High School Basketball

Tompkins keeps pace in district title race with win over Morton Ranch

By Tyler Tyre, Sports Editor
Posted 1/27/24

“Everyone on this team trusts each other,” DeLeon said. “We all know that whoever gets the ball is going to do with it and score or create. It’s fun when you have everyone scoring and getting involved, that’s what you want.”

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High School Basketball

Tompkins keeps pace in district title race with win over Morton Ranch

Posted

Tompkins has a determined bunch of players this year.  

The Falcons have improved game by game this season and it’s resulted in a team that is at the top of the pack in Katy ISD, as they have stayed atop the standings all season.

Tompkins has continued to take steps forwards in recent weeks and with an 81-52 win on Friday over Morton Ranch, the Falcons will enter the final week of the regular season with a chance of at least a share of the District 19-6A title.

“This is all on the players, they have been terrific,” said Tompkins head coach Tamatha Ray. “They let us as a coaching staff do our job, and we through this second half of district have really just been able to focus on the film, what our opponents are doing and what we need to take away. But they have gone out there and executed at such a high level. They’ve taken what we are trying to teach and gone out on the floor and played exceptionally. It’s all them and the way they allow us to coach them.”

The win was just another for Tompkins as they have been on a roll, winning nine of their last 10 and they have done that by playing selflessly on offense and being very strong on the defensive end. A big part of that defensive success comes from senior post Caitlyn D’Addieco, who has stepped into the starting lineup in her senior season and been one of the key figures for the Falcons. Despite being undersized, she has been a force in the post for the past two years and offensively is an important figure as well, chipping in with 13 points in Friday’s win.

“She’s just solid,” Ray said. “The thing about it is I know exactly what I’m going to get from her. Caitlyn is one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached and she has the intangibles. She does all of the dirty work for us, gets every loose ball, every rebound and does all the little stuff other people don’t want to do. That doesn’t get the headlines but it makes every big of difference in the game. She’s doing just as well as anyone in that position who’s come before her.”

Rihanna DeLeon led the way offensively in the win with 27 points, while Sascha Coughran had 16 and 10 different Falcons scored.

“Everyone on this team trusts each other,” DeLeon said. “We all know that whoever gets the ball is going to do with it and score or create. It’s fun when you have everyone scoring and getting involved, that’s what you want.”

Now the goal for Tompkins is to win out in district and clinch at least a share of the district title. They had done it three straight years going into last season but came up just short finishing in second last year. That still stings for this years senior class and they’re out to find a way to take that title back.

“It’s a really big deal,” D’Addieco said. “We know that we can do it and that’s what we’re striving for. It was rough at first this year, but we’ve grown and gotten better and that’s what you do it for is to compete for a district championship. We all just want to win out and hopefully have this carry over into playoffs.”

District 19-6A

Tompkins 81, Morton Ranch 52

Points: (T) Rihanna DeLeon 27, Sascha Coughran 16, Caitlyn D’Addieco 13, Kate Hopkins 4, Haylie Panter 4, Gabby Panter 4, Dliana Omobude 4, Isabella Riggan 3, Kayli Jensen 3, Brittany Tolle 2; (MR) Holly Sylve 16, Trinitee McFarland 8, Divinefavor Ekuma 6, Janae Gray 6, Denecia Gardiner 4, Victoria Mire 4, Alexis Scott 4, Chassity Mandley 3, Jennifer Mendoza 1;

Halftime: Tompkins 34, Morton Ranch 20; 3-Pointers: (T) DeLeon 3, Coughran, Riggan; (MR) McFarland 2, Sylves; Records: (T) 25-6, 10-2; (MR) 8-21, 2-11;

Katy ISD, Tompkins, Morton Ranch, basketball sports, District 19-6A