Girls basketball: Battle for first in 22-5A

It was a first-place showdown in the first round of 24-5A, and the district's top spot is once again up for grabs with front-runners Clear Springs and Clear Lake getting together.

Class 5A No. 7 Clear Springs can clinch the district championship by beating Clear Lake, which can force a first-place tie with a win over the streaking Lady Chargers.

Clear Springs won 56-46 at Clear Lake the first time around, and the Lady Falcons would love to return the favor in Clear Springs' house, but no matter what happens, both teams are advancing to the playoffs that are right around the corner.

ABOUT THE GAME

• Matchup: Clear Lake at Clear Springs

• When: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4

• Where: Clear Springs High School

• What's at stake: First place in 24-5A

• Clear Springs players to watch: G-W Aaliyah Brown, G Brooke McCarty, G-W Courtnie Latham, G Jo Ann Lira, G Kaylin Roher, G Jo Ann Lira, F-P Jzavon Redic

• Clear Lake players to watch: P Tori Sutherland, G Alex Kochner, G Libby Moreno, W Trixe Southerland, G Margaret Ideler

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Clear Springs: The Lady Chargers jumped on Clear Lake 13-9 in the opening period, and 18-7 in the second, for a 31-16 halftime cushion in the first meeting on Jan. 11. The Lady Falcons made it sort of interesting with points advantages in the third (14-13) and fourth quarters (16-12), but that came after the Lady Chargers started pulling their starters. Freshman sensation McCarty finished with 27 points, and Brown and Roher added 12 apiece against Clear Lake ... Clear Springs improved its perfect start to 11-0 by beating Pearland 72-35 and Alvin 86-38 last week. McCarty scored 21 and Brown 13 against Pearland, and McCarty rang up 35 points, while Lira had 17 and Latham 14 against Alvin.

• Clear Lake: The Lady Falcons improved to 10-1 in district with victories over Brazoswood 66-49 and Pearland 54-43 last week, and like Clear Springs, they have one of four 24-5A playoff berths well in hand. Ideler had a game-high 19 points, Sutherland added 15 and Moreno 14 against Brazoswood, and after taking an 18-2 lead in the first period against Pearland, Kochner and Sutherland finished with 14 points apiece, and Moreno ended with 12 ... In the first meeting with Clear Springs, Kochner scored 14, and Sutherland and Moreno contributed 11 each.