It's possible someone thought of two November girls basketball regular-season games as regional tournament previews, but at least a few participants probably preferred that wasn't the case.
Bellaire hoped its 91-47 dismantling of Cinco Ranch on Nov. 6, 2007 was a sign of things to come, and 36 wins later the Cardinals' standing among the area elite is as solid as ever.
The Cougars, hampered that night by not having guard Briana Gilbreath at full speed, more than acquitted themselves by going undefeated in their district for the third straight year.
Thirteen nights later, Cy-Fair slid by Elsik 40-34 in a game where neither team found itself until the Bobcats took control of the tempo late. It was the first game back for the Bobcats' Ogwumike sisters, Nneka and Chiney, after they guided the school's volleyball team to the state tournament the previous weekend.
Tuesday night, both matchups take place again in the 5A-Region III quarterfinals.
Bellaire (37-1) plays Cinco Ranch (28-7) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Aldine Campbell Center. An hour later, Cy-Fair (33-2) gets a virtual home game when it faces Elsik (25-7) at the Berry Center.
The other four quarterfinalists are from 23-5A and Fort Bend ISD.
Dulles plays Willowridge at 6 p.m. Monday at Sugar Land, followed by Hightower-Marshall.
Cy-Fair, seeking its second straight state tournament appearance, enters as the prohibitive favorite. The Bobcats were 39-0 last year before losing to Rockwall in the state championship game.
It also fared the best of any remaining team against the rest of the field, going 7-0 with three wins against Dulles and two against Cinco Ranch, including a 60-37 win against the Cougars at the Katy ISD Tournament in December.
Coming off a splendid effort against Nimitz phenom Brittney Griner Friday night, Cinco Ranch now will put its guards up against Bellaire's phenomenal guard tandem of Tamara Marion, Tamara Torru and Jasmine Hartman.
The Clinch sisters, Kelsey and Demi, are combining for 27 points a game. Gilbreath, a USC commit, is averaging almost 12.
"We played them the first game out this year and they really took it to us. They are a very athletic ball club and very well coached," Cinco Ranch coach Eric Bartlett said. "It's going to be interesting. We've got to be ready to play and not be afraid to mix it up and we'll see what happens."
Dulles (33-4) is the favorite from the Fort Bend quartet. It defeated the other three teams by an average of 16 points in their regular-season meetings but went 0-3 against Cy-Fair in the regular season, including losses of 20 and 22 points in tournaments in back-to-back weekends in December.
A familiar sorority
Most teams in this week's 5A Region III tournament saw each other during the regular season. A sampling of how they fared:
Cy-Fair (7-0): Went 3-0 against Dulles and 2-1 against Cinco Ranch, including a 23-point win against Cinco, and defeated Elsik.
Dulles (8-4): Went 6-0 against the field's Fort Bend ISD schools, defeated Elsik by 44 points and lost by seven to Bellaire.
Cinco Ranch (3-7): Lost by 44 points to Bellaire and defeated Elsik by 16 and 18 points in their two 18-5A meetings. The Cougars defeated Cy-Fair 54-46 on Nov. 13.
Region III tournament schedule
Quarterfinals
Fort Bend Dulles vs. Willowridge, 6 p.m. Monday at Sugar Land
Fort Bend Hightower vs. Fort Bend Marshall, 7:30 p.m. Monday at Sugar Land
Bellaire vs. Cinco Ranch, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Aldine Campbell Center
Cy-Fair vs. Elsik, 7 p.m. Tuesday at Berry Center
Semifinals
Friday, at Aldine Campbell Center
Bellaire or Cinco Ranch vs. Fort Bend Marshall, 6 p.m.
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