If opening night of District 3-5A girls basketball play taught us anything, it’s this: buckle up. From tight thrillers to outright blowouts, Tuesday’s action showed a district that could be completely up for grabs by the time February arrives.
Amarillo High Survives Palo Duro Scare
Amarillo High may have entered the district slate as one of the favorites, but Palo Duro made sure the Lady Sandies earned every inch of their 42-39 victory.
The Lady Dons came in undefeated and played like it early, using their athleticism and energy to frustrate AHS and take an 18-16 lead into the half. When Palo Duro stretched that to a 30-25 advantage late in the third quarter, it looked as though the youthful, fast-rising Lady Dons might open district play with a statement win.
But Amarillo High’s experience took over when it mattered most.
Point guard Tyler Held stepped up in the fourth, scoring six of her team-high 12 points during a late Sandies surge. Keanu Allen helped keep AHS afloat early with three first-half 3-pointers and finished with 11 points, while Ella Brown made all nine of her points count in the second half as part of the comeback.
For Palo Duro, Braya Smith led with 10 points, while D’Zyire Burks and Zeinab Deng chipped in seven apiece—strong performances that show this young squad won’t stay under the radar much longer.
AHS moves to 9-2 overall and 1-0 in district, while Palo Duro takes its first loss of the season, now 9-1 and 0-1. If Tuesday was any indication, this rivalry will be just as intriguing when the teams meet again.
Tascosa Flexes Its Muscle in Dominant Opener
If Amarillo High had to grind out a win, Tascosa took the opposite route—crushing Plainview 78-28 in a performance that shows why the Lady Rebels could be the early favorite in 3-5A.
Behind a veteran squad and a fast-paced attack, Tascosa jumped out 15-4 after one and held a commanding 31-9 halftime lead. From there, it was all Rebels, all night.
What makes Tascosa especially dangerous is its balance. Four players finished in double figures, paced by Alex Carter’s 20-point outing. Nic’Kiyah Fisher added 17, Devaeh Johnson posted 16, and Kenzee Dickson dropped 10.
The Lady Rebels improve to 10-0 and start district play at 1-0. Plainview, now 5-4 and 0-1, simply couldn’t keep up with a Tascosa team firing on all cylinders.
Caprock Earns Gritty Road Win Over Lubbock High
Caprock may not have the flashy record of some district foes, but the Lady Longhorns showed they’re very much a contender with a big 53-46 road win over Lubbock High.
The star of the night was Santana Garner, who entered averaging 19 per game and still managed to elevate her play. Garner poured in 24 points—nearly half of Caprock’s total—to lead her team when they needed it most.
