Sports
Wake-up call: West Mesquite overcomes slow start to down Frisco Centennial
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
GARLAND--It is not often a team wins when it starts a game by missing its first 20 shots.
Yet that was the rare feat West Mesquite was able to pull off on Tuesday night.
The Wranglers overcame their horrendous shooting start with a couple of huge runs in the second and fourth quarters and that was enough to rally past Frisco Centennial for a 54-46 victory in a Class 4A bi-district playoff game at Naaman Forest High School.
West Mesquite (26-9) moves on to the area finals where it will face Lincoln later this week at a time and place to be determined while the Titans finish the year with a 28-9 record.
Centennial led 37-34 early in the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer by Saige Gibbs, but West Mesquite had a decisive answer. Trynise Knight scored nine consecutive points as part of a 15-2 run that gave the Wranglers a 49-39 lead with just 2:20 left.
The Titans were able to pull to within six on two separate occasions down the stretch, but could get no closer.
"We knew it was going to be a game of runs and unfortunately we had ours in the first quarter and they had their's in the fourth," Frisco Centennial head coach Wesley Charles said. "We started coming back a little there at the end, but we just didn't have enough time to respond."
West Mesquite was 8-of-12 from the field in the fourth quarter, which was in stark contrast to the way it started the game.
The Wranglers were 0-for-18 in the first quarter as the Titans took a 13-0 lead. Their first point came on a free throw by Jazmyne Walker with 7:04 left before halftime, but that proved to be a spark, as they went on a 14-0 run during the next five minutes to turn a huge deficit into a lead.
"We got good shots, layups, good jump shots, they just weren't falling and No. 3 (McKenzie Adams) is so good it is hard to press her and generate offense that way, so i just told them they had to win ugly," West Mesquite head coach Darrin Samuels said. "It is a four quarter game and there was no reason to panic."
Adams scored nine points in the first quarter on her way to a game-high 28, but the Wranglers were able to limit her to just 9-of-27 shooting from the floor by using an extended 2-1-2 set that allowed them to set up double teams on most possessions.
Despite all the attention, Adams, who has signed to play at Arkansas, was able to generate enough offense for herself and her teammates to keep Centennial in the game until the end.
"She's a special player, the best I've had in 21 years of coaching," Charles said. "But she is also so humble. After the game was one of the classiest acts I've ever seen. I asked the seniors if they wanted to say anything and she got up and told everybody 'Thanks for letting me be a part of this team' and that just shows what a leader she is and what kind of a person she is."
West Mesquite countered Adams' night with a big performance from its own senior standout, Claudia Price. The San Francisco signee dominated inside with 20 rebounds and scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half.
"I think she has to take full credit for that," Samuels said. "She is a special player and she is our only senior. All the other players have another chance to get this done, but this is the last chance for her, so it is something special."
As Frisco Centennial turns its attention toward next season, it will have to replace seniors Adams, Gibbs and Dian Lewis, who combined for 42 of the team's 46 points. But outside of that trio, the rest of the team should be back as the Titans resume their quest to break through in the playoffs.
"This group of seniors really took us to a new level and I'm just disappointed that they are going off without a playoff win," Charles said. "But we have a lot of young kids and we are continuing to build the program so hopefully they'll be able to break that three-year streak of playoff losses next season."
There is little time to celebrate for West Mesquite, which must now take on perennial power Lincoln. The Tigers (31-4) crushed Seagoville, 80-15, in the opening round and are ranked No. 2 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 4A state poll.
But do not expect West Mesquite to be in awe of any of those numbers. After two consecutive appearances in the regional championship game, the Wranglers carry their own dreams of a trip to the state tournament, no matter who is standing in their way.
"I don't think there is a better 4A game this year in the state of Texas," Samuels said. "It is going to be the best game of the year, two teams playing their heart out and may the best team win."
Yet that was the rare feat West Mesquite was able to pull off on Tuesday night.
The Wranglers overcame their horrendous shooting start with a couple of huge runs in the second and fourth quarters and that was enough to rally past Frisco Centennial for a 54-46 victory in a Class 4A bi-district playoff game at Naaman Forest High School.
West Mesquite (26-9) moves on to the area finals where it will face Lincoln later this week at a time and place to be determined while the Titans finish the year with a 28-9 record.
Centennial led 37-34 early in the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer by Saige Gibbs, but West Mesquite had a decisive answer. Trynise Knight scored nine consecutive points as part of a 15-2 run that gave the Wranglers a 49-39 lead with just 2:20 left.
The Titans were able to pull to within six on two separate occasions down the stretch, but could get no closer.
"We knew it was going to be a game of runs and unfortunately we had ours in the first quarter and they had their's in the fourth," Frisco Centennial head coach Wesley Charles said. "We started coming back a little there at the end, but we just didn't have enough time to respond."
West Mesquite was 8-of-12 from the field in the fourth quarter, which was in stark contrast to the way it started the game.
The Wranglers were 0-for-18 in the first quarter as the Titans took a 13-0 lead. Their first point came on a free throw by Jazmyne Walker with 7:04 left before halftime, but that proved to be a spark, as they went on a 14-0 run during the next five minutes to turn a huge deficit into a lead.
"We got good shots, layups, good jump shots, they just weren't falling and No. 3 (McKenzie Adams) is so good it is hard to press her and generate offense that way, so i just told them they had to win ugly," West Mesquite head coach Darrin Samuels said. "It is a four quarter game and there was no reason to panic."
Adams scored nine points in the first quarter on her way to a game-high 28, but the Wranglers were able to limit her to just 9-of-27 shooting from the floor by using an extended 2-1-2 set that allowed them to set up double teams on most possessions.
Despite all the attention, Adams, who has signed to play at Arkansas, was able to generate enough offense for herself and her teammates to keep Centennial in the game until the end.
"She's a special player, the best I've had in 21 years of coaching," Charles said. "But she is also so humble. After the game was one of the classiest acts I've ever seen. I asked the seniors if they wanted to say anything and she got up and told everybody 'Thanks for letting me be a part of this team' and that just shows what a leader she is and what kind of a person she is."
West Mesquite countered Adams' night with a big performance from its own senior standout, Claudia Price. The San Francisco signee dominated inside with 20 rebounds and scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half.
"I think she has to take full credit for that," Samuels said. "She is a special player and she is our only senior. All the other players have another chance to get this done, but this is the last chance for her, so it is something special."
As Frisco Centennial turns its attention toward next season, it will have to replace seniors Adams, Gibbs and Dian Lewis, who combined for 42 of the team's 46 points. But outside of that trio, the rest of the team should be back as the Titans resume their quest to break through in the playoffs.
"This group of seniors really took us to a new level and I'm just disappointed that they are going off without a playoff win," Charles said. "But we have a lot of young kids and we are continuing to build the program so hopefully they'll be able to break that three-year streak of playoff losses next season."
There is little time to celebrate for West Mesquite, which must now take on perennial power Lincoln. The Tigers (31-4) crushed Seagoville, 80-15, in the opening round and are ranked No. 2 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 4A state poll.
But do not expect West Mesquite to be in awe of any of those numbers. After two consecutive appearances in the regional championship game, the Wranglers carry their own dreams of a trip to the state tournament, no matter who is standing in their way.
"I don't think there is a better 4A game this year in the state of Texas," Samuels said. "It is going to be the best game of the year, two teams playing their heart out and may the best team win."
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