GAMES
RANKINGS
Seven Lakes earned its first playoff win in four years with a 58-47 win over Elkins in their bi-district playoff game Tuesday at the Merrell Center.
3-POINTERS: Spartans hold off Knights for 1st playoff win in 4 years
KATY—Seven Lakes’ first girls basketball playoff win in four years did not come easily, but the Spartans got it done for a 58-47 Class 6A Region III bi-district win over Elkins on Tuesday night at the Merrell Center.
No. 16 state-ranked Seven Lakes improved to 31-6 and advanced to the area round for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Spartans led 31-14 at halftime before the Knights (11-17) stormed back to close within seven behind an irrepressible pressure defense late in the fourth quarter.
But Spartans star sophomore Justice Carlton, ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2024, made a big steal and bucket late, and senior guard Aliyah Atiqi knocked in two big free throws as Seven Lakes held on to set up a meeting with Cy-Fair in the area round later this week.
Three pointers from tonight’s win for Seven Lakes.
>> SUMMER TIME IN THE WINTER
Senior Summer Halphen was big defensively for Seven Lakes, particularly on the glass. Halphen had 10 rebounds by halftime and finished with 13 for the game. She added six points and was also crucial as a facilitator offensively.
“I told them all that if we didn’t rebound, we were going to be in trouble the whole night,” coach Angela Spurlock said. “There’s always a player on this team that will listen intently to what I say, so thank goodness for that. She was huge on the boards. Challenging her to let her know she was doing a great job to get the rebound, but she needed to be a great ballhandler and get the ball up the floor. Once she started doing that, it made it look a lot better.”
Halphen’s emergence as another ballhandler was key down the stretch against Elkins’ pressure. Seven Lakes survived despite 27 turnovers.
“We’re all prepared for this,” Halphen said. “We’ve been working really hard. All of our seniors wanted this so bad. It means everything.”
>> CARLTON PERSEVERES THROUGH ILLNESS
Carlton was sick for the entire week leading up to Tuesday’s game.
“I just wanted to help my teammates defensively, working as hard as I can on the press, getting rebounds,” Carlton said. “I knew my shot wasn’t going to fall tonight, having missed a couple shootarounds and practices. Definitely tired, too.”
Carlton played on admirably, however, compiling a game-high 23 points and 16 rebounds to go with four blocks and four assists. Even her worst nights are seemingly better than most people’s best.
With Elkins cutting a 17-point halftime deficit to eight entering the fourth quarter, Carlton powered through in the final period with 11 points and five rebounds.
“I know these seniors have been here for a while, waiting for this moment for a long time,” Carlton said. “Especially since last year, blowing that lead against Ridge Point. Huge disappointment. But coming out tonight, I know everyone’s super excited.”
>> GUTSY, GRITTY SPARTANS
Spurlock was impressed with her team’s resilience when the game got tight late.
“I’m proud the entire team tonight pushed back on those rallies,” Spurlock said. “In (the playoffs), when somebody comes at you, you have to be able to respond. I was extremely proud, probably more than anything else tonight. We stayed calm enough to regain the lead.”
It was a drastic turnaround and a telling moment after last year’s bi-district playoff game against Ridge Point, when the Panthers went on an 8-0 run in the final 90 seconds to steal the win.
That would not be the case this time around.
“We needed to get the first bi-district win under our belt,” Spurlock said. “I know this team is really excited. Now we just regroup and get ready to go on.”
Seven Lakes sophomore Justice Carlton had 36 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in the Spartans' 72-52 win over Tompkins in a district battle of state-ranked teams Friday at Tompkins High.
Carlton, No. 23 Seven Lakes rout No. 2 Tompkins in 19-6A clash
KATY—Before Friday’s District 19-6A showdown against rival and No. 2 state-ranked Tompkins, Seven Lakes girls basketball coach Angela Spurlock had a chat with her star player, sophomore post Justice Carlton.
Spurlock emphasized to Carlton about letting the game come to her. Don’t try to do too much. Be quick, but don’t hurry. That type of stuff.
“Sometimes, great players push too hard, and sometimes our team has pushed too hard,” Spurlock said. “But we learned from that. Justice calmed herself and made sure she was prepared.”
Carlton, the No. 1 player in the state for the Class of 2024, was apparently born ready, scoring 19 first-quarter points and helping the No. 23 state-ranked Spartans upset the Falcons, 72-52, at Tompkins High.
Carlton finished with 36 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks as Seven Lakes improved to 24-4 overall, 4-0 in district. Tompkins, the defending back-to-back 19-6A champs, dropped just its second game of the season, falling to 26-2, 4-1.
It was Tompkins’ first district loss since Jan. 29, 2019, against Katy, a remarkable district winning streak of 30 consecutive games.
“It’s extremely important,” Carlton said. “Last year, we lost to them two or three times. This year, to come out and get this win, it just shows how much we’ve improved as a team. I feel like people were underestimating us and we came out and did what we had to do.”
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Carlton was exceptional from the tip. She was simply too powerful and agile, using her size to get easy buckets inside and her quickness to maneuver through harassing crowds of Falcons.
However, Carlton also showed off improved ballhandling, a solid dribble-drive game that makes her even more of an unfair matchup.
“She’s taken another level,” Spurlock said. “She’s facing the basket now. We played her a lot with her back to the basket last year. No one wants to be a post, but she honors that. As her game grows and as we continue to work with her, all of her talent, no matter where she is on the court, is starting to show.”
As deadly as her post game is, Carlton was just as tough when she caught the ball on the perimeter. She drove to the basket through traffic with ease, and once she got to the rim, it was easy pickings.
“I’m just a lot more confident,” Carlton said. “I lost a lot of weight over the summer. I definitely feel way better than I did last year. I’m going to keep working. I’m not done. I’m just a sophomore. I’ve still got two more years here, so I’m going to continue to work.”
As Carlton got off to the rapidly rabid start, leading Seven Lakes to a surprising double-digit lead rather quickly against a perennially relentless Tompkins defense, it opened things up for her teammates, like senior guard Summer Halphen, who scored 20 points and hit four of nine 3-pointers to go with six rebounds.
“She’s amazing,” said Halphen, who made big shot after big shot as the Falcons focused their defensive energy on Carlton. “Even though she’s younger than me, I still look up to her. Her confidence in me just brings my confidence up.”
Halphen was a difference-maker, particularly in the second half when she scored 11 of her points.
“Stay strong, don’t get down even when I missed shots," she said of her effort. “I kept my head up the whole time.”
Senior K.K. Tucker had nine points to go with four assists. Senior Aliyah Atiqi made four big free throws late as Tompkins desperately tried to storm back.
Seven Lakes made six of 14 3-pointers, making Tompkins pay whenever it sent an extra defender at Carlton.
“When we set the tone early, we tend to play really well,” Spurlock said. “The beauty of basketball is you need every player to step up in games like this. Teams with just one great player don’t win all the time. Our girls stepped up big tonight.”
Tompkins got within 41-32 early in the third quarter, thanks to a couple of big 3s from junior Macy Spencer, who led the Falcons with 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
The Falcons drew some bright moments from sophomore Gabby Panter (13 points) and junior Fiyin Adeleye (six points, six rebounds), but not consistently enough to truly threaten Seven Lakes.
“We were ready,” Halphen said. “A win like this brings our confidence all the way up. We’re so proud of this win. We just have to keep working hard every day like we’ve been doing. Keep with our routines and stay strong.”
Seven Lakes and Tompkins play again Feb. 1 at Seven Lakes.