SMHS GIRLS BASKETBALL
Lady Rattlers look for breakout season in search of a district title
Basketball season is here in San Marcos as the Lady Rattlers will take the court Friday, Nov. 1 against the rival New Braunfels Unicorns.
The Lady Rattlers return seven players from last year’s squad including all five starters that finished the season with a 20-12 overall record and a fourth place finish in district. San Marcos qualified for the playoffs before falling to San Antonio Clark 54-36 in the Bi-District round of the playoffs.
This season San Marcos will be under new head coach Cooper Haralson. Haralson was previously an assistant coach for the Lady Rattlers in the past two seasons.
Returning for the Lady Rattlers is leading scorer junior shooting guard Azariah Fennel. Fennel led the team in points per game, averaging 12.1 points along with 5.1 rebounds per game and 1.8 steals per game.
Second in points per game returning for the Rattlers is junior forward Melayna Perkins. Perkins averaged 10.4 points per game along with averaging 5.2 points per game.
Senior point guard Ezra Tobias also returns to help lead the offense. Tobias averaged 9.8 points per game along with averaging 4.4 rebounds per game, 4 assists per game and 4 steals per game.
Senior shooting guard Ayleceia Pierson comes back for the Lady Rattlers. Pierson averaged 6.9 points per game as well as 4.7 rebounds per game, 1.2 assists per game and 2.8 steals per game.
Sophomore Rileigh Good also comes back for the Rattlers after bursting onto the scene last year as a freshman. Good averaged 7 points per game while averaging 2.9 rebounds per game, 1.9 assists per game and 2.1 steals per game.
Down in the post position, senior Brooklyn Harris will look to establish a presence on the block after leading the team in rebounds per game. Harris averaged 5.7 rebounds along with 5.1 points per game and 0.6 blocks per game.
During UIL Realignment, San Marcos was again paired with Cibolo Steele, Converse Judson, San Antonio East Central and Schertz Clemens while adding Buda Johnson and New Braunfels Canyon in the new District 29.
Judson comes in as the favorite to take District 29 after finishing last season with a 28-7 record and tied for the district championship with Cibolo Steele. The Rockets return five starters from last year’s team while being ranked No. 15 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches preseason state rankings.
Cibolo Steele will also be in contention for a district title despite returning just two starters from last year’s team and entering the season with a new head coach. The Knights are ranked No.11 in the TABC preseason state rankings.
East Central will also look to be in the mix after a 24-14 season and a third place finish in district play.
Canyon, Clemens and Johnson will all look for bounce back seasons after finishing last year with a losing record.
Tip-off for San Marcos- New Braunfels will start at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1 at the Snake Pit in San Marcos.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
