Honeybees qualify summer basketball state tournament

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Ebony Green is one of the Stephenville girls preparing for a summer basketball state tournament next week in Grapevine. || Flash file photo

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(June 15, 2016) — Stephenville is sending it’s summer girls basketball team to the “Texas Basketball State Tournament” for high school teams next weekend, June 24-26, in Grapevine.

“What’s different about this is it’s only open to teams affiliated with high schools, there are no AAU teams,” said Stephenville head coach Alan Thorpe, who by rule can not directly coach the summer team but can help coordinate setting up their competitions.


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Stephenville qualified for the tournament by placing second in a Lipan State Qualifier. Already having qualified, the Honeybees participated in pool play only in another SQT in Keene last weekend, going 2-1 with victories over Joshua and Keene and a narrow loss to Waco Robinson.

Thorpe says summer basketball is especially important to the progress of teams like Stephenville.

“We have pretty much a brand new team next year, having graduated five starters and six kids,” he said. “It’s important for them to get out there and play together now, before school starts and several of them are playing volleyball.”

In UIL competition, Stephenville reached the regional quarterfinals last season after winning its seventh consecutive area title.

“Continuing that success is a year-round thing, not just an October to February and hopefully into March thing,” Thorpe said. “It’s important to keep a ball in kids’ hands and keep them sharp.”


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