(McAllen, Texas)-In the University Interscholastic League Girls Basketball Top 6A Bracket, High School Sports Magazine’s top-ranked team, Harlingen, defeated Mission (15-18) 57-28 in the Class 6A Bi-District Championships. With the win, the 32-6A champions, Lady Cards (23-10) will face runner-up 29-6A San Antonio Harlan (28-4) this Thursday at Calallen HS with tipoff set for 7:00 p.m. Harlan easily knocked off 30-6A Laredo Alexander 79-42. The Lady Hawks has outscored its opponents 1,915 points to 1,212 points. Lady Hawks Aniya Joseph leads the team with 16.0 ppg along with Layla Conley (15.0 ppg).
In the Top Bracket, 31-6A Edinburg (30-7) stopped 32-6A Los Fresnos 63-49 and will play 30-6A Laredo United South (27-6), a 61-57 winner over 29-6A San Antonio Stevens (20-11). Both Edinburg and Laredo United South will meet in the second round of the UIL State Area Championships at Corpus Christi Carroll High School on Friday night. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. This game will be a rematch of last season’s area playoff with United South winning 60-43.
The winners from both games will meet in the regional quarterfinals next week.
In the Bottom Bracket of Region IV, 30-6A Laredo United Lady Horns (30-5) handed 29-6A San Antonio Warren (20-13) a 80-47 loss in the first round of the State 6A Girls Bi-District Championships and will meet 32-6A San Benito (24-13), a 66-47 winner over La Joya. Game is set for Corpus Christi Moody on Friday at 7:00 p.m. In more pairings, 29-6A San Antonio Brennan defeated 30-6A Del Rio 68-28 and will meet 32-6A Weslaco (30-8), a 50-23 winner over Edinburg North on Friday at Corpus Christi King HS. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. Winners will meet in the regional quarterfinals next week.
In Class 5A, the 31-5A Edinburg Vela Lady Sabercats easily swept past 32-5A Weslaco East 75-25 to move to the second round against 29-5A Flour Bluff (23-5) on Friday at Falfurrias HS at 7 p.m. The winner will meet 32-6A Brownsville Veterans (29-4) or 29-5A Victoria East in the regional quarterfinals on Friday at 6:00 p.m. at Alice HS. In the lower playoff bracket, 31-5A McAllen Nikki Rowe defeated 32-5A Brownsville Lopez to move on to the second round against 30-5A Laredo Cigarroa while 31-5A McAllen Memorial will play 29-5A Corpus Christi Veterans on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Winners will meet in the regional quarterfinals next week.
Moving over to Class 4A, the 32-4A runner-up, Port Isabel Lady Tarpons were eliminated from the state playoffs on Tuesday night losing to Kingsville 57-45 while Calallen stopped 32-4A Hidalgo 35-22 in the lower brackets. In the upper 4A bracket, La Feria survived Tuloso-Midway 55-42 while Grulla ended their season losing to Bishop 65-31. The 32-4A Lady Lions (14-8) will advance to play 30-4A Ingleside (21-13).
In the Class 3A playoffs, 32-3A champions, Rio Hondo (25-3) proved to be too much for IDEA Quest, winning 96-20 and they will play San Diego (10-9), winners over Mathis HS 48-45. District 31-3A IDEA College Alamo (17-3) defeated IDEA Weslaco to advance to the second round against 29-3A Goliad. Winners will meet next week in the regional quarterfinals. In the 3A lower bracket, IDEA Academy lost to Progreso 49-25 while Lyford dominated IDEA Pharr 74-21. District 32-3A runner-up, Lyford (27-9) will play 29-3A Aransas Pass (24-11) while 30-3A CC London (8-14) will meet 32-3A Progreso (21-11) in the area playoffs.
Moving over to Class 2A, Santa Maria lost to Kennedy 53-49; Freer lost to Yorktown 45-42; Kaufer ended its state title hopes against Skidmore-Tyan 66-33 and lone District 32-2A survivor, Premont (25-6) moves on to the second round of the State 2A Area Championships against 29-2A Harper.
Newcomer, Lasara Lady Lions from District 32-1A lost to Rockspring 79-37 while McMullen defeated Leakey 48-43. In the bottom bracket, San Perlita lost to D’Hannis 61-51 and San Isidro watched their title hopes end against Nueces Canyon 52-48.
