Brownsboro Bearettes start season at No. 1 in 4A; Grace girls, Brook Hill boys among preseason Top 5 teams

Published 11:12 am Wednesday, October 19, 2022

By Brandon Ogden
bogden@tylerpaper.com

LaPoynor’s Cooper Gracey goes up for a shot against Grapeland March 1 at Tyler Legacy High School.

The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches released their preseason rankings, and East Texas has a No. 1 team and other teams ranked in the Top 5 of their respective classifications.

Brownsboro, which is the reigning Class 4A girls basketball state champion, will start the season as the No. 1-ranked team in Class 4A.

The Winnsboro Lady Raiders, which were the runners-up in 2021-22, are ranked No. 3 in Class 3A.

Neches — a state finalist in 2021-22 — is No. 4 in Class 1A. Martin’s Mill — also a state finalist last season — is No. 5 in Class 2A and will be under the direction of a new head coach with Jay Bruce now at the helm.

The Grace Community girls are ranked No. 5 in the TAPPS 5A/SPC 3A combined rankings.



On the boys’ side, LaPoynor is the lone Top 5 UIL team in East Texas. The Flyers are ranked No. 3 in Class 2A after making a trip to the state tournament last season.

Brook Hill is ranked No. 5 in TAPPS 4A, and Longview Christian is No. 3 in TAPPS 2A.

Other East Texas girls basketball teams earning preseason rankings are Palestine No. 14 in 4A, Canton No. 24 in 4A, Central Heights No. 12 in 3A, Edgewood No. 16 in 3A, Mount Vernon No. 22 in 3A, Waskom No. 25 in 3A, Lovelady No. 11 in 2A, Douglass No. 14 in 2A, LaPoynor No. 17 in 2A, Woden No. 18 in 2A, Tenaha No. 20 in 2A, Chireno No. 25 in 2A, Wells No. 17 in 1A and Athens Christian Prep No. 10 in TAPPS 1A.

Other East Texas boys basketball teams earning preseason rankings are Lufkin No. 21 in 5A, Sulphur Springs No. 10 in 4A, Jacksonville No. 13 in 4A, Tatum No. 10 in 3A, Diboll No. 11 in 3A, Crockett No. 13 in 3A, Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill No. 15 in 3A, Mineola No. 17 in 3A, Central Heights No. 21 in 3A, Hooks No. 22 in 3A, Timpson No. 6 in 2A, Martin’s Mill No. 9 in 2A, Douglass No. 11 in 2A, Beckville No. 14 in 2A, Frankston No. 16 in 2A, Tenaha No. 24 in 2A, Martinsville No. 11 in 1A, Laneville No. 19 in 1A and Neches No. 23 in 1A.

The UIL girls began practice on Wednesday, while the UIL boys will begin practice on Oct. 26. The first days for UIL games are Nov. 4 for girls and Nov. 11 for boys.