Tuesday, December 17 at Jersey Village

It felt like the Falcons knew they were the underdogs but believed they could win. They came out scrappy, trying to run fast breaks and a whirlwind on defense. Nevertheless, the Spartans scored first when Senior guard Layla Lloyd knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing off the assist from Senior forward Kendall Davis. Sophomores Camille Warren (guard) and Sophia Prejean (forward) checked into the game early. Warren quickly found Prejean under the basket to make it 6-2. But the Falcons put the Spartans on their heels and took the lead. When Senior point guard Rachel Ashby blocked a last-second trey by Jersey Village to end the quarter, the Spartans were down 9-13.

The second quarter was a game of big plays. Ashby stole the rock after it was taken from the Spartans and hit Sophomore guard Tess Stephenson in the left corner for a three. The Spartans got the ball right back, and Stephenson found Lloyd in the right corner for a three. The Falcons desperately wanted to bottle Ashby. It didn't work as well as they hoped. Ashby got the defense on their heels, fearful of the drive, and she executed a step-back three. Lloyd grabbed a defensive rebound and made a great, quick outlet to Ashby, who spied Stephenson down the court for a fast-break bucket. The Spartans had the lead, 20-19.

Ashby recognized the over-emphases on the defense to stop her passes so she performed a to-heck-with-it-I'll-just-shoot-it-trey from the left wing. That resulted in the opposing coach calling a timeout to excoriate her team. In several games, Stephenson has made acrobatic out-of-bounds saves back to her teammates and it happened again, with Ashby being the recipient, who faked to the basket and got it right back to Stephenson for yet another three. The Spartans led 29-21 going into the half.

The third quarter was frenetic and mostly driven by Stephenson scoring two threes, including a 24-footer (assists to Senior guard Aria Taylor and Sophomore guard Riley O'Connor). Stephenson also nailed a 12-foot jumper, assist to Ashby. Davis scored by being in the right position under the basket off the pass from Stephenson. It was 40-27 going into the fourth quarter.

Jersey Village seemed to lose their confidence but not their fight. The Spartans' defense hampered any run by the Falcons. Stephenson scored twice. Freshman guard Ava Gibson drove from the left corner down the baseline and went up for the layup, only she recognized her body wasn't positioned correctly and used her off-hand to score. It was a heady play, especially for a freshman. The final was 46-36.

Stephenson finished with 23 points and six rebounds. Lloyd had nine points and five rebounds. Ashby had eight points and five steals.

Friday, December 20 at Cy Fair

If this game had a holiday theme, it wouldn't involve warm fires or mistletoe, but more like frigid temps and a Wal-Mart fight over the last Tickle-Me-Elmo doll. It was a slugfest from the beginning. The Bobcats came out with a game plan to limit Ashby's assists and take advantage of their size under the basket. It was a good plan. The Spartans came out cold. It was at the 5:09 mark when Lloyd secured an offensive rebound and put the ball in the basket to make it 2-5, Bobcats. It was a game of attrition. Davis and Stephenson put points on the board, and the Spartans were down 8-9 at the end of the first quarter.

The Bobcats had an imposing post player and she got hot. When Davis put in two free-throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt, it was 10-18, Bobcats. Head Coach Audrisa Harrison played her tightest rotation of the season. The Spartans defense began to clamp down low. Stephenson rebounded her own shot and sank a seven-foot jumper. Ashby relayed a pass to Senior forward Bella Perroni for a baseline jumper, and the half ended with the Spartans down 14-18.

The Spartans offense heated up. O'Connor found Davis under the basket for two. Ashby went coast-to-coast for a layup. Then she got a steal, got the ball to the basket, and went right, faked left, then back to her right and laid the ball off the glass to tie the game. Lloyd had an offensive rebound and put-back. Warren got the Spartans their first lead of the game at 2:10 in the third with a short jumper. Stephenson scored three more baskets in the final two minutes (off a pass from Warren, off a steal and full-court drive, and off a fast-break in which Stephenson converted the bucket and ensuing free throw) to put the Spartans up 31-27 going into the final quarter.

Stephenson delivered an emphatic nothing-but-net three from the top of the key. On an out-of-bounds play, Ashby found Lloyd in the right corner for a three. Lloyd followed with another three from the left corner, assist to Ashby, and the Bobcats had no answer. Lloyd had ripped away the Tickle-Me-Elmo doll, with a little help from her teammates. The final was 44-31, Spartans.

Stephenson led with 17 points, seven rebounds, and five steals. Lloyd had 12 points and seven rebounds. Davis had seven points and five rebounds. Ashby sprinkled the box-score with four points, four rebounds, four assists, and four steals. The Spartans are on an eight-game winning streak. They are 10-7, 4-0 in District. Their next game is December 27th vs. Dekaney at Stratford.