Photos: Sunnyvale stifles Van in bi-district round of 4A girls basketball playoffs
KAUFMAN, Texas – The Sunnyvale Raiders relied on their dominant defense to stifle the Van Vandals (21-11) in a 42-30 bi-district round win in the Class 4A high school girls basketball playoffs Monday night at Kaufman High School.
The victory extended the team's winning streak to 12 games and vaulted Sunnyvale, District 13-4A champions, to 27-5 overall this year and into the area round of the postseason for the third straight season.
In the photo above, Van sophomore Landry Jones has the ball swiped away by Sunnyvale freshman Nilaya Gordon in transition. Jones tallied a team-high 11 points for Van, while junior Maci Jones added nine.
Gordon scored six for the Raiders and played a key role on the defensive end of the floor. Senior Takoya Stallings led the way for Sunnyvale offensively with 18 points, and while junior Micah Russell and senior Brinkley Andrews each chipped in with seven.
RELATED: UIL Class 4A Girls High School Basketball Region I, Region II brackets
Sunnyvale advances to the area round of the 4A playoffs in Region II where the team will face the winner of the Bullard Panthers (17-9), the No. 3 seed from District 16-4A, and the North Lamar Panthers (22-8), the No. 2 seed from District 15-4A, who play at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Sunnyvale beat Bullard 43-28 in the second round of the 4A playoffs last season.
(All photos by Robbie Rakestraw)
