HS Hoops: Hurricanes clinc District 20-6A title

By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM

The Hightower Hurricanes have come back to the state’s largest classification, and are kings of one of the area’s most competitive districts.

In their return to Class 6A following realignment, the Hurricanes are district champions after a pair of wins clinched the Hurricanes the outright District 20-6A title last week. Hightower (23-8, 13-2) knocked off Austin 66-51 on Feb. 7 before defeating Travis 71-59 on Feb. 11 to claim the title in their return to the state’s largest classification.

Milton Rice scored 27 points to lead the Hurricanes against Travis, while Jaden Hughes added 22 points of his own to pace Hightower in the title-clinching victory. Clements is headed back to the postseason for a second consecutive season after two more victories last week. Bukola Oboye had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Rangers (20-7, 11-4) in a 50-37 victory over George Ranch on Feb. 11, while Bryce Mathews scored a gamehigh 20 points in their 63-51 win over Dulles on Feb. 17. Divine Ugochukwu also had 16 points, six assists, and eight rebounds against Dulles.

In Class 5A action, the Kempner Cougars split a pair of games last week, defeating Lamar Consolidated 49-38 on Feb. 7 before losing 76-34 to district-leading Marshall on Friday. Despite the loss to Marshall, however, the Cougars (17-15, 6-7 district) clinched District 20-5A’s fourth and final playoff spot and will return to the postseason next week. It is the first playoff appearance for the program in 10 years, with the last time coming during the 2012-2013 campaign. The Cougars were slated to finish off their regular season with a game against Rosenberg Terry on Tuesday night.

BC)%D;EC>9<)2%D322;@-+),F%1-,G)>1-::%>)-A%,>9H,%I92%-%HC9>9%-I>)2%>-G;+E%*9<+%B2-J;,%K4L5M%9+%0)1=%44%>9%@:;+@C%>C)%N;,>2;@>%&6LO"%@29<+=%BC)%D322;@-+),% @:;+@C)*%>C)%>;>:)%;+%>C);2%2)>32+%>9%>C)%,>->)F,%C;EC),>%@:-,,;I;@->;9+%>C;,%,)-,9+%;+%9+)%9I%>C)%2)E;9+F,%A9,>%@9AH)>;>;J)%*;,>2;@>,=% !"#$%$&'($)&*+,%%-(.

Elsewhere in the district, Fulshear kept its winning streak alive with wins over Foster (65-61) on Feb. 7 and Lamar Consolidated

(68-35) on Feb. 12 to run its record to 20-13 overall and 12-1 in district play. Grayson Bennett had 12 points and five rebounds to lead the charge against Lamar Consolidated, while Dylan Garner scored a game-high 17 points in the win over Foster. Foster rebounded from the loss to Fulshear with a 69-60 win over Randle on Feb. 10 to improve to