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.”
.@THEspartanway7 senior @summerhalphen had a gritty, impressive defensive effort in the Spartans\u2019 first playoff win since 2018 tonight. Halphen had six points and 13 rebounds. #txhshoops @SLHSABC @KatyISDAthletic @SpartanCrazies_pic.twitter.com/6W7vjgZcav— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1644977153
>> 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.”
.@JayMayya with six points early this 4Q. She might not be THAT tired. #txhshoops @THEspartanway7 @SLHSABCpic.twitter.com/wEhoI8CJaM— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1644973656
>> 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 forward Justice Carlton scored a career-high-tying 44 points in Tuesday's win over Cinco Ranch that secured a share of the 19-6A district title for the Spartans.
Carlton scores 44 as Seven Lakes takes share of 19-6A title
KATY—Seven Lakes girls basketball coach Angela Spurlock divides the season into three parts.
Season one is preseason. Scrimmages. Non-district play. It gets the Spartans ready for the tests, Spurlock said.
“And around here at Seven Lakes, with grades the way they are, we’re used to studying,” Spurlock joked.
Season two is district play, a contentious and prideful point of the season for a Spartans program not long removed from seven straight district titles.
Those quizzes from the non-district preseason paid off, Spurlock said after Tuesday’s 67-54 win over Cinco Ranch. Rewards were reaped as Seven Lakes, which won for the 30th time in 36 games and ended district play with a 10-2 record, avenged an earlier loss to the Cougars and secured a share of the 19-6A title, Seven Lakes’ first in four years.
“Tonight’s game was a culmination of everything from season one and everything we learned about ourselves in season two,” Spurlock said. “Correcting mistakes that were glaring in losses. Playing uptempo. Changed defenses a little bit. And I think that tempo allowed them (Cinco Ranch) to get out of rhythm.”
A loss would have slid Seven Lakes from a top seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs to the third seed and playing a top seed from District 20-6A in a road game.
“Anytime you can get back to the top, that’s always good,” Spurlock said. “We’re glad to be back. The kids have earned that right. Tompkins did a good job, too, and we’re proud to own that slot with them.”
Cinco Ranch, which will be the third seed out of 19-6A going into the playoffs, with wins over the Spartans and Tompkins, bested Seven Lakes with ease in the first round of district play in a 74-51 win. Freshman star guard Aniya Foy scored 27 points and the Cougars made six threes.
On Tuesday, the Spartans were the aggressors. And it was Seven Lakes sophomore sensation Justice Carlton who stole the spotlight.
Carlton scored 14 of her career-high-tying 44 points in the first quarter. She made 16 2-point baskets, from inside, mid-range, and the outside. She knocked in one of two 3-point attempts. She made nine of 11 free throws.
.@JayMayya busting out the 3. @THEspartanway7 is up 14-4 early. #txhshoops @SLHSABCpic.twitter.com/iLiLLGxAWU— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1644370358
Spurlock used Carlton all over the court. On offense, Carlton often went high-to-low in her movement and kept the defense on its heels, agile and quick enough to catch on the move and often score without putting the ball on the floor.
Defensively, she was used at the top of the Spartans’ press, which played a tall hand—no pun intended for the 6-foot-3 Carlton—in forcing 25 turnovers. Carlton had 10 rebounds, four blocks, and four steals.
Nice block on the 3-point attempt by @JayMayya. #txhshoops @THEspartanway7pic.twitter.com/3nb0FjKI8Q— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1644371897
“Last year, I was mostly on the block,” Carlton said. “But playing over the summer, going to USA basketball and stuff, I just can’t sit down there, especially when those girls are pushing 6-8. It definitely has changed from last year. I’m playing all-around. Shooting outside, shooting off the dribble, off of cuts. It’s definitely what I want to be doing.”
Carlton’s offensive prowess engineered Seven Lakes’ 14-4 start. But it was the relentless defensive play of senior guard Aliyah Atiqi that also made a drastic impact for the Spartans.
Atiqi had three steals in the first quarter and was the initial defender on Foy. Atiqi showed off quick hands, fast feet, and seasoned smarts in stymying Cinco Ranch ballhandlers.
“My role is to bring defensive energy and that’s what we needed to focus on,” said Atiqi, who captained the team’s defensive communication. “The last game against Tompkins, we were not on the same page and our defense was terrible. For this game, we prepared and worked, and my job was to step up and help us get this win.”
Atiqi’s stat line was nothing showy, but she made winning plays. She finished with four steals, three rebounds, three assists, and a clutch 3-pointer from the left corner in the third quarter that extended the Spartans’ lead from six to nine.
.@AliyahAtiqi for 3. Big bucket. Nice set-up by KK Tucker. #txhshoops @THEspartanway7 @SLHSABCpic.twitter.com/dBz2pdAEex— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1644372785
Atiqi and sophomore Caitlyn Quintero, who came off the bench for two steals, two rebounds, and a nice bucket in the second half, were difference-makers when it mattered most.
“They were big,” Spurlock said. “Anytime we decided to put pressure on, our back row has to come up and decide to play bigger than they are. They have to be aggressive, finish traps. Get touches. We got a few more deflections, and they definitely earned the win.”
Foy finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals, but picked up three fouls with 3:09 left in the first half and never got into a groove the rest of the way. Nine of her points came in the first quarter.
.@Foy2025 again. Nice triple. #txhshoops @CincoGirlsHoopspic.twitter.com/YxW6zm2WYF— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1644370529
Cinco Ranch made only two 3s on Tuesday as Seven Lakes was better closing out to shooters. The Cougars never sustained a flow offensively due to all the turnovers: four in the first quarter, five in the second, nine in the third, and seven in the fourth.
“We picked up the tempo a bit,” Spurlock said. “We played a different style. We put in some things. We’ve learned a lot since we started about our team and about the things we have to do coming into season three.”
Season three is the playoffs, which start up next week.
The Spartans lost in the first round last year, but with a rapidly evolving Carlton and a stronger supporting cast like Atiqi and senior guards KK Tucker and Summer Halphen, among others, Seven Lakes is eager to see what lies ahead after its first district title since the 2017-18 season.
“It’s a dream,” Atiqi said. “We’ve been talking about it since freshman year, and it’s been our goal since the beginning. Even though we lost to Tompkins last week, we knew we had this game and still had a chance to be district champs. We haven’t been there in a while and we’re really proud of where we are right now.”
.@THEspartanway7 sophomore forward @JayMayya talks about tonight\u2019s win over Cinco Ranch that secured Seven Lakes a share of the District 19-6A title. Carlton had a career-high-tying 44 points to go with 10 rebounds and four blocks. #txhshoops @KatyISDAthletic @SLHSABC @KPRC2pic.twitter.com/leuNdsnsfR— VYPE Houston (@VYPE Houston) 1644378898