Hightower’s Twin duo
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Last year the Lady Hightower Hurricanes left the regional semifinals with their heads down and with tears in their eyes. But in the rematch they’ve come away with not only a win but the class 5A region III title with a 70-64 victory over the Bellaire Cardinals in the second game of a double header Saturday evening at the M.O. Campbell Center.
The Hurricanes kept focus remembering a 55-37 lost to the Cardinals last year. “Just to win, it was so bitter sweet because last year we were knocked out by Bellaire in the regional semifinals. It was a horrible lost and we use this to motivate us for this win,” said Hightower’s Guard Brittany Matthews.
Bianca Winslow’s short jumper outside the paint pulled the Cardinals within two points 66-64 with 14.6 seconds to go before Matthews knock down two free throws for Hightower to bump the lead to 68-64.
A costly mistake occurred when Winslow dribbled the inbound pass down the right baseline unaware that she stepped on the out of bounds line.
The first quarter went by quick but was filled with electric as both teams got off to a great start. They combined for four three pointers, Jasmine Brewer, Brittany Matthews for Hightower and Raven Burns and Winslow for the Cardinals.
“We knew their height, their speed and we hung in there and it was down to the wire again. We just came up short but it was a good run,” Bellaire’s Coach Kramer.
Hightower was led by Tyler Gilbert’s 21 points, 11 boards and 5 blocks. Her sister Taylor chipped in 15 points, 16 rebounds and Jasmine Brewer had 14 points.
Early in the second quarter Hightower went on 4-0 run, 22-13 steaming from the Gilbert’s inside play but the Cardinals trim the lead to three at 22-18 on A. J. Alix’s finger roll and Burns three pointer. Back came Hightower with a back door to Matthews who score to give the Hurricanes their largest lead, 29-20 with 4:34 to go in the second quarter.
Hightower took advantage of the boards behind the 6’2” twin duo of Tyler Gilbert and Taylor Gilbert to stake out a 35-24 halftime lead. The Hurricanes worked inside against the shorter Bellaire team scoring at will.
In the third quarter another put back opportunity by Tyler Gilbert, rebounding her sister’s miss to increase the lead to 14, their largest margin of the game, 38-24.
Each time Bellaire dug out of a hole Hightower would score on their end of the court.
At one point in the quarter Alix accounted for 9 points in less than minute completing two three point plays the old fashion way and nailing a three from the right side. That brought the Cardinals within 3, 46-43. However the Hurricanes didn’t waste any time adding to their lead, getting a layup from Taylor Gilbert and three pointer from freshman Alana Heard to push the lead back up to seven.
Alix’s three pointer cut the Hurricanes lead to 4, 50-46 to end the third quarter.
Bellaire pulled within one twice in the fourth quarter, 54-53 and 56-55 but could never manage to take the lead.
Point guard A. J. Alix led Bellaire with 40 points, what a day for a freshman.
In other girls action, Cy-Fair won the class 5A region II, outlasting Bryan 54-50. The Bobcats are making their fourth consecutive trip to Austin.
Westbury Christian wins TAPPS 4A state title 73-68.
