No. 2 Jim Ned turns away Ballinger, earns trip to Region I-3A girls basketball tournament

WINTERS – Jim Ned contested everything on the perimeter and pretty much sealed off the low post.

Yet on the other end of the court, after struggling a bit in the first half, the Tuscola crew attacked the basket relentlessly en route to dismantling Ballinger 53-18 in a Region I-3A girls basketball quarterfinal playoff game Monday at Winters High School.

Jim Ned, ranked No. 2 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 3A state poll, scored just 19 points in the first half, but its defense held the Lady Cats to five.

“I thought the girls did a great job of staying focused on the game plan,” Jim Ned coach Hunter Cooley said. “Defense travels. Our offense didn’t travel there early on. So, it was good that we made a good defensive effort early.”

It didn’t get any easier for Ballinger in the second half either, while Jim Ned started attacking the basket.

“Ballinger did a great job (defensively), the first half especially, then we were able to get to the basket a little bit better at the start of the second half,” Cooley said.

The points came easier for the Tuscola team in the second half, as they outscored Ballinger 19-6 in the third quarter to break the game open.

“The girls did a good job of getting downhill and attacking the rim," Cooley said. “That gets us some good looks close, and then it forces them to help out. If they do, then we’ve got shooters waiting. It all starts with attacking the basket.”

Ashylnn Galvin led Jim Ned (31-1) with a game-high 16 points, while Gracee Cooley followed with nine. Lexi Wishert and Riley Grohman had eight each.

Cooley had three of Jim Ned’s six 3-point goals. Ballinger had just five field goals, including two treys.

Addison Martin led Ballinger (22-13) with five points, and Jessa Battle had four.

Ballinger hangs tough early

Ballinger coach Kinzee Willis was pleased with her team’s defense in the first half.

“We knew we had to keep them lowing scoring for us to have a chance,” Willis said. “… I thought we did a great job. Offensively, we just couldn’t get a lot going. Yeah, they’re a brick wall for sure.”

That brick wall Willis is referring to is Jim Ned’s defense.

“They’re just so fundamentally sound,” said Willis, who also pointed out Jim Ned’s sizeable height advantage. “They have great help-side defense. They just do a good job of working together, knowing where their girls are at all times.”

Ballinger was playing in the region quarterfinals for the first time since 2008, and the Lady Cats accomplished the feat after finishing fourth in District 6-3A behind Merkel, Wall and unbeaten league champion Jim Ned.

“They’re extremely well-coached, extremely talented, extremely skilled,” Willis said of Jim Ned. “But I don’t think there are many people that thought we would be playing them in the regional quarterfinal.

“So, I can’t even put into words how proud I am of them. For a fourth-seed team who people didn’t think would make the playoffs, I thought we did pretty well.”

Jim Ned beat Ballinger 65-33 and 48-19 in the two district meetings. Willis wishes her team could have played better offensively in the third meeting.

“We didn’t match up with them well today,” Willis said. “I still don’t think this was really a representation of how hard we played and how much we’ve grown this year.

“The score is what it is, but that’s not really what we’re focused on. We’re focused on where we were and how far we’ve come. I’m just really proud of them. Jim Ned is very classy, very well-coached. We’re rooting for them now.”

Idalou up next for Tuscola crew

Jim Ned returns to the Region I-3A tournament after getting beat by Canadian 37-32 in the region quarterfinals last year.

Now, the Tuscola team faces Idalou (25-12) at 8 p.m. Friday in a region semifinal game at Wolfforth Frenship. Shallowater (27-10) plays No. 3 Holliday (30-3) in the other semifinal at 6 p.m. Friday at Frenship. The winners meet for the region title and a trip to state at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s a blessing,” Coach Cooley said about returning to the region tournament. “You want to keep playing. It’s the next game on the schedule. So, we’re happy to have an opportunity to go play it.”

Idalou upset No. 23 Bushland 45-42 on Monday, while Shallowater nipped No. 6 Peaster 70-69.

Shallowater beat Jim Ned in the region semifinals in 2021 and 2020, while Idalou beat the Tuscola bunch in the region semifinals in 2019, 2016 and 2015. Jim Ned made it to the region final in 2014, losing to eventual state champion Wall.

Jim Ned’s last region title came in 2012, and the school won state titles in 2008 and 1994.

REGION I-3A QUARTERFINALS

Jim Ned 53, Ballinger 18

Ballinger … 3 … 2 … 6 … 7 – 18

Jim Ned … 10 … 9 … 19 … 15 – 53

BALLINGER (22-13) – Mikaela Gonzalez 1 0-0 3, Matilda Galvan 1 1-3 3, Addison Martin 1 3-4 5, Jessa Battle 1 1-2 4, Skyla Hostetter 0 0-0 0, Brianna Herrera 0 0-0 0, Emma Perkins 0 0-0 0, Ashtyn Wilson 1 1-2 3. Totals 5 6-11 18.

JIM NED (31-1) – Emma Doran 1 1-1 3, Lexi Wishert 3 2-2 8, Kate Bryant 0 0-0 0, Gracee Cooley 3 0-0 9, Madison Ford 0 2-2 2, Riley Grohman 4 0-0 8, McKenzy Morgan 1 1-2 3, Addison Bradshaw 1 1-2 4, Ashlynn Galvin 7 0-1 16. Totals 20 7-10 53.

3-Point Goals – Ballinger 2 (Gonzalez, Battle), Jim Ned 6 (Cooley 3, Bradshaw, Galvin 2). Total Fouls – Ballinger 11, Jim Ned 10. Fouled Out – None. Technical Fouls – None.

Region I-3A Tournament

At Wolfforth Frenship

Region Semifinals

Shallowater (27-10) vs. Holliday (30-3), 6 p.m. Friday

Idalou (25-12) vs. Jim Ned (31-1), 8 p.m. Friday

Region Final

Semifinal winners, 1 p.m. Saturday

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Jim Ned subdues Ballinger in Region I-3A girls basketball quarterfinal