Games like Conroe had Thursday afternoon can be fun from the starters down to the 15th player on the roster.
In front of an audience of classmates and teachers, everyone on the Tigers saw action on the first day of the 75th annual Lady Tigers Classic.
Conroe cruised from the start to a 65-7 opening-round win over Dekaney.
The Tigers, off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2016, will face the winner of Katy Tompkins and Kingwood at 9 a.m. Friday in the second round. A second game will follow in the afternoon during the second day of the three-day tournament.
Ten Tigers contributed offensively against the Wildcats (0-3) as the bench roared when a couple of their teammates made their first bucket of the game in the fourth quarter.
“You get to see the people that don’t normally get on the court, you see what they can do,” Conroe junior forward Taylor Smith said. “It’s not all fun and games…but it is a lighter (mood).”
A coach’s focus on a three-day tournament like this might be more on the opponent and the task at hand. But it’s neat to see the players show out during the school day.
“I think they’re mostly excited about being able to get out of class both days,” Conroe head coach Tamisha Houston said. “But also to have an opportunity to play in front of their peers during the school day. Some of their teachers can come and watch them. I think that excites them.”
Conroe forced 16 turnovers and led 26-3 after the first quarter. After blanking Dekaney in the second quarter, the Tigers led 38-3 at halftime.
“Those girls who don’t get playing time, their teammates are happy to see them get that time and actually score,” Houston said. “That excites them.”
Conroe played a thriller that came down to the wire Tuesday night against Lake Creek. The Tigers prevailed 55-54, but one player who didn’t perform up to her standard was Smith.
Houston tried to keep things loose with Smith by making light of her off night in a meeting in her office on Wednesday.
Smith then came out against the Wildcats and scored three field goals in the first quarter and finished with 10 points on the afternoon.
“I think she knew that she had a pretty rough game,” Houston said. “And it wasn’t for a lack of effort. She just couldn’t get them to fall. Even today, she shot it, assumed she made it and started running back. I told to stay there until you see it go in. You might even get your own offensive rebound.”
Smith brought positive vibes into Thursday’s game.
“I came in here with a mindset that I know what I’m going to do and I’m not going to have the same night I had (Tuesday) ever again,” Smith said. “I’m just going to focus on the rim, focus on my rebounds and focus on my defense.”
After scoring 19 points against Lake Creek, junior Riley Gross totaled 13 against Dekaney, including a 3-pointer in the third quarter.
Freshman Kayleigh Phillips scored seven of her 11 points in the first half. Sophomore Lisa Jacques added six of her eight points in the first quarter, while Damiri Anderson scored five of her seven in the first quarter. Ciarra Wilson had four points and the bench erupted for Ahmaj Brundidge, who made a bucket in the fourth quarter.
Conroe was previously 1-3 all-time against Dekaney.
Houston had the team prepare for Friday by scouting the Tompkins/Kingwood game, which followed their win.
Friday and Saturday will see the Tigers play twice each day.
It’s something that AAU players like Smith are used to, but it will surely be a challenging stretch.
“Being mentally tough and playing a tough game,” Houston said when asked about the biggest challenge of two varsity games in one day. “(You) have to find the way to recover and then come back and play again. The ones that play AAU – I think they’re used to it because they play so many games in a weekend. The ones that don’t, this is a learning moment for them.”
In preparation for the longhaul of the season, Smith is excited to see so many different teams under one roof.
“It just give us more exposure to different teams and even some teams from district are here,” Smith said. “It just gives us a better experience as a team, especially since it’s not a district game. It counts towards our record.”
Conroe junior Taylor Smith (24) goes up for a bucket in the first quarter against Dekaney on Nov. 7, 2024. (Chris Zorzi/SportCast Media)
