Dodd City daunting again as Huckabay reaches Sweet 16

Winner gets Slidell or Gorman for trip to state

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Flash Staff Report
TheFlashToday.com

(February 23, 2018) — Huckabay (23-5) rides a 10-game win streak back into the Sweet 16 and busing toward Mansfield for the Region III-A tournament where the bracket has them pitted against as-daunting-as-ever Dodd City, a 71-39 winner over the Lady Indians in this round last season.

The 32-point Dodd City in the 2017 Region III semifinals was actually the smallest margin in 2 consecutive victories. Slidell was a 15-point victim in the regional final before and Garden City was thumped 59-36. That all led to a state final appearance where not even mighty Dodd City could handle the Nazareth Swiftettes, falling 48-42.

Having won its previous 13 contests, Dodd City enters the Round of 16 ranked third Texas Association of Basketball coaches and fourth by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. Huckabay is ranked sixth and seventh, respectively.

It hasn’t been a tough schedule top to bottom, but Dodd City has faced some good competition including its lone loss, 61-54 to Era, which still stands among the contenders in loaded Region II of Conference 2A. While such a margin seems unbelievable, Dodd City is outscoring opponents this season by an average of 47.2 points.

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Huckabay, of course, isn’t too shabby each other. Against a more difficult schedule overall, the Lady Indians have dominated opponents by an average of 22.5 points. The five losses are by seven Hico, which is 2A and went 33-2, by nine to 4A No. 2 Glen Rose, the favorite at the Region I-4A tournament in Lubbock this weekend, by 14 to 2A Windthorst, which just lost in the regional quarterfinals to previously-mentioned Era, and 3A members Grapeland and Edgewood by big margins while the Lady Indians were shorthanded over the Christmas break.

Slidell is around once again and is in the second semifinal Gorman at 7 p.m. Friday, also at MHS. Gorman, which lies just outside the Flash coverage area,has been on an exciting ride with area and regional quarterfinal wins by a combined seven points. The Lady Panthers, District 18-A rivals to Huckabay, handled Bryson with easy, 73-40, in bi-district, edged Zephyr 51-47 and topped Newcastle 40-37.

Huckabay or Dodd City competes in the regional final against Gorman or Slidell. Tip-off is 2 p.m. Saturday with one of the coveted state tournament slots being award the winner.

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