UIL Girls State Basketball: Irion County takes shot at history in San Antonio

The regional quarterfinals have been a stumbling block for the Irion County girls basketball team the last two seasons. And it was that experience of exiting the playoffs before they were expecting to that was a motivating factor for this season’s squad.

Now after winning a regional championship, the Hornets are headed to the Class 1A girls state tournament in San Antonio feeling both ecstatic to break through but also feeling like there is some unfinished business.

The Hornets (29-8) will take on Region III champion Huckabay at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Alamodome in a Class 1A state semifinal.

“One thing that’s different about our team this year that’s different from last year is that we peaked later on in our season this year,” said senior K.K. Hart, who is averaging around 10 points a game this season. “It took us a while to get used to each other and when we did later in the season we started clicking and succeeding really well.”

The Hornets opened the playoffs with a 70-25 victory against Panther Creek, followed with a 61-37 victory against Rankin and topped Eden 44-20 to break through the regional quarterfinal barrier to reach the Region II-1A tournament in Snyder.

While in Snyder, Irion County upended Hermleigh 36-33 and followed with a 45-36 victory against District 11-1A rival Veribest to earn the coveted state berth.

Junior Melanie Rainey said one thing the team has done well during its recent playoff run is move the ball, playing unselfish and not always looking for the first shot but the best shot.

“I would say ball movement, we are really kicking the ball up the court and we aren’t just taking the first open shot we see,” said Rainey, who is averaging around 14 points a game this season. “It’s taking the best open shot and it’s helped us to get better.”

This run has also offered players such as Rainey and Hart an opportunity to tell the team’s story as coach Jacob Conner has a superstition of not doing media interviews this season. Conner has deferred those requests to players such as Hart and Rainey, and with as much success as the Hornets have had it’s not likely to change this week.

“It’s been a lot of interviews, but honestly it’s been fun,” Rainey said. “I like talking about the team. I’ve learned how to speak well but also how to really enjoy the moment. They ask us how it feels to win these certain games and it’s helped me to take it in. You have so many feelings rushing through, and you are talking through and thinking about each one is special.”

The Hornets hope a few more special moments are ahead but will remember the experience no matter the outcome.

“Honestly, it was an idea (to go to the state tournament) but I never really thought about it until it happened,” Hart said. “We just took it one goal at a time, making the regional tournament, making it to the first game and winning and finally winning that second game.

“Personally, I feel like we’ve already won, there’s not really any more I can ask for being a senior and going to state.”

Class 1A Girls State Tournament

Alamodome, San Antonio

THURSDAY’S SEMIFINALS

Huckabay (39-2) vs. Irion County (29-8), 8:30 a.m.

Neches (32-2) vs. Nazareth (29-9), 10 a.m.

SATURDAY’S FINAL

Semifinal winners, 8:30 a.m.