For the last four years, the talk in Texas high school girls basketball was Brittney Griner, the 6-foot-8 dynamo from Aldine Nimitz who at one time was a YouTube sensation for some early dunks that eventually became commonplace by the time she was a senior.
Griner has taken her myriad of talents to Baylor University, which means that this year the landscape will be less on height and more on speed amongst the state’s top seniors. 
Odyssey Sims is one of the nation's best and most dynamic guards.
Photo by Jim Redman
Cutters and slashers such as Houston Cypress Fairbanks’ Chiney Ogwumike, Irving MacArthur’s Odyssey Sims and Cibolo Steele’s Meighan Simmons all return as longtime varsity stars set on going out with the ultimate prize, a trip to Austin and a state championship.
This trio, along with 6-4 senior Karla Gilbert of A&M Consolidated and 5-10 senior Tiffany Moore of Frisco, will be names heard from early and often.
Class 5A shapes up to be especially tasty with Cy-Fair and MacArthur battling along with defending state champion Mansfield Summit. In addition to Ogwumike, who won a title early in her varsity career while sister Nneka led the way, Cy-Fair will count on the talents of 5-6 junior Cassie Peoples to lend a strong hand.
Likewise, Sims will get plenty of help from teammate Alexis Jones, a 5-10 sophomore who is already making her own mark with the Lady Cardinals.
The powerful Mansfield ISD also boasts another Class 5A top 10 contender in Mansfield High School, while in Class 4A Mansfield Timberview, last year’s runner-up, look to be in the mix in a very competitive classification that features a talented and deep Frisco team, defending state champion Hewitt Midway and Joe Lombard’s perennially powerful unit at Canyon. Expect Simmons and Steele to also be in the hunt in Class 4A.
Other powerhouses also expected to vie for a berth in Austin in 4A include Rockwall, Dallas Lincoln, Buda Hays Consolidated, Longview and Arlington Seguin.
While Class 4A is saturated with familiar names, Robinson captured a Class 3A state championship last year in the school’s first state tournament appearance in 26 years. After such a long drought, Robinson is once again expected to be the hunted this year.
Lubbock Cooper will provide plenty of competition in 3A behind sophomore star Brittney Bednarz, who led the team to the regional finals in her freshman season. Cooper should be well prepared for postseason play after battling fellow district foe Lubbock Estacado, a team that last year dropped down to Class 3A and should be in the mix for the championship trophy.
State runner-up Argyle has become a familiar face to postseason success and returns nine of 12 players to the varsity roster. Watch for senior leadership to come from Colbea Harris and Claire Pettibon.
Another school that won a state championship last year and is pegged as a preseason favorite in Class 2A is Brock. Make Brock an overwhelming favorite in 2A amongst fellow coaches in the state in Class 2A who had a say, although interestingly, in district, the coaches pegged Brock behind Peaster.
Similar to the district wars that will be waged by Lubbock Estacado and Lubbock Cooper, Brock and Peaster will square off in 9-2A district action that should be fun for fans. On a side note, Brock sophomore Kamy Cole has three older sisters who won state titles at Brock.
Winnsboro and Coach Buddy Hawkins will once more have a lot to say about the 2A state title, as will a bevy of West Texas powers in Shallowater, Wall and Tuscola Jim Ned.
Sudan’s Hornettes were dominant last year in winning a Class A Division I state championship, and welcomes back a slew of talent ready to defend the honor. Watch for the versatile Lacee Logan to lead the way with help from CeCe Williams, Desiree King and Danielle Logan.
Threats will come from Ben Wheeler Martin’s Mill, La Rue La Poynor and Roscoe’s Plowgirls. One darkhorse could be Normangee, a school with small numbers that nevertheless pushed Sudan to an overtime contest in the state semifinals.
Class A Division II illustrates a couple of common themes prevalent throughout all of the state’s classifications: first, teams that were in the state tournament last year or played deep into the postseason all return enough talent to again be considered amongst the handful of teams with legitimate designs on Austin; second, there are a number of districts in all classifications where two teams reside and could conceivably be considered state championship material.
In Division II, that would be 24-A-II where Oakwood and Neches reside and are set up in the pre-season as the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the state. But before that district can punch a ticket to Austin for either team, all had best be wary of Roby, which not only won it all last year but is coached by Amy Huseman, who also has won a state tournament with Nazareth.
It should be a season in which a number of players excel and, as always, some under the radar will make their presence known. The same holds true for teams that are tabbed to shine while others are dangerous and lurking, waiting to seize their own opportunity to make 2009-10 a memorable year.
R.V. Baugus is the publisher of Tex Preps Basketball magazine. Read all his work at www.texprepsbasketball.com.
