East Texas Basketball Teams Get Ready for Round Three Playoffs

It's time for round three of the UIL Texas High School Girl's Basketball Playoffs. It's regional quarterfinal time and many teams from Deep East Texas are in action Monday or Tuesday.

Let's take a look.

Class A

Brookeland vs Neches, Tuesday, February 20, 8 p.m. - Woden High School

It's déjà vu all over again as these two teams will once again meet in the Class A regional quarterfinals. Neches won last year's postseason match-up 54-34.

The Lady Cats are 25-8 on the season, while the Lady Tigers are 26-7. Both teams have won 13 straight games.  Neches is ranked #16 in the state.

Brookeland wants to take this year's rematch, while Neches would like a shot at the state title after falling in the state semifinals last year by 11 to the event state champs, Nazareth.

The winner will advance to the Regional Tournament at the Burger Athletic Complex in Austin.

Zavalla vs Slocum, Tuesday, February 20, 6 p.m. - Lufkin High School

Zavalla is the runner up of District 28A (Brookeland was 1st), Slocum is the runner up of District 27A (Neches was 1st). The Lady Eagles are 24-8 on the year while the Lady Mustangs are 21-12.

This could be a really good basketball game. Zavalla defeated Martinsville by 9 points in their first-round game. Slocum beat Martinsville twice this year, each time by 3 points.

The Lady Eagles are peaking at the perfect time, they knocked off the District 25 champs, Aquilla, by 15 points last week. With a win on Tuesday, Zavalla would be heading to the Burger Athletic Complex with a showdown against either D'Hanis or Nueces Canyon.

Interesting note: Zavalla, Slocum, D'Hanis, and Nueces Canyon, two of those teams will make it to the Regional Semifinals. None of those four teams were champs of their districts. I love the playoffs!!

Class 2A

Lovelady vs Martins Mill, Monday, February 19, 6 p.m. at Slocum High School

It's the champs of District 20A taking on the champs of District 19A. The Lady Lions are 24-7 on the year and have won 12 straight. They are ranked #17 in the state. Martins Mill is 31-5 on the year and ranked #4 in the state. Those losses have all been against state-ranked teams.

The winner of this game will advance to the regional tourney in Athens to take on the winner of the Tenaha/Broaddus game.

Tenaha vs Broaddus, Monday, February 19, 6 p.m. at Central Heights HS

Broaddus is 25-7 on the year and has won 13 straight. Tenaha is 32-5 on the year and has won 11 straight, they are #4 in the state. The last defeat for the Lady Tigers was a 42-39 loss to Lipan, they are #1 in the state and the defending state champs.

Tenaha has been destroying opponents throughout the season.  They have outscored their two playoff opponents 206-40. So, yes, this is a huge task for Broaddus, but, these two teams played each other in late December. Tenaha won the game, but Broaddus kept in close, 48-35.

Douglass vs Hawkins, Tuesday, February 20 at Whitehouse HS

The Tribe is 25-6 on the year, while the Lady Hawks are 19-2. Douglass is ranked #21 in the state.

Douglass defeated Hawkins last year in the regional quarterfinal round, before falling in the next round to LaPoyner. If Douglass wins, it could be another rematch with LaPoyner in the regional semifinals in Athens.

Class 3A

Huntington vs Kountze, Tuesday, February 20, 6 p.m. at Colmesneil HS

Here's another rematch from last year's regional quarterfinals. The showdown in 2023 was a great game with Kountze winning by 4 points.

This year looks like another evenly-matched game. The Devilettes are 32-6 on the year and the Lady Lions are 28-4. Huntington is ranked #22 in the state.

The winner will advance to the regional tourney in Waco to take on the winner of the Little River Academy/Franklin game.