Photo by VYPE Media's Bradley Collier.
The 2020 VYPE Austin high school girls basketball season preview continues with the area's UIL 25-6A and UIL 26-6A district breakdowns. Check them out below and stay tuned for more area preseason coverage in the coming days.
Big thanks to all the Central Texas programs and players who participated in VYPE Austin's third annual preseason boys and girls basketball photoshoot, the coaches who submitted information about their teams, Hill Country Indoor for allowing VYPE Media to host another event at your facility, and Whataburger and Ballogy for your partnerships.
UIL 25-6A Girls Basketball Preview
Cedar Park Vista Ridge won 30 games en route to a UIL 6A Region II semifinal finish during the 2019-2020 season and can advance further as a UIL 6A Region IV member in the 2020-2021 campaign. That's because the Rangers still have all-state player, UIL 13-6A co-district MVP and Washington commit AJ Marotte, all-region athlete Weade Adeleke and second-team all-district honoree Jazra Williams.
Austin Vandegrift won 25 games and recorded a UIL 6A Region II quarterfinal finish during the 2019-2020 campaign and is expected to be a force again in the 2020-2021 season because it still has all-state player Skye O'Rourke and all-region competitor and UIL 13-6A District Defensive MVP Kaya Pehrson.
Round Rock Cedar Ridge won 19 games and finished as a UIL 6A Region II bi-district finalist last season and will remain a strong playoff contender because of the return of UIL 13-6A District Newcomer of the Year Lexi Alexander and second-team all-district honorees Malaysia DePrisco, Alex Neimeth and Tajanna White.
Round Rock Westwood is a motivated team because it missed the postseason after a 19-win year in the 2019-2020 season and will remain in the playoff hunt during the 2020-2021 campaign because of the return of first-team all-district athlete Anisha Chintala and second-team all-district honoree Desi Davalos.
Round Rock Stony Point won 21 games last season and will remain a force with the return of first-team all-district player Ariana Rosado.
Round Rock won 17 games during the 2019-2020 season and is expected to be one of the Austin area's rising programs because it still features first-team all-district honoree Bailey Featherstone and second-team all-district athlete Suma Kasarla.
Hutto completed the 2019-2020 season with 14 wins and a UIL 5A Region III bi-district appearance and will lean on second-team all-district honoree Emilee West to find more success in the program's first UIL 6A campaign.
McNeil won 15 games last season and can continue to disrupt the district race with notable contributor and second-team all-district player Allison Owens.
UIL 26-6A Girls Basketball Preview
Westlake earned 32 wins and marched to the UIL 6A Region IV final during the 2019-2020 season and plans to remain an Austin area front-runner in the 2020-2021 campaign because it still features Claremont McKenna College commit Gwen Gilmore, second-team all-district honoree Pace Rickard and other notable athletes in Malena Delascurain, LaQuayla Chambers-Wells, Peyton Freiermuth and Syona Mandyam.
Lake Travis is coming off a 2019-2020 season in which it recorded 25 wins and a UIL 6A Region IV bi-district berth and plans to achieve more with all-region athletes Raeven Boswell and Mia Galbraith during the 2020-2021 campaign.
Austin High finished last season with 21 wins and a UIL 6A Region IV bi-district appearance and has a lot of upside going into the 2020-2021 season because of UIL 25-6A District Newcomer of the Year Shanel Reid, first-team all-district honoree Sadie Swift and other playmakers in Aubrey Reid and Jade Clack.
Austin Bowie won 20 games and finished at the UIL 6A Region IV bi-district round before the 2019-2020 campaign concluded and will be a playoff contender again because of first-team all-district honoree Zeta Jenkins and fellow notable athlete Maddie Vires.
San Marcos has a lot going for it before the 2020-2021 season because it's familiar with the UIL 26-6A district landscape as the only returning Austin area member, earned 20 wins during the 2019-2020 campaign, has St. Mary's University commit Faith Phillips, fellow first-team all-district honoree Kayla Presley, and all-district honorable mention athletes Vivian Hernandez and Angelina Sotelo.
Hays plans to top its 14 wins from a year ago and stay in the 2020-2021 playoff hunt because of the return of college recruits and all-district athletes Lily Guevara and Trista Strasser and fellow impactful player Madison Logan.
Del Valle struggled to find consistency during the 2019-2020 season, but can be more competitive in the 2020-2021 campaign because of Texas A&M commit Eriny Kindred and other notable athletes in Briana Paz and Samara Porter.
Austin Akins Early College earned double-digit wins last season and has notable players in Emma Perez and Bri Wilson to build off that success.
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