Marble Falls girls basketball earns win at Mansfield tourney
The Marble Falls High School girls basketball team picked up its first win of the Mansfield Spring Creek Invitational Tournament Dec. 29 against a foe that stopped a historical season for the Lady Mustangs more than a decade ago.
The Lady Mustangs defeated Fort Worth Dunbar 46-29 in Mansfield. Dunbar beat Marble Falls 59-47 in the semifinals of the 2006-07 Class 4A state tournament.
Marble Falls head coach John Berkman said this year’s win against Dunbar wasn’t about being physically better.
“We found some offensive confidence, which is good for us,” he said. “We put up 19 points in the first quarter, which helped.”
The Lady Mustangs then scored 12 in the second and 11 in the third.
“Double figures is good,” he said. “Really the emphasis has been that we need to focus on the offensive end and finish at the rim.”
The team’s offense didn’t change. Senior guards Alyssa Berkman, Mackenzie Farmer, Emma Koziel and Tea Rodriguez each hit 3-pointers. They dropped in two in the first quarter and three in the second. Rodriguez led the way with a total of three, while her three teammates each nailed one apiece.
“We ran the same offensive sets and took the same shots,” the coach said. “We’ve just been able to make them.”
The Lady Mustangs ended the first day of the tournament with a 54-35 loss to McKinney Dec. 28.
“We are struggling to find our confidence right now,” Berkman said. “Our defense got tired, which happens when your offense isn’t converting. We need to find a way to convert on the offensive end consistently.”
To Berkman, his team’s biggest challenge aren’t the opponents; it’s their mentality to believe they have the ability to keep winning no matter who is in the line-up and available to play. Injuries have forced others to change positions and contribute in ways they may not have had to before. Berkman commended his athletes for trusting and believing they can still accomplish their goals.
“We were shaken a little bit by injuries and filling holes we hadn’t planned on,” he said. “We’re moving in the right direction.”
Marble Falls finishes the tournament against Wylie East at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 29.
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