By Jason Gordon
The journey to the Class 4A Region III tournament will be paved with at least one mighty big road block for the Hays girls basketball team.
Hays head coach Donny McDonald hopes to have his Lady Rebel basketball team pointed toward a repeat trip to the state tournament. Hays will face a big test when it takes on No. 18 Beaumont Central Friday night in Waller. (Photo by Rudy Gonzalez)
The Lady Rebels (25-9) will take on District 20-4A champion Beaumont Central (25-6) on Friday night at Waller High School beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Both Hays and Beaumont Central finished as district champs in their leagues during the regular season with identical 11-1 records.
Beaumont Central, which pounded Houston King 82-39 in the opening round of the playoffs Tuesday night, is ranked No. 18 in the state in Class 4A. Hays, which knocked off Magnolia West in the first round 49-28 behind Angeleigh Davis’ 22 points and 16 more points from Ashley Rankine, is ranked No. 19.
Both of Hays and Beaumont Central’s first-round opponents finished the regular season with losing records, so the level of competition will be much higher for both squads come Friday night.
“Beaumont Central has been beating the heck out of people all season,” Hays head coach Donny McDonald said. “They’re a very good team and it will definitely be a test for us, but I like how we’re playing right now.”
If Hays beats Beaumont Central, just one more win will put the Lady Rebs back into the Class 4A Region III tournament. Just a season ago, Hays swept the two games at that regional tourney, including a 41-40 thriller in the finals against rival Del Valle, to advance to the UIL Class 4A State Tournament in Austin.
“This is the time when we absolutely have to be playing our best basketball,” McDonald said. “There are no second chances anymore. You win and you advance; you lose and it’s all over.”
