CINCO RANCH LADY COUGARS BASKETBALL

Team Ticker:

Recent Results:

Fri Feb 19/10 7:00pm:

Bellaire (21-9)	45
Cinco Ranch (23-12)	39

Tue Feb 16/10 7:30pm:

Cinco Ranch (23-11)	55
Stratford (16-13)	53

Tue Feb 9/10 7:00pm:

Cinco Ranch (22-11)	66
Mayde Creek (19-12)	42

Bellaire's young guns end Cinco's season, 45-39
Burns and Alix combine for 41

Sophomore Raven Burns and Freshman A.J. Alix scored 28 and 13 points, respectively, to lead Bellaire to a 45-39 victory over Cinco Ranch in the Class 5A Area Playoffs on Friday night at the Merrell Center in Katy. Cinco jumped to a 12-9 lead after one quarter and trailed 21-18 at halftime despite seniors Demi Clinch and DeDe Nwanguma being saddled with early foul trouble. Cinco trailed by four points entering the final quarter and could not mount a rally to overtake the Lady Cardinals (21-9). Nwanguma and sister Ashleigh had strong shooting nights for Cinco, as the duo combined to go 9-10 from the field for 19 points. The sisters also combined for 13 rebounds on the evening. Cinco finishes 23-12 on the season, and the game was the last for four CRHS seniors: Demi Clinch, Tara Cioccia, DeDe Nwanguma, and Kellie Ros.
Game Stats
Bellaire Examiner Recap
UIL Class 5A Playoff Bracket
State Playoffs At a Glance

Lady Cougars use size to slip past Stratford
36 points in the paint key 55-53 victory over Spartans

Cinco Ranch survived a final rally from Stratford on Tuesday night to pull out a 55-53 victory in a Bi-District playoff game at Stratford HS. The Lady Cougars exploited a considerable size advantage and poured in 36 of their 55 points in the lane on the evening. Demi Clinch scored 22 points on 11-17 shooting, and also had 6 rebounds and 4 steals on the night. Kellie Ros had 8 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals and DeDe Nwanguma also chipped in with 8 points and 9 rebounds. Ros and Tara Cioccia each hit critical free throws in the final minutes, Cioccia's with 18.9 seconds left to push the Cinco lead to 55-51. Stratford had cut an eleven point Cinco lead to just two before both clutch free throws. Cinco led 30-28 at halftime and 47-38 after three quarters, but the Spartans would not go quietly in their home gym. Kelli Evans scored 7 of her 17 points in the final three minutes, and post Rodneisha Milum hit for 16 points. LaShae Crews had 13 points to make it a trio of double digit scorers for Stratford. Cioccia finished the night with 7 points and Peyton Crump had 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals for the Lady Cougars (23-11), who advance to take on Bellaire on Friday in an Area Playoff game at a site and time to be determined Wednesday morning.
Game Stats
Katy Times Recap
Katy Sun Recap
UIL Class 5A State Playoff Bracket

Cougars run roughshod over Rams, 66-42
Palmer and Nwanguma post double doubles

Cinco Ranch closed out its regular season in impressive fashion with a 24 point victory over Mayde Creek on Tuesday night at MCHS. The Lady Cougars jumped out to a 24-9 lead after one period and extended their cushion to 40-13 at intermission. Megan Palmer had a big night with 12 points and 17 rebounds, while DeDe Nwanguma also had a double double with 12 points and 10 boards. Demi Clinch led the Cougars with 17 points and added 7 rebounds. Kellie Ros dished out 7 assists as Cinco improved to 22-11 while finishing 8-2 in District 17-5A.  The Lady Cougars advance to the state playoffs for the seventh straight season and will take on the Stratford Lady Spartans at a site and time to be determined on Wednesday morning.  Alief Taylor lost to Memorial on Tuesday night, which locked Stratford into the third seed and Alief Taylor into the fourth seed out of 18-5A.  The other 17-5A and 18-5A Bi-District playoff matchups are as follows: Katy Taylor vs. Alief Taylor, Mayde Creek vs. Elsik, and Seven Lakes vs. Memorial.
Game Stats

Cinco lets loose in rout of Lady Mavs, 71-32
24-0 burst to open game seals deal

Cinco Ranch shut out Morton Ranch until just :33 seconds remained in the 1st quarter, opening up a 24-0 lead, and cruised to a 39 point victory at the Merrell Center on Friday night. The Cougars shot a blistering 12-16 (75%) in the opening frame and led 27-3. DeDe Nwanguma scored 8 of her game high 18 points in the quarter, while Kellie Ros added 8 of her 11 points in the 1st quarter and also finished with 4 steals and 4 assists. Nwanguma finished the night 8-9 from the field and grabbed a game high 11 rebounds. Megan Palmer snared 10 boards and had 4 assists as Cinco improved to 21-11 with the win and 7-2 in District 17-5A. Demi Clinch was 5-9 from the field and finished with 13 points, 4 steals, and 4 assists to aid the Cougars attack. Cinco led 38-12 at intermission and the lead ballooned to 52-12 after a 14-0 spurt to start the 2nd half. The Lady Cougars finished the night with a season high 22 assists on 28 buckets. Cinco will close out the regular season with a trip to Mayde Creek on Tuesday night. The Rams were 68-53 losers to Taylor on Friday night. The Mustangs clinched the district title with the win, while Cinco has clinched the #2 seed out of 17-5A. The Lady Cougars will face either Stratford or Alief Taylor in the Bi-District playoffs.
Game Stats

One week left in UIL All-Century Team voting
Former Cougars Briana and Stefanie Gilbreath amongst the nominees

Fans have one more week to vote for the UIL's All-Century Girls Basketball team, as voting ends on February 13th. On the prestigous list is Cinco's very own Gilbreath sisters, who starred for the Lady Cougars from 2003-2008. Click on the link below to vote.
UIL All-Century Girls Basketball

Cougars comeback comes up short
Cinco can't overcome 15 point hole in 53-46 loss to Taylor

Cinco Ranch fell behind 16-4 at the end of the 1st quarter and trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half, and a second half rally wasn't enough Tuesday night in a 53-46 loss to the Lady Mustangs. Cinco trailed 32-18 at halftime, but started the 3rd quarter on a 10-0 run to get back in the ballgame. Taylor extended the lead back to 11 by the end of the third quarter, only to see the Lady Cougars fight back again and cut it to four points with 2:41 to play. Taylor was able to close it out with free throws and send the Lady Cougars to their 2nd district loss in 8 games. Megan Palmer, DeDe Nwanguma, and Demi Clinch all scored 10 points for Cinco, while Peyton Crump added 9 points off the bench. Tara Cioccia had 6 assists and Palmer grabbed 8 rebounds as Cinco fell to 20-11 on the season. The Lady Cougars will host Morton Ranch at the Merrell Center on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. The Lady Mavericks upended Katy 33-30 on Tuesday night. The other 17-5A game saw Seven Lakes dump Mayde Creek 67-60 to tie the Rams for third place in district at 4-4.
Game Stats
Katy Times Recap

Clinch, Nwanguma give Cinco two Divison I signees
Texas State, UT-Arlington offer full rides

Cinco Ranch seniors Demi Clinch and DeDe Nwanguma have both signed national letters of intent to continue their careers at the next level. Clinch has inked with Texas State, while Nwanguma has chosen UT-Arlington to continue her basketball career. The pair brings the total number of Lady Cougar Division I players at five, as Stefanie and Briana Gilbreath are currently at USC, and Shantel Nwanguma is playing for Texas-San Antonio.

Clinch, a 6'0" senior and McDonald's All-American nominee, leads the Lady Cougars with 11.9 ppg, is tied for the team lead with 3.1 apg, while also averaging 5.5 rpg and 3.1 spg. Last season, she was named TABC All-Region and 1st Team All-District, while also taking home Academic All-District honors. During her junior season, Clinch led the Cougars in scoring at 15.0 ppg and shot 80% from the free throw line. Her team leading 73 three-pointers helped Cinco Ranch earn the TABC award for best three point shooting team for the '08-'09 season. During her sophomore campaign in 2007-08, she was tabbed 2nd Team All-District and Academic All-District as Cinco advanced to the Regional Finals during a banner 30-8 season.

Nwanguma is averaging 9.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg during her senior year. She had 25 points and 12 rebounds against College Park earlier in the year and has hit double figures in points in 8 of her last 9 games. The 6'1" senior also leads the Lady Cougars with 29 blocked shots. She led Cinco in field goal percentage during her sophomore season (54%) and also this year (47%). Nwanguma will get to play against her sister, Shantel, as both UT-Arlington and UTSA are members of the Southland Conference.

Cinco tames Tigers on Senior Night, 56-35
Win sets up 17-5A showdown with Taylor on Tuesday

Cinco Ranch improved to 6-1 in district play on Friday night, courtesy of a 56-35 victory over Katy at CRHS. Demi Clinch scored 20 points to lead the Cougars, who notched their 7th straight 20+ win season with the win. DeDe Nwanguma added 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals to aid in the victory.  The Tigers hung tough for a quarter, trailing just 8-7, but went scoreless from the 4:00 minute mark in the 1st quarter until the last minute of the first half. Cinco's lead grew to 25-7 before Katy reeled off 5 consecutive points in the final minute of the half. Katy crept to within 11 points in the 3rd quarter, but would get no closer. The game was the last home game for Cinco's four seniors. Tara Cioccia, Demi Clinch, DeDe Nwanguma, and Kellie Ros were honored during pre-game. Ros had 7 points and 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and a steal, while Cioccia had 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. The Cougars, now 20-10 on the year and 6-1 in 17-5A, will travel to Taylor on Tuesday night to try and avenge their only district loss of the season and take the upper hand in the race for the district crown. Taylor disposed of Seven Lakes, 63-33 on Friday night and is also 6-1 in district with its only loss coming to Mayde Creek earlier in the season.
Game Stats

Cougars survive scare from Spartans
Cinco erases 9 point deficit with 1:49 left; wins in two OT's

Trailing 33-24 with just 1:49 left in the game, Cinco Ranch used a furious 4th quarter finish to pull out an improbable 45-42 double overtime victory at Seven Lakes on Tuesday night. DeDe Nwanguma cut the lead to seven points with a layup, and Megan Palmer followed with a block on the defensive end at the 1:30 mark. A driving Tara Cioccia was fouled on the ensuing possession and hit both free throws to trim the Spartan lead to 33-28 with 1:22 left. The Cougars were already in foul mode and Seven Lakes hit 1 out of 2 free throws to extend their lead to 34-28 with 1:10 to go. Cioccia responded with a three-pointer to cut the lead to just three points, 34-31. Seven Lakes then missed the front end of a one and one following a Cougar foul. Kellie Ros then drilled a three pointer with 6.7 seconds left to tie the game. The Spartans were denied on a last second three pointer by Christian Inman.

Cinco found itself trailing 38-34 in the first overtime with just 1:16 left to play. Demi Clinch drove and scored on a layup to cut the lead to 38-36. With :37 seconds left, Clinch had a steal to give the ball back to Cinco. Palmer was then fouled driving to the bucket and hit both free throws to tie the game up at 38 with just 29 seconds left to play in the extra session. Another Spartan last second shot was denied, sending the game into a second OT.

In the second extra period, Clinch grabbed an offensive rebound and had a putback to give Cinco a 42-40 lead with 1:10 on the clock. Cinco got a stop on the defensive end, and Peyton Crump was fouled and hit both free throws to give the Lady Cougars a 44-40 lead with :44 seconds left. Another Spartan miss was followed by a foul, sending Ros to the line, where she hit 1 of 2 free throws to give Cinco a 45-42 lead. Seven Lakes, with one final shot, missed a three pointer at the buzzer, sealing the win for the Cougars.
Game Stats

Cinco wears down Rams in 2nd half
Cougars get defensive to offset cold shooting night

Despite shooting just 29% on Friday night, Cinco Ranch found a way to grind out a 47-31 victory over Mayde Creek. Cinco shot just 3-22 in the first quarter and 18-62 for the game, but used strong defensive play to limit Mayde Creek scoring machine Jazzmin Parker to just 14 points on the evening. The Lady Cougars had a 20-18 halftime lead, and used a 7-0 third quarter to build a 9 point lead heading into the final quarter. DeDe Nwanguma had 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with 3 blocked shots, while sister Ashleigh Nwanguma provided a spark in the 2nd half by scoring 6 points and pulling down 6 rebounds. The strong inside play of the Lady Cougars helped offset a 0-13 night from behind the arc. Megan Palmer pulled down 8 rebounds and Kellie Ros added 5 steals to help out on the defensive end. Cinco exploded for 20 points in the final quarter, as Mayde Creek was forced to press and the Lady Cougars had several nice buckets breaking the Ram press. Tara Cioccia had 3 assists in the final quarter. Demi Clinch added 7 rebounds and 4 steals as Cinco improved to 18-10 and 4-1 in District 17-5A play.
Game Stats

Cougars maul Mavericks, 74-34
Mayde Creek edges Taylor to create 3 team logjam atop 17-5A

Demi Clinch scored 24 points, Tara Cioccia 11, and DeDe Nwanguma had 10 points and 15 rebounds to pace Cinco Ranch to a lopsided road victory on Tuesday night over Morton Ranch. Cinco came out smoking in the first quarter, shooting 10-18 from the field to jump out to a 26-9 lead. The Cougars upped their lead to 23 points at halftime and cruised the rest of the way in notching their third win in four tries in District 17-5A play. Kellie Ros had 6 assists and 4 steals, while Anne Marie Zuilhof had 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Peyton Crump added two three-pointers as did Cioccia. Clinch nailed four bombs in her best shooting night of the season. Megan Palmer scored 8 points, including a perfect night at the free throw line (4-4). Ashleigh Nwanguma had 6 points and 8 rebounds to contribute to the onslaught and Blaire Fritchie added 5 points. Andrea Onuigbo contributed on the defensive end as well with solid rebounding. In other 17-5A action on Tuesday, Mayde Creek upended Taylor 58-54 to create a three-way tie for first place at 3-1. Cinco will host the Rams on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
Game Stats
District 17-5A Standings

Taylor takes round one in overtime thriller
Nwanguma nets 20 in loss

Taylor used an 11-6 overtime period to derail Cinco Ranch on Friday night, 45-40 at CRHS. The game had a playoff atmosphere and was a back and forth struggle throughout. The Mustangs jumped out to a quick 11-4 lead and led by five points after a quarter, but the Cougars clawed back to take a 20-19 lead at halftime. Cinco maintained a one point lead into the fourth quarter, but Taylor tied it up and then wrapped up the victory in overtime. DeDe Nwanguma had 20 points to pace the Cougars on 8-10 of shooting. The UT-Arlington commit also swatted away 6 shots and had 7 rebounds. Tara Cioccia chipped in with 9 points, including two three-pointers. Kellie Ros had 7 steals on the evening. Lindsey Fenati led Taylor with 12 points.
Game Stats
Katy Times Recap
Houston Chronicle Recap

Defense lifts Lady Cougars to win over Katy
Hold Lady Tigers scoreless in 3rd quarter in 42-14 win

Cinco Ranch held Katy to single digits in each quarter Tuesday night to improve to 2-0 in District 17-5A play with a 42-14 win over Katy. The first four minutes of the game were scoreless, but Cinco responded by scoring 10 points in the last half of the quarter to take a 10-2 lead. DeDe Nwanguma scored 8 of her game high 10 points in the 2nd quarter as Cinco increased their lead to 24-7 at intermission. A 13-0 third period gave Cinco a comfortable 37-7 lead heading into the final quarter. Demi Clinch scored 8 points to go along with 7 assists and 6 rebounds, and Peyton Crump had six points on 3-4 shooting to go along with 6 rebounds. Cinco will host Taylor on Friday night, as both teams are 2-0 in the early going of District 17-5A play.
Game Stats

Cinco game for Spartan challenge
Battle tested Lady Cougars flex muscles in 59-36 win

Demi Clinch scored 24 points and DeDe Nwanguma dominated inside with 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Cinco Ranch past Seven Lakes 59-36 to open District 17-5A play on Friday night at CRHS. Seven Lakes came out strong in the early going, as the teams played an even first quarter. The Lady Cougars opened up a 25-17 lead at intermission behind Clinch's 12 points in the second quarter. Cinco blew the game open in the 2nd half with a 13-0 run that pushed their lead to 57-28 in the final quarter. Tara Cioccia contributed 9 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals in the victory, while Megan Palmer pulled down 7 rebounds. Kellie Ros added 3 assists, 3 steals, and a team leading 18th charge to her season total.
Game Stats
Katy Times Recap

Gritty Cougars can't claw out victory over #13 North Shore
Strong showing falls just short in 45-42 defeat

North Shore fought off a 2nd half rally by Cinco Ranch on Tuesday night to hold off the Lady Cougars, 45-42 in Cinco's final non-district tilt of the season. Facing the state's 13th ranked team on the road and missing their leading scorer (Demi Clinch) to injury, the Lady Cougars chipped away at a 9 point halftime deficit to pull within 2 points in the final quarter, but fell short. Kellie Ros scored 13 points on 5-7 shooting, including 3-3 from beyond the arc. DeDe Nwanguma added 11 points and 10 rebounds and Megan Palmer pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Cougars (14-9). Cinco started fast, holding a 15-9 edge after one quarter. North Shore used a 21-6 second quarter to take a 30-21 lead the break. Cinco cut the lead to 36-34 at the end of three.

The battle tested Lady Cougars enter district play having faced 5 state ranked teams in the current TABC poll. #3 Cy-Fair, #7 Arlington Bowie, #13 North Shore, #21 San Antonio Jay, and #23 Houston Westside. Cinco will face Seven Lakes on Friday night at CRHS.
Game Stats

Cinco gets defensive in 42-23 win over Lady Rangers
21 steals key 7th victory in 8 games

Cinco Ranch improved to 14-8 on the season with a 19 point non district victory over Baytown Sterling on Saturday afternoon at CRHS. The Lady Cougars allowed just 11 points through the first three quarters behind the strong defensive play of Kellie Ros (9 steals) and Peyton Crump (4 steals), who also added 8 rebounds in the victory. Tara Cioccia had 5 assists, 3 of which went to DeDe Nwanguma for easy layups. Nwanguma finished with a game high 10 points. Cinco will travel to Galena Park on Tuesday night to face the state's 16th ranked team, North Shore.
Game Stats

Lady Cougars heating up at right time
3-1 showing in Bryan/College Station Tourney

Bryan/College Station Tournament Recap:

Cinco Ranch 54 Austin Bowie 27
Kellie Ros scored 16 points to pace Cinco in it's final game of the tournament. DeDe Nwanguma had a double double with 11 points and 16 rebounds in a dominant performance, and Anne Marie Zuilhof added 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. Ros scored 9 points in the 2nd quarter as Cinco opened up a 32-15 lead. The Lady Cougars held Bowie to just 2 points in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters to take control. Megan Palmer had 9 rebounds and Ashleigh Nwanguma 8 boards, as Cinco pulled down 49 rebounds to improve to 13-8 on the year.
Game Stats

Cinco Ranch 45 Ocean Springs (MS) 34
Tara Cioccia had a team high 12 points to lead Cinco past the visitors from Mississippi. Cinco had a 26-17 lead at intermission and was never threatened in the 2nd half. Demi Clinch had 9 points and 6 rebounds, and Peyton Crump added 8 points and 5 rebounds for the Lady Cougars. Kellie Ros had 5 steals and 5 assists, while Megan Palmer had 9 points and 8 rebounds as Cinco improved to 12-8 with the victory.
Game Stats

Harrison Central (MS) 40 Cinco Ranch 32
Demi Clinch scored 14 points and DeDe Nwanguma had 10 rebounds, but it was not enough as the Lady Cougars dropped to 11-8 on the season. The Lady Cougars did not shoot the ball well (29%) in the loss to the highly ranked outfit from Mississippi.
Game Stats

Cinco Ranch 51 Houston Memorial 36
Tara Cioccia had 13 points and Demi Clinch added 11 to pace the Lady Cougars to an opening round win over the Lady Mustangs. Clinch added 9 rebounds and DeDe Nwanguma also had 9 boards in the win.
Game Stats

State Rankings at a glance
TABC, TGCA, TexasGirlsBasketball.com polls

Cinco pours it on in rout of Lady Marlins
All 10 players crack scoring column in 64-34 drubbing

Tara Cioccia had 14 points, Peyton Crump and DeDe Nwanguma 11, and Demi Clinch 10 to pace Cinco to a 30 point non-district win on December 18th against Houston Madison. The Lady Marlins had no answer for CRHS as they jumped to a 15-4 lead after the 1st quarter. Ashleigh Nwanguma scored all 6 of her points in the 2nd quarter to help stretch the lead to 29-14 at halftime. Crump scored all of her points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters for Cinco. Cioccia had 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the win, which upped Cinco's record to 10-7 on the year. Clinch added 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and DeDe Nwanguma had 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Kellie Ros had 5 assists. Cinco will enjoy the holiday break before returning to action on December 29th in the Bryan/College Station Tournament. The Lady Cougars will open up play with a 1:30 tipoff against Memorial at A&M Consolidated High School.
Game Stats

Gilbreath sisters nominated for UIL All-Century Team
Voting lasts until February 13th

Cinco's very own Stefanie and Briana Gilbreath have both been nominated for the UIL All-Century Team as part of the 100th year celebration of UIL athletics in the state of Texas. The former All-Americans are both playing for USC, with Briana earning PAC-10 Freshman of the Year honors last year, and Stefanie continuing to rehab a knee injury. Both players were four year starters for the Lady Cougars and have numerous school records in helping lift the CRHS basketball program to elite status during their time here.

Voting in done online by clicking on the link below
UIL Girls Basketball All-Century Team

Lady Cougars claw out victory over Buffalos
Cinco shrugs off cold shooting night to down Marshall, 45-40

Cinco Ranch improved to 9-7 on the year with a hard fought 45-40 win over Fort Bend Marshall on Friday night at CRHS. Marshall had a three piont lead at halftime, 19-16, but Cinco used a strong 2nd half to pull out the five point victory. Demi Clinch led the Lady Cougars with 13 points, Megan Palmer 10, and Tara Cioccia 9. Peyton Crump added 8 points for the winners. Marshall was led by Mia Bradford's 15 points. Cinco is off this week until Friday night, when they will travel to Madison to take on the Lady Marlins.
Game Stats

Cinco throttles Pearland
5 players in double figures as Cinco rolls by 52

Cinco Ranch enjoyed an offensive explosion on Tuesday night, beating Pearland 76-24 behind the efforts of five players who scored in double figures. Megan Palmer (16 points), Demi Clinch (13), Peyton Crump (12), DeDe Nwanguma (12), and Kellie Ros (10) led the way in scoring for Cinco. Crump got CRHS going in the first quarter with 8 points to help the Lady Cougars build a 29-10 lead. By halftime it was 51-15, as Megan Palmer had 10 of her 16 points in the 2nd period. Demi Clinch added 6 points in the third quarter to push the lead to fifty, at 68-18. Overall the Lady Cougars had their best shooting night of the year (61%) and highest point total of the '09-'10 season. Crump finished 5-5 from the field and Kellie Ros was 4-4 on the evening. Clinch added 8 assists and Ros 6 helpers. Nwanguma pulled down 8 rebounds to lead Cinco, who is now 8-7 on the season. Tara Cioccia had a solid evening as well with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Game Stats

Lady Cougars finish 2-2 in Katy ISD Tourney
Wins over Houston area foes, losses to Dallas area juggernauts

A recap of Cinco's games this past weekend in the Katy ISD Invitational

#9 Arlington Bowie 45 Cinco Ranch 27
The state ranked Volunteers gradually pulled away from the Lady Cougars in the 2nd half for the victory in Cinco's last game of the weekend. Demi Clinch scored 9 points for Cinco, while Megan Palmer contributed 8.
Game Stats

Mansfield Timberview 50 Cinco Ranch 36
Class 4A and highly ranked Timberview had a strong 2nd half to pull away for the victory. Cinco had a 26-25 lead at halftime, but a 15-7 third quarter and a 10-3 final quarter did in the Lady Cougars.  Tara Cioccia led Cinco with 17 points and Demi Clinch added 11. Timberview was led by All-State sensation Megan Conwright , who scored 24 points in the victory.
Game Stats

Cinco Ranch 47 Cypress Ranch 27
Cinco's second straight victory in the tournament was highlighted by Demi Clinch's 15 points and 8 rebounds. Peyton Crump pulled down 7 rebuonds in the victory for the Lady Cougars. Cinco opened up a 19-8 lead at halftime and doubled their point total after three quarters, as they led 38-18.
Game Stats

Cinco Ranch 44  Clements 30
Demi Clinch had 15 points and 8 rebounds, and Megan Palmer added 8 points and 12 rebounds, as Cinco started strong against the Lady Rangers with a 20-10 first quarter. An 11-1 third quarter iced the game for the victors in their opening round game of the tournament.
Game Stats

Cinco looks to impress in Katy ISD Tourney
Three day event tips off today at KISD campuses

Cinco Ranch opens up play today in the Katy ISD tournament with a 1st round game against Clements (5-2). Game time is 6:30 at CRHS. The Lady Cougars would get the winner of the Cy-Ranch/Antonian winner with a win over the Lady Rangers. Another potential matchup could occur if Cinco wins its first two games of the tournament. Mansfield Timberview is currently #4 in the state in Class 4A with a record of 4-1 and would most likely draw the Lady Cougars in the third round if Cinco takes care of business.

A glance at KISD teams so far in 2009...

Seven Lakes 9-1
Mayde Creek 6-1
Taylor 7-2
Morton Ranch 4-4
Katy 2-8

Katy ISD Tournament Bracket

Gilbert's buzzer-beater sinks Lady Cougars
A&M commit hits last second shot for 35-33 win

Katy Times Recap
Game Stats

Cinco holds off Dobie, 58-46
Nwanguma's hot start helps lift Lady Cougars to 5-4

DeDe Nwanguma scored 16 points on 8-12 shooting to help lead Cinco Ranch to a 58-46 win over Dobie last Tuesday night at CRHS. Cinco had a strong first quarter, outscoring the Longhorns 19-6 as Nwanguma scored 12 of her 16 in the opening frame. Cinco held a 32-20 lead at halftime, but Dobie came out hot in the 3rd quarter behind Jazmin Guerrero's 4 three-pointers to close the Cinco lead to just 42-36. Six different Lady Cougars scored in the fourth quarter to help close out the win.
Game Stats

Slow start dooms Cinco
Westside uses 1st quarter burst to hold down Lady Cougars, 51-39

Westside used a 24-11 first quarter to propel itself to a 12 point victory over Cinco on Tuesday night at Westside High School. The Lady Cougares, playing for the first time this year with its full squad, were led by Demi Clinch's 14 points. Clinch also added 6 rebounds and 4 steals in her first game since helping lead Cinco's volleyball team to the State Semifinals. Megan Palmer grabbed 8 rebounds and scored 6 points as the Lady Cougars fell to 4-4 on the year. Westside (3-2) was led by Rachael Combo's 16 points. Cinco outscored the Lady Wolves 28-27 over the last three quarters but could not offset the damage done in the opening stanza.
Game Stats

Cinco is back in action tonight, as they welcome Pasadena Dobie for a 7:00 tip.

Lady Cougars finish 2-2 in McDonald's Invitational
Cinco closes tourney with 47-35 win over CC Ray

McDonald's Invitational Bracket

McDonald's Invitational Friday-Saturday recap:

#19 Cinco Ranch 47 Corpus Christi Ray 35
The Lady Cougars rebounded from losses to Summit and Jay with a 12 point win over Ray. Kellie Ros scored 11 points and DeDe Nwanguma added 10. Megan Palmer had 9 points and 10 rebounds for Cinco. The winners had a 26-19 lead at the break used a decisive 12-7 final quarter to put away the Lady Texans, who are the state's 14th ranked class 4A squad.

#9 San Antonio Jay 70 #19 Cinco Ranch 52
Julissa Garrett scored 28 points to lead the Lady Mustangs to an 18 point victory. Cinco was led by Megan Palmer's 12 points and 11 rebounds. Blaire Fritchie scored 11 points for the Lady Cougars. Kellie Ros had a solid game with 5 points, 7 assists, and 4 steals. Jay had a 31-27 lead at halftime, but outscored Cinco 39-25 in the 2nd half to pull away for the win.

#2 Mansfield Summit 65 #19 Cinco Ranch 28
The Lady Jaguars had a huge first quarter, outscoring Cinco 25-7 and led 39-11 at halftime. The defending state champions were led by Amy Moody's 13 points. Cinco was led by Kelly Richard's 9 points, while DeDe Nwanguma had 8 points and 9 rebounds.

Double Trouble
Nwanguma, Palmer carry Cinco past #14 College Park, 60-47

DeDe Nwanguma scored a career high 25 points to go along with 12 rebounds, while Megan Palmer added 21 and 14 as #19 Cinco Ranch scored an impressive victory over College Park, 60-47 in the 1st round of the McDonald's Invitational in Pearland yesterday. A strong 2nd quarter gave Cinco a lead they would not relinquish as they outscored the Lady Cavaliers 19-7 behind the play of Palmer and Nwanguma, who combined for 17 of the 19 points in the quarter. Both were solid from the free throw line as well, going a combined 18-22. Cinco iced the game from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, going 13-18 from the line. College Park was led by Megan Shafer, who scored 18 points in a losing cause.

The competition stiffens later today in the 2nd round as the Lady Cougars will battle defending state champion Mansfield Summit, who took care of Clear Lake 52-32 yesterday. The Lady Jaguars are currently #2 in the state and are a favorite to return to Austin this year.
Game Stats

State's best descend on Houston area for McDonald's Invitational
16 team field includes 10 state ranked teams from all over Texas

Cinco Ranch will compete in their first tournament of the '09-'10 season this weekend, and they are included in a bracket loaded with perennial powerhouses. Cinco faces #14 College Park in a first round matchup on Thursday, and a victory in that game would pit the Lady Cougars against #2 Mansfield Summit or Clear Lake in the 2nd round. Also included in the bracket are #1 Cy-Fair, #7 North Shore, #9 San Antonio Jay, #11 Bellaire, and #12 San Antonio Wagner. The bracket also has some of 4A's best as #7 Kingwood Park and #14 Corpus Christi Ray are in the field of 16. The Lady Cougars face a College Park squad that went 35-3 last season and advanced to the Region II final. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. at Pearland High School.
McDonald's Invitational Bracket
Team Info
McDonald's Invitational Official Website
Tournament Records
Year by Year History

A look at this year's field with (current state ranking, last year's record, last year's playoff finish)

Team Name                Last Year's Record           '08-'09 Playoff Finish

#1 Cy-Fair 35-4 State Semi-finalist

Clear Creek 20-12 Bi-District Finalist

#14 Corpus Christi Ray (4A) 34-5 Regional Finalist

#7 Kingwood Park (4A) 21-13 Bi-District Finalist

Klein Collins 27-7 Area Finalist

Tomball 28-7 Area Finalist

#12 San Antonio Wagner 32-3 Regional Quarterfinalist

#9 San Antonio Jay 35-6 Regional Finalist

Cy Falls 23-12 Area Finalist

#11 Bellaire 31-4 Regional Finalist

North Crowley 25-9 Area Finalist

#14 College Park 35-3 Regional Finalist

#19 Cinco Ranch 23-14 Regional Quarterfinalist

Clear Lake 23-9 Area Finalist

#2 Mansfield Summit 32-4 State Champions

Combined Record of all 16 Teams 424-112 (.791)

Ogwumike, Cy-Fair cool off Lady Cougars
Stanford commit scores 32 in 60-35 victory

Chiney Ogwumike scored 32 points to lead #1 Cy-Fair to a 60-35 victory over #19 Cinco Ranch on Tuesday night at Cy-Fair HS. The Lady Cougars were held to just 20% shooting from the field to suffer their first loss of the season to the nation's 12th ranked team according to USA Today's Super 25 Rankings. The Lady Bobcats jumped to an 18-4 lead after one quarter and stretched their lead to 32-13 at halftime behind Ogwumike's 18 points. The teams played an even third quarter (9-9) before Cy-Fair closed the Lady Cougars with a 19-13 final frame. Megan Palmer led Cinco with 12 points (10-13 from the FT line) and Tara Cioccia added 10 points. Cy-Fair played without the services of All-American guard Cassie Peoples (leg injury), while the Lady Cougars were not at full strength with Demi Clinch and Ashleigh Nwanguma still competing in the state volleyball tournament this weekend.

Cinco will regroup and start tournament play in the McDonald's Invitational this weekend. Thursday action pits the Lady Cougars against #14 College Park at 4:30 at Pearland High School.
Game Stats

Palmer's career night too much for Dulles
Cinco cruises 68-39 behind sophomore's 25 points and 21 rebounds

Megan Palmer scored 25 points on 12-19 shooting (63%) and also pulled down 21 rebounds to spark Cinco Ranch to a 68-39 win over Dulles on Friday night at CRHS. The points and rebounds were both career highs for the 6'0" sophomore, as she dominated the Lady Vikings in the paint with 13 first half points and 12 more in the second half. The Lady Cougars stormed to a 16-6 lead after one period as DeDe Nwanguma scored 6 of her 10 points in the opening frame. Palmer took over in the 2nd quarter, scoring eight points to help push the Cinco lead to 28-16 at the break. A 24-11 third quarter ballooned the lead to 52-27 as Kellie Ros had six points and Palmer added eight more. Ros and Tara Cioccia finished the night with eight points apiece. Dulles dropped to 0-2 on the season and were led by Sandra Coker's 13 points. The Lady Cougars improved to 2-0 on the season and will take on the state's number one ranked team, Cy-Fair, on Tuesday night at Cy-Fair High School.
Game Stats

Cinco wins in Morris' coaching debut
Balanced Lady Cougars hold off Bush, 51-47

Cinco Ranch used scoring from eight different players on Tuesday night to defeat Fort Bend Bush, 51-47 in the home opener. The Lady Cougars trailed 22-20 at the break and 37-36 after three periods. The Lady Cougars opened up a seven point lead late in the fourth and were able to hold off one last Lady Bronco push for the victory. DeDe Nwanguma scored 7 of her 9 points in the 2nd half, while Megan Palmer had 6 of her 8 after intermission. Kellie Ros led the way defensively for Cinco, taking three charges. Anne Marie Zuilhof had two three pointers and paced the Lady Cougars in scoring with 9. Bush was led by Ashley Ezeh, who scored 22 points in a losing cause. Cinco will take on Dulles Friday night to try and make it two straight victories. Dulles was beaten last night by Westfield, 77-34.
Game Stats

Clinch named to All-Greater Houston 2nd team
Lady Cougars ranked 6th in Houston Chronicle pre-season poll

Demi Clinch was chosen as one of the 15 best basketball players in the Greater Houston area by being named to the 2nd Team list that was published Sunday in the Houston Chronicle. The 6'0" senior and Texas State signee will join the Lady Cougars at the conclusion of Cinco's volleyball season, where they are currently in the Regional Quarterfinals. Clinch is just the third Cinco player ever to be named to the exclusive pre-season list, following on the heels of former Cougar greats Stefanie and Briana Gilbreath. Cinco Ranch starts the season at number 6 in the weekly Houston Chronicle rankings.
Rankings

Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston Pre-Season Team
First Team
P Chiney Ogwumike SR Cy-Fair
P Chrishauan Parker JR Aldine Nimitz
G Chelsea Bass SR St. Agnes
G Cassie Peoples JR Cy-Fair
G Courtney Williams SO North Shore

Second Team
P Larla Brown JR Kingwood Park
P Taylor Frank SR Tomball
G Demi Clinch SR Cinco Ranch
G Donielle Breaux SR Elkins
G Jasmine Brewer SR Hightower

Third Team
P Kendal Shaw SO Barbers Hill
P Rachel Mitchell SR Atascocita
G Priyanka Duvvuru SR College Park
G Jenzel Nash JR Worthing
G Je'Lena Robertson SR Cypress Falls

Schedule again loaded with heavyweights for Cinco
Road trips to #1 Cy-Fair, #7 North Shore highlight non-district slate

2009-2010 CRHS Basketball Schedule
2009-2010 CRHS Basketball Roster

Cinco Ranch will once again have a schedule loaded with some of Texas' best during the '09-'10 campaign. The Lady Cougars non-district schedule is again loaded with Houston area powers and the McDonald's Invitational will provide Cinco with more opportunities to take on successful programs from around the state of Texas. Cinco, ranked 19th in the initial TABC state poll, opens its season November 10th with a home tilt against Fort Bend Bush. It will be the first ever meeting between the schools. Other schools on the home part of the schedule include Dulles, Dobie, A&M Consolidated, Pearland, FB Marshall, and Baytown Sterling. Cinco will travel to #1 Cy-Fair, Westside, Madison, and #7 North Shore.

The Lady Cougars will also again be a part of the prestigous McDonald's Texas Invitational in Pasadena from November 19-21. CRHS will take on #14 College Park in a first round game. Other potential opponents are #1 Cy-Fair, #2 Mansfield Summit, #7 North Shore, #9 San Antonio Jay, #11 Bellaire, and #12 San Antonio Wagner, amongst others. In early December, the annual Katy ISD Tournament will be held and Cinco's half of the bracket includes pre-season 4A number one Mansfield Timberview, who finished 35-3 last year and returns two all-state players in Keena Mays and Megan Cortright. Cinco will again travel over the Christmas holiday to the Bryan/College Station Tournament.

District play begins in early January, with the Lady Cougars having all home district games on Friday nights, while hitting the road on Tuesday nights. Highlights from the district portion of the schedule include "Faculty Night" on January 8th against Seven Lakes, "KYB" (Katy Youth Basketball) night January 15th against Taylor, "Parent Night" on January 22nd against Mayde Creek, and "Senior Night" and "Junior High Night" on January 29th against Katy.

Lady Cougars debut at 19th in TABC State Rankings
Pre-season poll has familiar look at the top
Posted: October 14th, 2009

Cinco Ranch starts the 2009 season ranked 19th in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches pre-season poll that was released last Friday. The Lady Cougars return the core of a 23-14 Regional Quarterfinalist squad that also won their 5th straight District championship during the '08-'09 season. Head Coach Michelle Morris will attempt to lead Cinco to its 7th straight state playoff appearance. The Lady Cougars will have a crowded Region III field to contend with this year, as #7 North Shore, #10 Hightower, #11 Bellaire, and #16 Elsik are all possible playoff participants.

The top four teams in the poll comprised the field in Austin for last year's State Tournament. #1 Cy-Fair, #2 Mansfield Summit, #3 Pflugerville, and #4 Duncanville all have lofty execptations after banner '08-'09 campaigns. In addition to Summit and Duncanville, the Dallas-Ft Worth area boasts #5 Skyline, #6 Irving MacArthur, and #8 Arlington Bowie in the top 10.

TABC Pre-Season State Preview

2009-2010 Pre-Season State Rankings

The TABC Pre-Season Top 20 with School Name, Last Year's Record, and Last Year's Final Ranking
1. Cy-Fair (35-4) 3
2. Mansfield Summit (32-4) 1
3. Pflugerville (32-6) 4
4. Duncanville (26-11) 5
5. Dallas Skyline (30-6) 11
6. Irving MacArthur (35-4) 9
7. Galena Park North Shore (29-8) 7
8. Arlington Bowie (30-8) 16
9. San Antonio Jay (35-6) 12
10. Fort Bend Hightower (32-7) 14
11. Houston Bellaire (31-4) 7
12. San Antonio Wagner (32-3) 17
13. Cedar Park (32-6) NR
14. The Woodlands College Park (34-3) 6
15. Lubbock Coronado (33-4) 15
16. Alief Elsik (21-6) NR
17. DeSoto (27-8) NR
18. Harlingen South (35-3) 19
19. KATY CINCO RANCH (23-14) NR
20. Midland (28-5) NR

Lady Cougar Basketball: A New Era

A new era of Lady Cougar basketball has begun with the arrival of Michelle Morris as the new CRHS head basketball coach. Morris takes over for Eric Bartlett, who retired following a successful eight year run (165-77 .680). Morris comes to Cinco from Fort Bend Austin, where she was the head coach for the last five years, competing in one of the tougher districts in the Houston area. She has also held the top post at Stafford High School, where she spent four years, and Keller High School for one year. Coach Morris’ 13 years of experience also include assistant coach positions at Keller for one year and Cleburne High School for two years. Morris is the 3^rd coach in CRHS history.
The recent winning traditions of the Lady Cougar basketball program are well-known to the followers of Houston area and Texas scholastic basketball; five straight District Championships; four trips to the Region III Quarterfinals in ’04-’05, ’05-’06, ’06-’07, and ’08-’09; a memorable run to the Region 3-5A Final in ’07-‘08; a fifty four game District winning streak that spanned almost five years; a record of 113-34 (.769) in the last four years; ranked as high as 2nd in the state of Texas and 9th in the South Region by USA Today; and finishing the ’07-’08 campaign ranked 44th in the nation by Rivals.com.

On top of that, the Lady Cougars compete annually against some of the strongest programs in the state of Texas and Houston area. Despite the rugged schedule, Cinco’s teams have compiled a 137-43 record (.761) over the last five years. The Lady Cougars have captured Bi-District and Area playoff championships each year in that span and advanced to within one game of the state tournament in Austin in ’07-’08, falling to eventual state champion Cy-Fair in the Regional Final. The Lady Cougars have taken on all comers during over the years, which has prepped the Maroon & White to be battle tested during district play and the state playoffs over the years. A&M Consolidated, Aldine Nimitz, Angleton, Bellaire, Bryan, Corpus Christi Carroll, Cy-Fair, Dickinson, Dulles, Fort Bend Marshall, Houston Madison, Houston Westside, Humble, North Shore, Pasadena Dobie, Rockwall, Spring, and Spring Westfield are just a sample of Houston area and state powers the Lady Cougars have tangled with throughout the years.
Last year’s ’08-’09 season saw the Maroon and White continue the winning tradition with a 23-14 record, a fifth straight District Championship, and a return trip to the state playoffs that netted two state playoff wins over Alief Taylor and Westside before running into eventual state semi-finalist and nationally ranked Aldine Nimitz and their senior sensation, Brittny Griner, in the Regional Quarters. JR Kellie Ros was named District MVP, while JR Demi Clinch was named TABC All-Region in addition to her 1^st Team All-District honors. SR Brandy Dittert, JR Tara Cioccia, and FR Megan Palmer were named 2^nd Team All-District. The Lady Cougars were a young bunch last year, as only two players graduated, Brandy and Carly Dittert.

Brandy Dittert signed a letter of intent to play at Mary-Hardin Baylor. She joins three other former Cougars in the college ranks. Briana Gilbreath will be a sophomore at the University of Southern California, where she was named PAC-10 Freshmen of the Year. Stefanie Gilbreath will be coming off knee surgery to also perform for the Trojans. Shantel Nwanguma starts her sophomore season with the University of Texas at San Antonio, who nearly pulled off an upset in the NCAA Tournament last year against Baylor.
The cupboard is not bare for the ’09-’10 season. Ten players return that saw significant playing time from last year. Demi Clinch (SR), DeDe Nwanguma (SR), and Kellie Ros (SR), and Megan Palmer (SO) are returning starters who were integral parts of last season’s success. Also back for the Lady Cougars are Tara Cioccia (SR), Kelly Richard (SR), Ashley Roberts (SR), Robyn Dumas (SR), Ashleigh Nwanguma (JR), and Anne Marie Zuilhof (JR). These returning players, along with a host of others from the sub-varsity teams that compiled a 53-12 (.815) record lay a very strong foundation to build on for the ‘08-‘09 campaign. The Junior Varsity squad sported a glistening 27-1 record and a District crown for the second straight season, leaving the future bright for the Lady Cougar basketball program for this year and beyond.