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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Kenzie King of the Newcastle Ladycats is in her third year with the program and has grown into her position on the team. The Ladycats have moved into the regional finals Friday, Nov. 21 against Neches. King has worked alongside her teammates to get one step closer to obtaining a second state championship. -
(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) London Martinez of the Newcastle Bobcats has been a utility player for the team all season and gotten experience on the court. Despite the Bobcats falling in the bi-district playoffs to the Forestburg Longhorns, Martinez played a key role in keeping points on the board for the team during the game Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Newcastle basketball saw one of its teams continue to advance in the playoffs while another fell, but students have brought a strength of will all year on the court.
While other sports were postponed due to the colder weather this week, Newcastle basketball was still on the schedule and students fought hard at Chico High School and Breckenridge High School for their playoff matches.
This week, The Graham Leader recognizes Kenzie King of the Newcastle Ladycats and London Martinez of the Newcastle Bobcats as Athletes of the Week.
Kenzie King, Ladycats basketball
King is in her third year with the Newcastle Ladycats and head coach Ryan Dollar said she had gradually become a scorer for the team, while also providing other key roles on the court.
“Right now she usually gets put in a lock down defender position defensively. She is athletic and has some length which helps defend our opponents better players,” Dollar said.
The Ladycats are moving closer to another visit to the state competition after their 51-22 win over the May Lady Tigers this week. The team moved to the regional finals game Friday, Feb. 21 against Neches.
During their matchup against May, King provided points in three quarters, including a big 3-point shot to open the fourth quarter.
“She is continuing to learn the game and the more she plays and the older she gets the slower the game will seem,” Dollar said. “She does a great job and I look forward to coaching her and watching her grow over the next two seasons.”
King, like others on the team, is an important piece of the whole that makes up the Ladycats and will be crucial as they continue to move forward in the playoffs and eye another state championship.
London Martinez, Bobcats basketball
After securing their bi-district playoff spot in a tie breaker match Friday, Feb. 14 against the Garner Longhorns, the Bobcats went up Tuesday, Feb. 18 against the Forestburg Longhorns.
Despite falling to the team, the Bobcats showed the grit and determination they have had all year on the court. One of the players who has made an impact on the court and continued this week was Martinez.
Martinez contributed two 3-point shots and a two-point shot for the Bobcats in the second, third and fourth quarter, when the team needed scoring the most. Martinez has continued to be a power player for the team each week.
“He's one of those guys that you know has a lot of skill sets, but he picks and chooses when he wants to show them off,” head coach James King said. “I'm hoping next season he will be comfortable enough to play at a high intensity the entire year.”
Despite the season ending for the Bobcats, it is players like Martinez that will grow into the program and look to improve each year. It is the same determination seen in all the Newcastle players on the court that will drive him to improve.
