The Huntsville Item, Huntsville, TX

Local Sports

Discussion

March 3, 2010

Trying to make history

Hornets know they’ll have their hands full with nation’s No. 1 team, Houston Yates

By Tom Waddill Sports Editor

HUNTSVILLE — The floor at Hornet Gym sure looked crowded Wednesday afternoon. That’s because there were 13 players running around like crazy — five on offense and eight on defense.

To get his team ready for Friday’s Region III semifinal game against Houston Yates, Huntsville coach Larry Carlson wisely devised a practice schedule that includes a hectic press-break drill complete with eight yellow-shirted defenders.

Carlson even convinced Lady Hornets head coach Jay Oliphant and a couple of sprinters from the high school track team to help him simulate the pace the Hornets are going to face for 32 minutes at the Merrell Center on Friday night.

Afterward, Carlson appeared upbeat.

“Today’s practice was real good,” the Hornets coach said. “We pressed all over the floor with eight guys thinking that the extra pressure will get us ready, and I think it will. We also worked on our transition defense.

“To beat Yates, there are two big keys. First, you have to really minimize your turnovers. They force so many of them, but you’ve got to take care of the ball against their press. They also throw the ball in so quickly that you’ve got to be ready with your transition defense. We can’t be walking back after we score because they’ll throw it the length of the floor and get easy baskets that way.”

The Hornets were huffing and puffing after Wednesday’s workout, but they are pumped about the opportunity to play the top-ranked team in Texas, and the No. 1 team in the nation, for a spot in the Region III finals.

“I’m kind of excited about it,” sophomore guard Daniel Hazlewood said. “We get to play the number one team in the nation. I haven’t even played anybody that’s in the top five in the state. It’s crazy.”

Yates, the defending state champions of Class 4A, has won all 30 of its games this season. The Lions have done so in impressive fashion, scoring 118 points on average and giving up only 64.

Coach Greg Wise has taken his team to Hawaii this season for a tournament. That’s where the Lions had their closest call, eking out a 97-96 victory over the ninth-ranked team in the country, Saints Neumann and Goretti High School from south Philadelphia.

Since returning to Houston, the Lions have breezed in all but a couple of their games. Last week, Houston Jones hung around for a little more than a half, but Yates pulled away for a 114-80 win to set up Friday’s meeting with Huntsville.

The Hornets know all about the Lions. Huntsville and Yates played at the Merrell Center in the region quarterfinals two years ago, with the Lions narrowly escaping with a 63-62 win.

Yates also has gotten tons of media exposure this season, some of it after to the record-setting 170-35 pounding they put on Houston Lee, but much of it due to the Lions’ growing reputation as one of the most talented high school teams ever.

“They’re a little faster than the team we played two years ago,” Huntsville senior Marvin Dunbar said of the Lions. “I think they’re way deeper, too. Two years ago some of their main guys were sophomores. They’re seniors now, and they’re way more experienced.”

Carlson agrees with his veteran point guard. With seniors Brandon Peters (Western Kentucky), Joseph Young (Providence) and Darius Gardner (Stephen F. Austin) leading the way, the Lions pounce on their opposition immediately after the opening tip and they don’t let up until the final buzzer rings.

“They’ve basically got four stud athletes out there with a 6-foot-9 kid who can jump out of the building,” Carlson said. “They’re long and rangy. They’re faster than they were two years ago, more physical and they are hungrier for sure. This team has been to the top already and they want to get back there.”

Friday’s game between Huntsville and Yates is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m., after the first semifinal game between Brenham and La Marque, which will start at 6.

Text Only
Local Sports
  • Tommy Vaughn

    December 17, 2010

  • Plenty of interesting stories to follow at the 2010 National Finals Rodeo

    When the 2010 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo begins tonight in Las Vegas, the biggest story line will be Trevor Brazile of Decatur, a cowboy who stands on the brink of clinching a record eighth world all-around title.

    December 1, 2010

  • Lady Hornets set up showdown with Caney Creek

    The Lady Hornets had to fight tooth and nail Tuesday night, but the Huntsville girls volleyball team came away with a four-set victory on the road at Summer Creek.
    The Lady Hornets evened their district record at 4-4 by handing the Lady Bulldogs a 25-23, 25-18, 23-25 and 26-24 setback.

    October 5, 2010

  • Anderson-Shiro downs Lady Dogs in three sets

    The Lady Bulldogs played well at times Tuesday, just not well enough to knock off the team that is battling state-ranked Centerville for the top spot in District 23-2A.

    October 5, 2010

  • Fantasy Focus: Coaching decisions, game-time decisions and byes

    There is nothing worse than getting up on Sunday morning to set your fantasy football lineup and seeing one of your star players listed as a game-time decision. That was the dilemma for owners of Andre Johnson on Sunday.

    October 5, 2010

  • 10-1-nw-adv.jpg Home, sweet home

    For two weeks now, the Bulldogs have had to stew over their previous performance, an embarrasing 49-6 shellacking against Franklin. New Waverly certainly doesn’t want its worst loss in nearly two years to be the lasting impression heading into district play.

    September 30, 2010 1 Photo

  • 9-30-hornets-hazlewood-thr.jpg Huntsville coaches keep pushing

    Tackle better and cut down on turnovers. That was the big emphasis last week in the Hornets’ district opener against Summer Creek.
    Huntsville’s young bunch succeeded on both accounts.

    September 30, 2010 1 Photo

  • Southland Notebook: ‘We want to finish this week right’

    Sam Houston State head coach Willie Fritz called the Bearkats into a huddle at the end of Thursday afternoon’s workout at Bowers Stadium.

    September 30, 2010

  • Lady Lions look tired, but still win in three sets

    Maybe the Lady Lions were a little tired after winning the silver bracket at the Living Stones varsity volleyball tournament in Alvin over the weekend. But Alpha Omega Academy head coach Talara Cox felt her squad could have played a lot better Tuesday night.
    Regardless, the Lady Lions took care of business, and despite a sluggish second game, cruised to a 25-15, 26-24, 25-16 victory over Northeast Christian Academy of Kingwood. Alpha Omega improved to 3-2 in district action with the win.

    September 28, 2010

  • 9-26-18-pressures-qb.jpg Kats come to life

    The Bearkats are far from a finished product, but they sure looked like it Saturday night.
    Sam Houston State electrified the crowd with explosive plays in the passing and running games and the defense brought the heat as the Bearkats whipped the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb 30-14 at Bowers Stadium.

    September 25, 2010 1 Photo