The Wylie girls basketball team went 3-0 at the TABC Girls Showcase and won each game by at least 25 points. Photo courtesy Nate Heckelman
By David Wolman
Everything felt rushed for Nate Heckelman.
With only three days from the time that he stepped onto the court for his first day on the job as Wylie head girls basketball coach until the first game of the 2025-26 season, there was little time for Heckelman to get acclimated to his new team.
Despite the limited amount of practice time together, Wylie was quick to adjust to its new head coach. The Lady Pirates finished with a 24-7 record and went undefeated in District 9-6A play.
Fast-forward to this summer and the level of comfort that Heckelman and his players have with each other is more noticeable.
That continuity was evident at the TABC Girls Showcase on June 18-19 in Bryan. Wylie went 3-0 and won all three contests in blowout fashion. The Lady Pirates began with a 57-19 triumph of Katy Cinco Ranch, followed with a 61-30 victory over Clear Brook and concluded the Showcase with a 64-39 win against Frisco Panther Creek.
“It was a little rushed last year, for sure, especially with what happened with the coaching change,” Heckelman said. “Now that I’ve had eight months to work with the girls, things are getting more comfortable with my style of coaching and communication.”
What pleased Heckelman most about Wylie’s performance was how well the Lady Pirates shared the ball. Wylie averaged at least 14 assists per game and used its defense to generate several steals, many of which were converted into layups and jump shots.
Incoming senior point guard Shamya Johnson, sophomore forward/guard Sade Mathews, senior forward Ronelyse Hartfield and junior guard Aubrey Green all stepped up for Wylie, while senior guard Alyson Jeske had significant contributions.
Wylie East also had a solid showing at the TABC Showcase.
Despite bringing a young team that had just five returning varsity players, four JV players that could potentially make the jump to varsity and three incoming freshmen, the Lady Raiders won two of the three games they played in.
The Lady Raiders opened with a narrow 28-25 win over Dallas Skyline, followed that up with a 47-37 setback to Klein Oak but finished the event with a 39-29 victory over San Antonio Harlan.
“All of them contributed,” said Wylie East head coach Meaghan Hodapp. “A few of them were shell shocked for sure because of how fast paced the games were. We just had to figure out the right combinations to play.”
Hodapp was curious to see the play of her point guards. The Lady Raiders graduated Sharmayne Jones and Sidney Sanders, but incoming freshman Sophie Young has the potential to be a starter. Hodapp said that Young distributed the ball well and set up teammates for open shots.
Kennedi Samuels made four of five 3-point attempts during one stretch of play to force Dallas Skyline to abandon its zone defense.
Incoming junior guard Cori’yon Bolden was aggressive in attacking the basket, while sophomore Mychal Henderson handled the defensive pressure of other teams with confidence.
“I really liked how the kids adjusted on the fly,” Hodapp said.
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