In likely to be one of the toughest games Cy-Fair and Cinco Ranch have encountered this year, the Bobcats and Cougars battled Saturday to represent Houston in the state girls basketball tournament and left it all out on the court.

The Bobcats were looking for a return ticket to Austin and they got it with a 49-41 win over Cinco Ranch Saturday afternoon at the Campbell Center.

The Bobcats will play Converse Wagner in a state semifinal at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the University of Texas' Frank Erwin Center.

“Relieved and excited,” Cy-Fair coach Ann Roubique said about how she was feeling. “As far as the basketball season goes, this is one of the happiest days.”

Senior post and point leader (23) Nneka Ogwumike added, “It’s an amazing feeling again.”

The Bobcats were crowned Region 3 champions last year and advanced to the state final where they lost to Rockwall in overtime. It was their only loss in 40 games in 2006-07.

The Bobcats are looking to win it all this year and will use their experience from last year to take them there.

“If we remember the experience from last year it will motivate us,” Ogwumike said. “We just have to take care of business and take care of next Friday.”

Cy-Fair can also use this experience, as they had to come from an early trail and stay focused when Cinco Ranch pushed in the fourth.

At the end of the first, the Cougars led by one after holding a seven-point lead mid-quarter.

The Bobcats more than doubled Cinco Ranch’s points in the second as they scored fifteen for a 28-20 lead at halftime.

“We decided defensively at the end to change things up and cover out a little bit wider,” Roubique said. “And we were able to slow them down a bit.”

The Bobcats kept pushing in the third, putting points up on the board. The team’s point leaders, Nneka Ogwumike (23) and Chiney Ogwumike (10), scored all 13 points in the third.

With a 41-28 lead going into the final eight minutes, Cy-Fair knew the Cougars weren’t about to give up. Both teams matched basket-to-basket early. At 2:46, Cinco Ranch went on a nine-point run, including two threes from Kelsey Clinch and Demi Clinch.

“We knew the success that they can have at that three-point line,” Roubique said. “And they certainly proved it and pushed us there at the end.”

“To share this with my team and my sister and my coach is just amazing,” Nneka Ogwumike said.

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