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November 13, 20172017 Bowie Be-YOU-tiful Classic
Basketball season is upon us in Texas and one of the best parts of that in the early part of the season is the tournament circuit. Texas has several legendary stops on the recruiting trail, and the (Austin) Bowie Be-YOU-tiful Classic is growing every year into one of those top tournaments. It has certainly been the top tournament the last few years in Central Texas at which to kick things off.
This year did not disappoint as the fifth annual event had top teams from the region, outstanding players from every class and for every level, and also a couple of legitimate All-American candidates in the 2018 class.
16 teams were placed in four team pools with pool play on Thursday and Friday and then bracket play reserved for Saturday. Pools and results:
POOL A POOL B
1) Steele 1) Pflugerville
2) Austin Bowie 2) Westlake
3) Stony Point 3) Killeen
4) Austin LBJ 4) O’Connor
POOL C POOL D
1) Judson 1) Liberty Hill
2) Temple 2) Plano East
3) Vista Ridge 3) Victoria East
4) SA Johnson 4) SA Reagan
The semi-finals matched Steele vs Pflugerville and Liberty Hill vs Judson in the top bracket. Both contests saw a halftime lead overcome by the eventual winner. Steele was up seven and Judson had a six point lead going into halftime. Big momentum shifts in the third quarter had the gyms (separated by a set of bleachers) loud and boisterous. The energy was awesome. Going into the fourth quarter: Pflugerville held a two point advantage and Liberty Hill held a 10 point lead.
Pflugerville and Liberty Hill both held on to fourth quarter leads to land in the championship game. The third place game set up a San Antonio rivalry and district opponents Steele and Judson (who, from what I understand in anticipation of a couple of heavy weight district battles, agreed to play “scrimmage style” and get the whole roster decent playing time; still trying to win, but not showing their whole hands).
Texas signee Sedona Prince went down hard on a knee in the fourth quarter of the semifinal and did not play in the final. Tarleton State signee Kandyn Faurie carried her team through four quarters, but ultimately the Pflugerville trio of Kiera King (2019), London Clarkson (2019), and Incarnate Word signee Starr Omozee was too much for Liberty Hill as Pflugerville finished what would be back to back Be-YOU-tiful Classic Championships, winning 57-51. (Central Florida signee Britney Onyeje is still out with an injury, but is expected back in the next few weeks for Pflugerville.)
Every year Bowie Head Coach Vickie Benson hosts a dinner for all of the teams with an educational theme that pertains to the participants of the tournament. This year the topic was bringing attention to eating disorders and positive self-image.
“The purpose of this event is not only to play games, but to raise awareness about eating disorders and promote positive self-image. I am passionate about this topic and desire to see young women overcome the insecurities and dangers of such disorders.
Almost weekly, there is at least one young teenage female that approaches me to talk about their struggles with food, their body, and the insecurities they have about themselves. Our goals for the tournament weekend are to educate athletes and coaches about nutritional information for them to take home, and provide hope by assisting those who are struggling in finding help on their road to recovery.”
RESOURCESNEDA:
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ways-to-give/feeding-hope-fund-clinical-research
ANAD:
http://www.anad.org
STANDOUT/NOTICABLE PLAYERS
2018 Class Signees
Desiree Caldwell (Steele) – University of Southern California
Jhakya Dilworth (Temple) – Florida A&M University
Keziah Dilworth (Temple) – Florida A&M University
Heaven Mbaruk (Judson) – Arkansas Little Rock
Torri Nesbitt (Steele) - A&M Corpus Christi
Starr Omozee (Pflugerville) – Incarnate Word
Britney Onyeje (Pflugerville) – University of Central Florida (*injured)
Sedona Prince (Pflugerville) – University of Texas
Taylor Skurka (Steele) – Texas Lutheran University
Marlaina Spearman (Stony Point) – Louisiana-Monroe (*injured)
Imani Wimbish-Gay (Victoria East) – Blinn College
2018 Class Unsigned
Emilie Austin (Plano East)
Tyra Tanner (Steele)
Natalie McCoy (O’Connor)
2019 Class
Hailey Atwood (Bowie)
Sydney Cajero (Steele)
Corina Carter (Judson)
London Clarkson (Pflugerville)
Hayden Cunningham (Westlake)
Kaylee Cunningham (Westlake)
Tavy Diggs (Plano East)
Nicole Hemphill (O’Connor) *ankle injury early in tournament
Kiera King (Pflugerville)
Tiffany McGarity (Judson)
Carina Vockell (Bowie)
Kyra White (Judson)
2020 Class
Victoria Baker (Vista Ridge)
Presley Bennett (Westlake)
Wilashia Burleson (Temple)
Bailee Chynoweth (Westlake) *minor injury in first game
Shay Holle (Westlake)
Aja Holmes (Steele)
Deja Kelly (SA Johnson) *University of Texas commit
Zaya Price (Steele)
Emily Seghers (Westlake)
Leilani Wimbish-Gay (Victoria East)
Alexia Zurovec (Westlake)
2021 Class
Weade Adeleke (Vista Ridge)
Da’Myia Derby (Stony Point)
Gwen Gilmore (Westlake)
Asjha Leake (Steele)
AJ Marotte (Vista Ridge)
Bria McClure (Steele)
Kendall Parker (Plano East)
Ariana Rosado (Stony Point)
** A full player report will be available for Premier Basketball Report subscribers
