KFDM COOP Posted December 16, 2007 Report Posted December 16, 2007 21-4A boys open league playBy Michael PinedaBaytown Sun Published December 16, 2007For the Barbers Hill and Crosby basketball teams, the results really count beginning this week. District 21-4A action tips off Tuesday night with Barbers Hill’s Eagles traveling to Forest Brook and Crosby’s Cougars hosting pre-season favorite Smiley. While Smiley is the consensus favorite to win the district title, the remaining two playoff spots appear up for grabs.Barbers Hill is one of the favorites, having treaded water successfully without leading scorer Brooks Ybarra. Ybarra suffered a foot injury in the week before the opening game of the season and has yet to see action.Without the 6-4 forward, the Eagles have posted a 9-4 record.Ybarra is expected to go to the doctor this week and could see action in the Gulf Coast Classic at the end of the month.“I feel good about us,†Barbers Hill head coach Nathan Toon said. “We are playing well together and playing good defense. I’m surprised that we are 9-4. We have played a tough schedule and have only played two games at home. When Brooks went down, I didn’t know what to expect.â€One of the reasons the Eagles have played as well as they have is the emergence of Jon Daniels. The senior has given Barbers Hill a spark offensively, averaging 19 points a game.“We’ve always known that Jon could shoot,†Toon said. “A lot of people don’t know that last year he broke his thumb twice in the season and played through it. He has really come on this year and he just needs to keep it up.â€The addition of Ybarra into the lineup will benefit the Eagles not only in the scoring column but also on the boards and handling the ball. The task for the team will be to integrate the senior into a unit that has began to establish itself.“It will take a while for him to get back into game shape,†Toon said. “More importantly, he has to fit in with the guys. At the beginning of the year we may have thought that he had to score 20 to 25 a game, but that is not the case.â€Toon lists Smiley as the frontrunner in the district with Huffman, C.E. King and Crosby as contenders in what should be a wide-open district race. Last season, Barbers Hill played inconsistently in district and finished fourth with a 7-7 record.“We can’t turn the ball over and we have to play good defense and play together,†Toon said. “We’ve been consistent with that this year. “Last year we didn’t do that as well. We lost four or five games that we led in the fourth quarter. We just couldn’t seal the deal.“Playing on the road and playing tough teams as prepared us for district.â€Crosby has also played a challenging schedule, posting a 4-9 record as it prepares to host Smiley Tuesday night. Like Toon, first-year Crosby head coach Justin Reese feels the competition has prepared the team for district play.“There are two ways to schedule,†Reese said. “You can schedule soft and get some wins or you can play some challenging teams to prepare for district. I think we are getting better, but we still have things to work on.“We know we’re going to have to play well to win games and our goal is to return to the playoffs.â€Last season, Crosby placed second in the district. To make a return trip to the playoffs, the Cougars will have to improve on the boards.“If we can rebound we can play with anybody, but we are smaller than a lot of the teams we will face,†Reese said. “We also need to take care of the ball better and we have to defend better.“We are starting to execute offensively. We want to push the ball more and get some more looks in transition. Our guard play has been solid and M.J. Mathis has come in as a forward and given us some good minutes.â€Reese said he’s enjoyed his first season on the Crosby bench.“The kids have been great and have been coachable. It’s a challenge when a new coach comes in but the kids have been great,â€he said.While Toon lists Smiley as the team to beat in 21-4A, Reese has no problem adding the Eagles to that list. Reese feels the key for teams in the district will be consistency.“It’s pretty open,†Reese said. “I feel like we are going to have to take a wait and see approach. Everyone has played well in spurts this year.:â€
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