pirate4state
03-09-2009, 09:48 AM
Robinson girls dominate Argyle in 3A final, 49-33
Sunday, March 08, 2009
By Chad Conine
Tribune-Herald staff writer
http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/05/94/18/image_8518945.jpg
Robinson's MacKenzie Roach puts up a runner over Argyle's Colbea Harris in Saturday's 3A girls' final. (Duane A. Laverty photo)
AUSTIN — Robinson’s Class 3A championship game felt more like an encore.
After surviving the most difficult region in the state and fending off a scrappy Lubbock Estacado team in the semifinal, the Rockets dominated Argyle for a 49-33 victory and the 3A state championship Saturday at the Frank Erwin Center.
Robinson scored the first nine points and led by at least 10 from the end of the first quarter on.
In doing so, the Rockets (34-5) claimed the school’s second girls’ basketball state championship in their fifth state tournament appearance. This Robinson team joins the 1970 squad, which won the 2A title that season over Spearman, as state champs.
Robinson's MacKenzie Roach puts up a runner over Argyle's Colbea Harris in Saturday's 3A girls' final. (Duane A. Laverty photo)
“This is something that doesn’t go away,” Robinson senior point guard Ashley James said. “You’re a state champion your whole life. No one but us can say they went out on a win this season.”
Robinson 6-foot-4 center Rachel Hargis lifted James off the ground in a hug after Hargis accepted the championship game MVP honor. The gesture seemed to be the MVP of the moment acknowledging James’ impact throughout the season.
“I was surprised,” said Hargis about her reaction upon being named the championship game MVP. “Ashley worked hard all season long and I thought because she was a senior she was going to get it.”
But there was no mistaking Hargis’ complete control of the paint against Argyle.
Hargis, a junior, finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. As a team, Robinson grabbed 35 rebounds to Argyle’s 24 and the Rockets scored 20 points in the paint to the Lady Eagles’ 2.
“(Hargis) was a big player to hold off inside,” Argyle guard Amy Beacher said “And they had guards that could shoot. They were a well rounded team.”
Robinson has had every member of its starting five, which also includes Hannah Abbe, Alex Alexander and Mackenzie Roach, lead the team in scoring this season.
On Saturday, though, it was Hargis inside and Roach drilling Argyle from the outside.
Oh, and some pretty solid defense too.
“I’m very proud of the kids that we have,” Robinson coach Brenda Gomez said. “They played very good defense and I think that’s what got us here.”
The Rockets held Argyle to one field goal and three points through the first 11 minutes of the game, building a 23-3 lead in the process.
Roach got Robinson going on the offensive end, hitting three 3-pointers and nailing a baseline jumper during the game-opening run.
With a little more than five minutes left in the second quarter, Hargis went to the basket and scored on an assist from James. Hargis got fouled on the play and went to the line and, though she missed the free throw, Kayla Hines was there to put back the rebound for the 20-point margin.
That was the Rockets’ largest lead since their playoff opener against Tatum.
And though Robinson played mostly sharp basketball in its two games at The Drum this week, the Rockets took their biggest step toward a state championship in the gym at Centerville High School almost two weeks earlier.
Robinson, which entered the playoffs at No. 4 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches 3A girls’ rankings, fought off No. 2 Bullard, 44-36, in the regional quarterfinal in Centerville. Robinson got to Austin by going through No. 1 ranked Diboll, 40-37, in the 3A Region III final in Huntsville.
“That makes it sweeter than anything,” James said, “knowing that we went through the hardest road to get here and we could still finish it off.”
Argyle made a couple of mini-runs to cut the Robinson lead to as few as 11.
Lady Eagles guard Claire Pettibon hit a pair of 3-pointers early in the third quarter that sliced the Rockets’ margin to 32-21.
But James hit a 3 and a two-point jumper, then Hargis scored inside on an assist from James to bump Robinson’s lead back to 18 points.
With the Rockets well in command, the game became a little sloppy at the end of the third quarter. But Robinson asserted its dominance once more at the end of the period as Hargis scored on an assist from Alexander for a 41-21 advantage.
From there, Robinson just needed to keep Argyle from draining a series of 3-pointers. Pettibon, who finished with 17 points, hit two more 3s in the fourth quarter, but they weren’t enough.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Alexander tossed the ball high in the air and embraced Hargis in the center of a Rockets group hug at center court.
cconine@wacotrib.com
LINK (http://www.wacotrib.com/prep/content/sports/highschools/stories/2009/03/08/03082009wacrobinson.html)
Better late than never. Congrats to Robinson on their state championship! :clap:
Sunday, March 08, 2009
By Chad Conine
Tribune-Herald staff writer
http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/05/94/18/image_8518945.jpg
Robinson's MacKenzie Roach puts up a runner over Argyle's Colbea Harris in Saturday's 3A girls' final. (Duane A. Laverty photo)
AUSTIN — Robinson’s Class 3A championship game felt more like an encore.
After surviving the most difficult region in the state and fending off a scrappy Lubbock Estacado team in the semifinal, the Rockets dominated Argyle for a 49-33 victory and the 3A state championship Saturday at the Frank Erwin Center.
Robinson scored the first nine points and led by at least 10 from the end of the first quarter on.
In doing so, the Rockets (34-5) claimed the school’s second girls’ basketball state championship in their fifth state tournament appearance. This Robinson team joins the 1970 squad, which won the 2A title that season over Spearman, as state champs.
Robinson's MacKenzie Roach puts up a runner over Argyle's Colbea Harris in Saturday's 3A girls' final. (Duane A. Laverty photo)
“This is something that doesn’t go away,” Robinson senior point guard Ashley James said. “You’re a state champion your whole life. No one but us can say they went out on a win this season.”
Robinson 6-foot-4 center Rachel Hargis lifted James off the ground in a hug after Hargis accepted the championship game MVP honor. The gesture seemed to be the MVP of the moment acknowledging James’ impact throughout the season.
“I was surprised,” said Hargis about her reaction upon being named the championship game MVP. “Ashley worked hard all season long and I thought because she was a senior she was going to get it.”
But there was no mistaking Hargis’ complete control of the paint against Argyle.
Hargis, a junior, finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. As a team, Robinson grabbed 35 rebounds to Argyle’s 24 and the Rockets scored 20 points in the paint to the Lady Eagles’ 2.
“(Hargis) was a big player to hold off inside,” Argyle guard Amy Beacher said “And they had guards that could shoot. They were a well rounded team.”
Robinson has had every member of its starting five, which also includes Hannah Abbe, Alex Alexander and Mackenzie Roach, lead the team in scoring this season.
On Saturday, though, it was Hargis inside and Roach drilling Argyle from the outside.
Oh, and some pretty solid defense too.
“I’m very proud of the kids that we have,” Robinson coach Brenda Gomez said. “They played very good defense and I think that’s what got us here.”
The Rockets held Argyle to one field goal and three points through the first 11 minutes of the game, building a 23-3 lead in the process.
Roach got Robinson going on the offensive end, hitting three 3-pointers and nailing a baseline jumper during the game-opening run.
With a little more than five minutes left in the second quarter, Hargis went to the basket and scored on an assist from James. Hargis got fouled on the play and went to the line and, though she missed the free throw, Kayla Hines was there to put back the rebound for the 20-point margin.
That was the Rockets’ largest lead since their playoff opener against Tatum.
And though Robinson played mostly sharp basketball in its two games at The Drum this week, the Rockets took their biggest step toward a state championship in the gym at Centerville High School almost two weeks earlier.
Robinson, which entered the playoffs at No. 4 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches 3A girls’ rankings, fought off No. 2 Bullard, 44-36, in the regional quarterfinal in Centerville. Robinson got to Austin by going through No. 1 ranked Diboll, 40-37, in the 3A Region III final in Huntsville.
“That makes it sweeter than anything,” James said, “knowing that we went through the hardest road to get here and we could still finish it off.”
Argyle made a couple of mini-runs to cut the Robinson lead to as few as 11.
Lady Eagles guard Claire Pettibon hit a pair of 3-pointers early in the third quarter that sliced the Rockets’ margin to 32-21.
But James hit a 3 and a two-point jumper, then Hargis scored inside on an assist from James to bump Robinson’s lead back to 18 points.
With the Rockets well in command, the game became a little sloppy at the end of the third quarter. But Robinson asserted its dominance once more at the end of the period as Hargis scored on an assist from Alexander for a 41-21 advantage.
From there, Robinson just needed to keep Argyle from draining a series of 3-pointers. Pettibon, who finished with 17 points, hit two more 3s in the fourth quarter, but they weren’t enough.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Alexander tossed the ball high in the air and embraced Hargis in the center of a Rockets group hug at center court.
cconine@wacotrib.com
LINK (http://www.wacotrib.com/prep/content/sports/highschools/stories/2009/03/08/03082009wacrobinson.html)
Better late than never. Congrats to Robinson on their state championship! :clap: