Girls basketball: Memorial set to take on Stratford next

Pasadena Memorial couldn't have asked for more on the first day of the loaded McDonald's Texas Invitational. It won twice in pool play, beating Brazoswood and San Antonio Madison, to advance to the Division II gold bracket.

But the Lady Mavericks didn't get far in bracket play, falling to Clear Brook and Pearland to end their tournament stay.

Now they return to action after a week off for Thanksgiving by traveling to Stratford, a playoff qualifier last season when they clipped the Lady Mavericks at Memorial 33-32.

ABOUT THE GAME

• Matchup: Pasadena Memorial vs. Stratford

• When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30

• Where: Stratford High School gym

• What's at stake: A chance for a little revenge for Memorial, which lost to Stratford and eventually missed the playoffs last season. The Lady Mavericks have been the better team in the early going this season, and a win over the Lady Spartans would go a long way toward validating their early results.

• Memorial players to watch: G Jessica Elkins, G Lisa Gale, F Tori Rodriguez, P Clare Snelson

• Stratford players to watch: G LaShae Crews, G Rachel Rapier, G Kristin Peters, F/C Hope Wiggins

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Memorial: After dropping its season opener to 67-43 to Goose Creek Memorial, Pasadena Memorial beat Nimitz 48-44. Elkins, a returning first-team all-district guard, led Memorial with 12 points in that game. … She scored 10 points in the 44-42 win over Madison at the Texas Invitational. Gale was the high-scorer in that contest with 16 points. Memorial beat Brazoswood 41-38.

• Stratford: The Lady Spartans went 16-13 overall and 7-5 in District 18-5A last season. They faced Cinco Ranch in the bi-district playoffs and lost 55-53. Crews had 13 points in that game but the scoring was led by graduated players Kelli Evans (17 points) and Rodneisha Milum (16 points). Stratford dropped down to Class 4A with the latest University Interscholastic League realignment. Stratford was supposed to be a 4A team the last two seasons. It had 4A numbers but successfully petitioned the UIL for 5A status. They started their 4A run 0-3, with setbacks to Kempner (47-29) , Mayde Creek (64-24) and Pearland (55-24) before entering the Fort Bend ISD tournament, where they began with 44-19 loss to Cy Woods. They finally got into the win column with a 37-36 decision against Deer Park.