TABC 2026: Waco La Vega Pirates vs San Antonio Sotomayor Wildcats

I was excited to attend the TABC Girls Basketball Showcase to see the Waco La Vega Pirates play. Given their championship pedigree—coming off back-to-back state titles and a state runner-up appearance last year—my expectations were very high.   Instead, the San Antonio Sotomayor Wildcats dominated them from start to finish, soundly beating the brakes off the Lady Pirates. In hindsight, the blowout makes sense; La Vega recently graduated several players who are now playing collegiately, leaving them to rebuild and focus on developing the younger student-athletes on their current roster. However, La Vega's future is still bright. Based on what I saw on the court and the young talent rising through the middle school ranks, they are only a couple of years away from becoming a championship contender again.   I have to give credit to the Sotomayor Wildcats, though, as they dissected the La Vega Pirates like surgeons. The Wildcats are an incredibly disciplined, well-coached team, and watching them play was an absolute joy.  To understand exactly how they dominated the game, I will highlight the players' performances that led their team to victory.    Carley delivered an absolutely dominant performance during the game, leaving La Vega completely without an answer, as they could not find anyone on their team capable of guarding her.  Despite standing at 5'3” (class of 2027), she thoroughly dominated every facet of the game, executing her game to perfection. She proved to be a lethal three-level scorer while being a dominant defensive presence on the court. Carley disrupted passing lanes so efficiently that I lost count of her steals after the third or fourth.  She turned those steals into buckets on the opposite end.   What really sets her apart is game-changing speed and an advanced basketball IQ. She utilized her quickness to ignite the transition game, either finishing at the rim or collapsing the defense to create open looks for her teammates. Besides her obvious ability on the offensive and defensive end, it was her hustle—highlighted by diving onto the hardwood for 50/50 balls-that separated her effort compared to her peers.   It was a phenomenal, complete performance that, in my opinion, is what ELITE LEVEL point guard play should look like on the court.               Corina was also a massive problem for the Lady Pirates, and they couldn't do anything to stop her either. Standing at 5'10” (class of 2027), she thoroughly dominated the post on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. She did everything she needed to do to help her team win, fighting fiercely on the boards, winning 50/50 balls, and coming up with critical steals.     Her true superpowers are her contagious energy and a persistent desire to never give up on a play. Her hustle was fully on display when she dove so hard for a loose ball that, honestly, scared me because I didn't know if she had hurt herself or not. That is proof of how hard and aggressively she played from the opening jump ball to the final buzzer. My goodness...Corina is exactly the type of dynamic, selfless player that every coach in the country would want on their team. Job well done.     The Lady Pirates couldn't stop Naomi either, as she repeatedly drove to the basket at will. Standing at 5'5” (class of 2027), she proved to be an absolute handful for the defense. More often than not, her aggressive drives resulted in a tough, contested finish at the rim. Even when her shots didn't fall, her ability to collapse the defense created perfect opportunities for her teammates, who could crash the glass for offensive rebounds and easy putbacks, or kick it out to reset the offense. Aside from her ability to slash and finish in the paint, she also proved she can stretch the floor, displaying her outside range by confidently nailing a three-pointer.       Makaylyn (KK), a 5'6” standout from the Class of 2027, did everything in her power to keep the game competitive early on. Before the [program_tooltip program_id='712632' first='Lady' last='Wildcats'] ultimately broke away with a dominant second-half run, she was the primary catalyst keeping her team within striking distance in the first half.  KK effectively facilitated the offense, putting her teammates in position to score while keeping the defense honest with several sharp, aggressive drives to the basket.       :  Jaihla is a student-athlete with great potential, and her growth and development in such a short period of time is impossible to ignore.  After earning a spot on my first tournament team back in May at a Prep Girls Hoops event—where she primarily played in the post—she showed up to the TABC Showcase looking like a completely transformed player. The immense amount of offseason work she has put in off the court was immediately noticeable. Instead of being confined to the block, Jaihla confidently handled the ball against fierce perimeter pressure and actively facilitated the offense from the shooting guard and small forward spots—positions she will more than likely play at the next level.       Braelyn, a 5'7” prospect from the Class of 2028, played with a lot of energy from the opening tip to the final buzzer, proving to be a bright spot for her team. She competed hard on most possessions; she hustled throughout the entire game and capitalized on opportunities with a couple of sharp, aggressive drives to the basket.      I want to extend my sincere thanks to the TABC staff for the opportunity to cover this year's tournament on behalf of Prep Girls Hoops. The hospitality and organization throughout the event were exceptional, creating a fantastic environment for evaluating the next generation of talent.   #TABC #PrepGirlsHoops #PGH #PGHTexas #TexasHoops #Gbb #GirlsBasketball #GrassrootsHoops

I was excited to attend the TABC Girls Basketball Showcase to see the Waco La Vega Pirates play. Given their championship pedigree—coming off back-to-back state titles and a state runner-up appearance last year—my expectations were very high.