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The Howe Lady Bulldogs (23-10) finish the season as only the second girls basketball team in school history to become area champions. Howe, who had an 11-point lead in the early parts of the fourth period could not stave off the elevated temperature of a desperate Mineola (27-8) team in the final minutes of the game. Howe’s lead collapsed with 30-seconds remaining in the game when The Lady Jackets’ All-State guard Sabria Dean made a ball-fake move that would have made LeBron James blush and hit a 9-footer from the middle of the lane to give her team the lead, 36-35 which seconds later became the final score.

After Dean’s would-be game-winning shot, Howe still had a chance with 21.94 seconds remaining as Lands called a full timeout to gather a plan to score. With the ball in Jenna Honore’s hands on the right wing dribbling to the right corner with pressure from Jessiah Riley, the ball went off of Honore and out of bounds. This led to three quick desperation fouls to send Mineola to the line. During the second foul, Honore, the district defensive MVP, seemed to be in position to draw the charge on Dean, but a blocking call was made instead which virtually eliminated a serious threat for a last-second comeback. Dean missed her free throw which was rebounded by Honore who found the District 10-3A MVP Ally Harvey at halfcourt for a last-second heave from her hip that missed going in by a foot to the right. Soon afterward, an eruption from the crowd in orange and their head coach Troy Riley who ran to the Lady Jacket crowd and underarm flexed his muscles which sent the crowd into a frenzy.

This year’s version of longtime Head Coach Derek Lands’ team was built heavily around defense with five starters with exceptional abilities to lock-down their opponent. The individual matchup of Honore versus Dean proved to be the girls 3A basketball version of Ali-Frazier. Neither player left the floor for the entire game and as expected, the game came down to that matchup in the most meaningful final moments. Dean made the great ball-fake move to get Honore off balance for the go-ahead score and Honore answered back with an outstanding defensive drawn charge. The only problem for Howe was – the charge wasn’t called.

Howe started the game strong with Molly Wilson scoring the game’s first points. The Lady Bulldogs did a nice job early of breaking the quick Mineola press, meanwhile, Honore held Dean scoreless in the first as Howe led 9-6 after the first eight minutes of the game. Mineola had to rely on a 3-pointer by Meghan Brewington for half of the Lady Jackets first points.

As the second period began, Howe’s usually sharp-shooting long ball specialist Cassidy Anderson, named the district’s offensive MVP, started cold by missing on her first five 3-point attempts in the half. As Howe went cold, Dean began to heat up after starting 0-for-7 from the field scoring six of the Lady Jackets’ eight second period points.

Midway through the second with Howe clinging to a 5-point lead, 11-5, Anderson was subbed for sophomore Sierra Copeland and Wilson for sophomore Katie Grogan. Seconds later Dean hit her first two buckets of the game in back-to-back fashion to cut the Howe lead to 11-10. With three minutes remaining before the half, Honore fouled Dean on a 3-pointer which she made 2-of-3 foul shots to give the Lady Jackets a 14-13 lead which became the halftime score.

The Lady Bulldogs came out of the break with an outstanding third period scoring 20 points while allowing Mineola nine points. Howe’s offensive firepower came from a resurgence of Anderson and her 3-pointer as her first one tied the game at 16. Moments later, she drained her second 3-bomb from the same spot in the right corner to give Howe a 19-16 lead. After a foul shot by Mineola, Anderson again drained a 3-pointer to up Howe’s lead to 22-17.

Howe’s lead was cut to 22-21 with 4:33 remaining in the third, and the hot-shooting Anderson had to exit the game due to picking up her fourth foul. But the right corner 3-point hot spot for Anderson remained that way when Wilson drained a bomb from there to give Howe a 29-23 lead which forced a timeout by Mineola and a bench jumping, stands fist-pumping moment for Howe with 3:04 left in the third. The Lady Bulldogs led by 10 at the end of the third and had clear momentum headed to the final frame as Honore held the all-state Mineola guard to only seven points through the first three quarters.

Anderson checked back in the game with four fouls as Honore extended Howe’s lead on a foul shot to 11 at 34-23 with 6:52 left in the game. The 11-point lead held until 5:27 left when Dean hit a runner to start the comeback. Mineola called a timeout and at that very moment, they became the dangerous desperate team that every coach fears. Coming out of the timeout, their defensive press was stepped up along with the intensity. Howe senior point guard Calley Vick was called for an unusual travel call and Wilson was called for the non-often called carry which was a questionable call. At that moment with 4:43 remaining, the game changed. Mineola’s Tahjae Black rebounded a Dean errant 3-pointer and put it back up to cut the Howe lead to seven. She was fouled on the put-back and her successful free throw made it 34-28.

Seconds later, Vick had the ball stolen and an easy layup made it a 4-point game. Vick then attempted a 3-pointer which was no good and rebounded by Mineola who made a long pass down the court for the easy layup by Black to make it a 2-point game with 3:53 left. Mineola had captured clear momentum in less than two minutes. A Howe timeout brought out the first bodybuilder flex from Mineola’s head coach Riley.

For the next few minutes, the temperature rose on both sides and Mineola’s Riley was called for a technical foul after getting called for a travel. Vick made the first foul shot, but the second shot rimmed in and out to leave Howe with a 35-32 lead. The score remained the same until 2:20 left in the game when Dean’s layup rolled over the front of the rim to cut the game to 35-34.

With 1:52 remaining in the game, Wilson threw the inbound pass to Vick which slipped through her hands resulting in Dean taking it up the court for Mineola. Several missed shots resulted in a loose ball with Harvey trying to tie it up, but was called for a foul which gave the ball back to Mineola.

With less than a minute left, it was Dean who was able to complete the ball-fake and go ahead shot to eventually win it.

Howe was led in points by Harvey with 12, followed by Anderson’s nine. Other scorers were Honore (6), Wilson (5), and Vick (3).

Harvey also pulled down an incredible 17 rebounds to lead Howe.

The Lady Bulldogs will lose two seniors in Calley Vick and Gianna Henry. Four starters will return as well as first team all-district members Sierra Copeland.

All-District honors were released and the district champion Howe Lady Bulldogs came out with the top recognition as Ally Harvey was named District MVP, Cassidy Anderson was awarded Offensive MVP, and Jenna Honore was named the district’s Defensive MVP. Howe’s Calley Vick was also named First Team All-District along with sophomore Sierra Copeland. Howe junior Molly Wilson garnered 2nd Team honors. Howe’s Marissa Agee and Katie Grogan were also listed as Honorable Mention.

Harvey, a junior, led Howe in points (341), points per game (11.4), blocks (54), rebounds (238), and steals (55). Honore was the defensive piston for Howe by shutting down opponents. Anderson’s sharp-shooting 3-pointers came in the most opportune moments for Howe as she shot an alarming 41 percent from behind the arc on her way to 8.7 points per game in scoring.

10-3A All-District Honors

MVP Ally Harvey JR Howe, Offensive MVP Cassidy Anderson JR Howe, Defensive MVP Jenna Honore JR Howe, Sixth Person Cierra Spurgin SR Blue Ridge, Newcomer of the Year Raven Fox SO Leonard, Coaching Staff of the Year Howe.

First Team All-District

Gabby Smith	SO	Bells
Haley Arledge	JR	Bells
Ellery Martin	SR	Blue Ridge
Melanee Lewis	SR	Bonham
Sierra Copeland	SO	Howe
Calley Vick	SR	Howe
Remi Long	SR	Leonard
Emma Donald	SO	Van Alstyne
Torrin Riddick	JR	Van Alstyne
Maegan Thomas	SR	Van Alstyne

Second Team All-District

Alexis Grove	SR	Bells
Skylar Gerner	JR	Blue Ridge
Kylie Mathers	FR	Blue Ridge
Averi Reeves	JR	Bonham
Molly Wilson	JR	Howe
Makynzie Price	JR	Leonard
Alexa Rhone	SO	Leonard
Avery Duncan	SR	Van Alstyne
Micah Welch	JR	Van Alstyne
Natalie Alexander	FR	Whitewright
Amaya Rice	SR	Whitewright

Honorable Mention

Cheznie Hale	SO	Bells
Mia Moore	SO	Bells
Abigail Sullivan	JR	Blue Ridge
Makenna Walker	FR	Blue Ridge
Chyrsi Hemby	SO	Bonham
Haleigh Solano	SR	Bonham
Marissa Agee	SO	Howe
Katie Grogan	SO	Howe
Nakita Harris	SO	Leonard
Katy Pemberton	SR	Leonard
Breanna McCaskill	SR	Van Alstyne
Alyssa Taylor	JR	Van Alstyne
Valerie Young	SO	Van Alstyne
Jy’Rea Johnson	SR	Whitewright
Emily Looney	JR	Whitewright
Callie McGee	SO	Whitewright
Gracie Robinson	SO	Whitewright

Academic All-District

Haley Arledge	JR	Bells
Kayton Arnold	SO	Bells
Courtney Davidson	JR	Bells
Alexis Grove	SR	Bells
Cheznie Hale	SO	Bells
Mia Moore	SO	Bells
Gabby Smith	SO	Bells
Jaiden Tocquigny	SO	Bells
Abigail Jimenez	FR	Blue Ridge
Ellery Martin	SR	Blue Ridge
Kylie Mathers	FR	Blue Ridge
Abigail Sullivan	JR	Blue Ridge
Emma Bounds	JR	Bonham
Mary Dunigan	SR	Bonham
Carsyn Hemby	JR	Bonham
Chyrsi Hemby	SO	Bonham
Karleigh Hughes	SO	Bonham
Shelby Jones	SR	Bonham
Ari Phea	SO	Bonham
Averi Reeves	JR	Bonham
Journi Shellman	SO	Bonham
Malia Singleton	JR	Bonham
Haleigh Solano	SR	Bonham
Caraline White	SR	Bonham
Marissa Agee	SO	Howe
Cassidy Anderson	JR	Howe
Sierra Copeland	SO	Howe
Paetyn Ford	JR	Howe
Katie Grogan	SO	Howe
Ally Harvey	JR	Howe
Jenna Honore	JR	Howe
Calley Vick	SR	Howe
Trinity Williams	FR	Howe
Molly Wilson	JR	Howe
Angelina Bryan	Leonard
Linda Feagan	Leonard
Raven Fox	Leonard
Nakita Harris	Leonard
Remi Long	Leonard
Katy Pemberton	Leonard
Brooke Perry	Leonard
Makynzie Price	Leonard
Alexa Rhone	Leonard
Harley Butler	SR	Van Alstyne
Kate Carson	SO	Van Alstyne
Emma Donald	SO	Van Alstyne
Avery Duncan	SR	Van Alstyne
Darcey Earley	JR	Van Alstyne
Breanna McCaskill	SR	Van Alstyne
Mireya Mullins	SO	Van Alstyne
Torin Riddick	JR	Van Alstyne
Alyssa Taylor	JR	Van Alstyne
Maegan Thomas	SR	Van Alstyne
Micah Welch	JR	Van Alstyne
Valerie Young	SO	Van Alstyne
Makayla Alexander	So	Whitewright
Natalie Alexander	FR	Whitewright
Emily Barnhurst	SO	Whitewright
Jy’Rea Johnson	SR	Whitewright
Emily Looney	JR	Whitewright
Callie McGee	SO	Whitewright
Gracie Robinson	SO	Whitewright
Amaya Rice	SR	Whitewright