teams

LULING – In his first season as the Luling girls basketball coach Andre D’Aversa’s biggest problem is unusual, but quite detrimental.

“We’ve had a total of 7 ½ hours of practice together as a team,” he said. “You can’t build chemistry or bond as a team if you don’t get everyone to practice. We also lack passion, but that starts with me. I’m going to find the root of our problems and get rid of them.”

The Lady Eagles struggles continued on Tuesday as they lost to Hallettsville, 57-47, at Luling High School in a District 28-2A contest. While Luling (5-15, 0-3 in 28-2A) remained winless in district play, D’Aversa was amazed at how his team stayed within 10 points of the Lady Brahmas considering the circumstances.

“To lose to a team like Hallettsville with as little practice time as we’ve had together is phenomenal,” he said. “We need to rebound better, but I have a few more tricks in my bag to work on that and other things.”

The Lady Eagles never led in the contest, but kept things close in the first quarter and the start of the second quarter. Luling pulled within a point, 6-5, on a layup from Amanda Lee before Hallettsville finished the opening quarter on an 8-4 run to take a 14-9 lead after the first eight minutes of play.

The Lady Eagles pulled within four, 16-12, early in the second quarter thanks to a 3-pointer from Carley Glass. But the Lady Brahmas made sure Luling got no closer as they closed out the second period on a 15-5 run to take a 31-17 lead at halftime.

Hallettsville opened the third quarter on a 10-2 run to build its biggest lead of the game, 41-19, before the Lady Eagles finished the period on a 10-4 spurt to pull within 16, 45-29, entering the fourth quarter. Glass had 7 points in the third.

Luling outscored the opposition, 18-12, in the fourth, but was never able to pull within 10 in the final eight minutes. Glass had 9 points in the fourth to finish with a team-high 25 points.

Lee and Sydney Threadgill finished with 9 and 7 points, respectively, for the Lady Eagles as well. Luling aims for its first district win when it visits Stockdale at 6 p.m. today.

Nixon-Smiley 62, Karnes City 54

Four Lady Mustangs scored in double figures, including a game-high 18 from Hailey Boatright, as 2A No. 7 Nixon-Smiley remained unbeaten in 28-2A play with a 62-54 win over Karnes City Tuesday at Karnes City. The Lady Mustangs also avenged last year’s bi-district loss to the Lady Badgers with the win.

“It was sweet to beat them on their home court, but our focus is the district title and the playoffs in 2013, not 2012,” Boatright said. “It meant everything to win (Tuesday) and every game from here on out means everything.”

Nixon-Smiley (14-2, 3-0 in 28-2A) led 10-9 after one quarter of play and 23-18 at halftime before using a 22-8 run in the third quarter to build a commanding 45-26 lead heading into the fourth. Karnes City used a 28-17 run in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to come back.

In addition to Boatright’s 18, Alena Alvarez scored 15 points, while Savannah Martinez and Megan Guerra had 11 and 10, respectively. Teamwork and hustle were the keys to victory for the Lady Mustangs, according to Boatright.

“I was very fortunate to do well (Tuesday), but it wouldn’t have been possible without my team,” she said. “I love full-court and hustling for four quarters. That’s our game.”

Nixon-Smiley hosts No. 5 Poth (12-2, 2-0 in 28-2A) at 6 p.m. today at Nixon-Smiley High School in Nixon. The winner of tonight’s matchup between top-10 teams will be in the 28-2A driver’s seat going into the Christmas break.

“We have to attack from the tip off to the final buzzer,” Boatright said. “(Poth) is a good ball club, as are we. Anything is possible. We just have to get after it and put it all out there.”

Gonzales

The Lady Apaches suffered a pair of setbacks at the hands of Lytle and Beeville Jones, respectively, during the last week. Gonzales (2-11) lost to Lytle, 60-48, last Friday and Jones, 59-52, on Tuesday as both games took place at Gonzales High School.

In Tuesday’s loss, the Lady Apaches trailed 14-10 after one quarter of play and 27-19 at the half. Gonzales used a 21-14 third-quarter run to narrow the Lady Trojans’ lead to one, 41-40, entering the fourth quarter before Jones finished Gonzales off with an 18-12 run in the fourth.

Kelsey Hardy and Tajerrica Smith had 15 and 14 points, respectively. Jade McCook had 9 points to go with a team-high 12 rebounds.

In the Lady Apaches’ loss to Lytle, Smith led with 16 points, while Taylor West had 11. Gonzales competes in the Sinton Tournament Dec. 27-29.