CONTROL OF PLAYOFF DESTINY

Despite back-to-back District 17-3A home losses, Clifton Lady Cubs look to clinch postseason berth in final three games

With three games remaining in the 2023-24 Texas high school girls basketball regular season, the Clifton Lady Cubs head into the stretch drive in control of their postseason destiny. But after suffering back-to-back heartbreaking home losses last week, the Lady Cubs will have their hands full in the battle to secure playoff berths in the balanced and competitive District 17-3A.

Fighting to stay alive in the postseason conversation, the Keene Lady Chargers shocked Clifton, 38-32, last Tuesday at the Clifton High School gymnasium before the Lady Cubs came up just short of returning the favor by upsetting second place Grandview by losing, 32-28, dropping their third straight game last Friday night.

Finding themselves entrenched in a tight battle for the fourth place playoff berth with Keene, the Lady Cubs (3-4 in district, 16-12 overall) travel to Whitney to take on the Lady Wildcats (0-7, 7-18) at 6 p.m. Tuesday before returning home to host the 13th-ranked and district-leading West Lady Trojans (6-1, 25-2) on Senior Night at 6 p.m. Friday.

“We knew going into district play that our district is an evenly-matched district across the board,” Clifton girls basketball first-year head coach Mario Villalpando said. “Every night throughout the entire district, there are multiple games that are won by a possession or two. Even with the two tough outcomes last week, the team still controls their own destiny when it comes to a playoff spot.”

After battling through a defensive struggle in the first quarter last Tuesday, Keene (2-5, 18-11) opened it up by outscoring the Lady Cubs, 18-10, in the second quarter to take a 22-13 lead into halftime. Clifton battled back in the third period, but the Lady Chargers held on for the win to get back into the postseason chase.

Senior Laylah Gaona led the Lady Cubs with 11 points and six rebounds, followed by senior Meagan Henderson with 10 points and six rebounds, while senior Reagan Thomas dished out five assists and came up with three assists.

After suffering an upset loss to Maypearl (5-2, 18-14) the previous week, Grandview (5-2, 24-6) came into Clifton last Friday riding the momentum of snapping West’s 16-game winning streak with a 44-38 victory over the Lady Trojans last Tuesday.

In what proved to be another defensive struggle throughout, the Lady Cubs enjoyed a 16-10 advantage at halftime before getting shut out in the third period while Grandview tied the score. In a wild fourth quarter, the Lady Zebras outscored Clifton, 16-12, for the come-from-behind win.

Henderson led the Lady Cubs with nine points and six rebounds, followed by Gaona with eight points and four rebounds, sophomore Avary Woosley with seven points and three steals, while Thomas came up with three steals and dished out two assists.

“Both games last week were almost a carbon copy of each other,” Villalpando said. “They were low scoring, defensive battles. We had our opportunities in both games. Unfortunately, things did not go our way.”