Faith Academy girls face familiar foe in state tournament
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — The Faith Academy girls basketball team will face a familiar foe Feb. 28 in the semifinals of the Class 2A state tournament of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
The Lady Flames (28-4, 10-0 in District 4-2A) will meet defending champion Sherman Texoma (26-4) at 4:30 p.m. at the Mansfield Legacy High School Field House, 1263 Main St. in Mansfield. Listen to the game live on KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune or at KBEYFM.com.
The victor faces the winner of New Braunfels Christian-Schertz John Paul II at 11 a.m. March 1 at Legacy Field House.
Texoma has defeated Faith:
• last season 46-43 at the state semifinals
• in the state championship 58-49 in 2010-11
• in the state semifinals 58-56 in overtime in 2007-2008
In all, Texoma has won five of the past six state championships, finishing as a semifinalist in 2011-2012. Faith is making its sixth trip to the state tournament.
“This year’s team, I hope, thinks they can beat Texoma,” Faith head coach Jerry English said.
One of the keys to Faith’s victory against DeSoto Canterbury was the way the Lady Flames entered the contest, he said. He recalled a fan telling him she observed a focused and respectful group of Lady Flames but one that didn’t have a “deer in the headlights” look.
“I want them to respect Texoma,” the coach said. “We’re as good as Texoma. We need to line up and play. If we play well, we shoot the ball well, we have a good chance to beat them.”
Fans can go to tapps.net/athletics/basketball/basketball-championships to buy advance tickets to the state tournament.
jfierro@thepicayune.com