Texan Mosaic

After a disappointing season a year ago, the South Plains College women’s basketball team is starting to turn things around with a national ranking and an impressive start.

The 14th-ranked Lady Texans broke three program records already this season. The first was a 136-39 victory over Palo Alto College on Nov. 16 in Beeville, which broke the previous record of 122 points against Phoenix College in 1990. The 97-point margin of victory also against Palo Alto surpassed the 81-point margin of victory against Sul Ross State University JV in 1978. The Lady Texans then went out and broke their own record the following day (Nov. 17) with a 145-36 victory against San Antonio College.

   “Our team likes to win, they like to compete,”  said Cayla Petree, head women’s basketball coach at SPC. “When we broke it the first day, they didn’t go into it trying to break it. Then when we came back the next day and busted it again, they were trying to do that, and there was no motivation from me. That was just them with that ‘dog mentality.’”

SPC opened up Western Junior College Athletic Conference play on Nov. 28 with a 67-62 victory against Midland College at Texan Dome, improving to 11-1 overall.

Sophomore Keke Hunter recorded her eighth double double of the year, putting up 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds on five-of-seven shooting from the floor.

Thanks to a jump shot by freshman Caroline Germond, the Lady Texans led Midland by 10 (54-44) with 7:59 to go in the fourth quarter. Midland would narrow the gap during the next 7:48, thanks to an 18-9 run, bringing the Lady Chaps to within one point (63-62) with only 11 seconds to go.

After a foul by Midland’s Bethany Theodore, sophomore Gabbie Green knocked down two free throws, extending the lead to 65-62. Germond would add another pair of free throws with 10 seconds left in regulation play after being fouled by Grace Beasley, sealing the victory for the Lady Texans.   

“When things aren’t going your way you have to make your own luck,” said Coach Petree. “You have to get the 50/50 balls, you have to get the rebounds you’re not supposed to get. I think they did a good job with that. They didn’t lose their poise. They didn’t lose their composure and just found a way to win.”

Sarah Shematsi led the scoring for SPC with 18 points, to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Germond added 13 points on five-of-15 shooting, while Green dumped in seven points to go along with four rebounds. Sophomore Chantel Govan netted six points in 28 minutes of play.

The Lady Texans shot 35.8 percent from the floor, 24.1 percent from the three-point line and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line.

SPC has displayed a dominant mentality with eight consecutive victories in the first month of the season.

The Lady Texans improved to 10-1 on the year after a dominant 106-23 victory over Lamar College on Nov. 25 in Levelland.

Hunter led the scoring for SPC, hitting seven of her 12 shots from the floor. She was 6-for-6 from the three-point line, totalling 20 points. Shematsi chipped in 12 points, hitting eight of her 13 shots from the field, and pulling in eight rebounds.

Morris added 16 points, hitting six of her 12 shots from the field. She also was 4-for-8from the three-point line. Green dropped in 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and was 5-for-10 from the field. Germond added 15 points, hitting six of her 13 shots from the field. Oceane Robin scored nine points, while Chantel Govan added eight points.

The Lady Texans shot 51.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from the three-point line.

SPC improved to 9-1 on the season following a 90-54 victory against Garden City Community College on Nov. 24 in Athens.

Shematsi led the scoring for SPC with 27 points, hitting 12 of her 16 shots from the field, to go along with five rebounds. Green put up 18 points on 9-for-9 shooting from the floor.

Germond scored eight points to go along with eight assists and four steals. Nyah Morris added eight points, while freshman Reilly Dunn put up six points and three rebounds. Ruth Koang scored five points to along with three rebounds.

SPC shot 63.8 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from the three-point line.

The Lady Texans topped Grayson College 87-54 on Nov. 23 at Trinity Valley Community College.

Green led SPC in scoring with 17 points, eight assists and five steals, hitting seven of her 13 attempts from the field. Shematsi added 16 points to go along with eight rebounds and three steals, shooting 5-for-6 from the field.

Hunter tallied 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Koang, Germond and Robin each scored six points, while Govan added five points.

The Lady Texans shot for 48 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from the three-point line, to go along with a 64.3 percent shooting from the foul line.

SPC decimated San Antonio College 145-36 on Nov. 17 at the Coastal Bend College Classic in Beeville, improving to 7-1 on the season.

Hunter scored 29 points to go along with 15 rebounds and six steals, shooting 14-for-20 from the field. Green poured in 26 points, hitting 12 of her 20 shots from the field. Shematsi added 22 points on 10 of 15 shooting. She also grabbed seven rebounds.

Germond and Govan combined for 32 points, while Dunn put up 11 points with six rebounds.

The Lady Texans shot for 60.8 percent from the field and 74.1 percent from the free-throw line.

SPC stomped Palo Alto College with a record-setting effort at the Coastal Bend College Classic on Nov. 16 in Beeville, moving to 6-1 for the year.

Hunter scored 34 points for the Lady Texans to go along with 12 rebounds, two blocks and seven assists. She hit 13 of her 16 attempts from the field and was 8-for-10 from the free-throw line. Green shot 7-for-8 from the floor, for a total of 19 points.

Germond scored 13 points, hitting six of her nine attempts from the field. Morris and freshman Romola Dominguez each added 11 points for SPC.

The Lady Texans shot 68.8 percent from the field and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line.

SPC posted a 96-62 victory against Coastal Bend College on Nov. 15 at the Coastal Bend College Classic in Beeville, improving to 5-1 for the season.

Hunter and Germond each scored 26 points, combining for more than half of the Lady Texans’ points in the contest.

Robin added 14 points, while Dunn grabbed 10. Shematsi added seven points, Dominguez put up six and Govan chipped in three points for SPC.

SPC shot for 51.4 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from the three-point line. The Lady Texans also shot 87.5 percent from the free-throw line.

The Lady Texans recorded an 80-51 victory against Dodge City on Nov. 10 in Liberal, Kansas, moving to 4-1 on the season.

Shematsi led the scoring for SPC with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor to go along with two assists and three steals. Green grabbed 15 points, hitting seven of her 15 shots from the field.

Govan added nine points, while Germond tossed in eight. Robin, Koang and Morris scored eight, seven, and six points, respectively.

SPC shot 52.6 percent from the floor and 57 percent from the three-point line, as well as 69.2 percent from the free-throw line.

The Lady Texans suffered their first loss of the season against Seward County College, falling 75-70 on Nov. 9 in Liberal, Kansas. SPC moved to 3-1 on the season with the loss.

Hunter scored 20 points in the contest, hitting six of her 15 shots from the field. Green added 18 points on eight-of-16 shooting. She also grabbed five rebounds and had two steals.

Koang contributed nine points and six rebounds, while Robin was close behind with eight points. Dominguez and Morris combined for eight points.

SPC shot for 41.5 percent from the floor and 40 percent from the three-point line, with 90.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The Lady Texans returned to action on Dec. 1 against Frank Phillips College in Borger. Results were not available at press time.