(File Photo/Deon Zumwalt)
FLOYDADA — The Floydada Whirlwinds have been able to handle all comers in their first twelve games of the season by an average winning margin of 72-51. All of the victories have not been blowouts as there have been four close finals of six points or less against Littlefield (OT), Morton by four, Forsan by two, and Slaton by six.
The final week of 2021, the Whirlwinds (12-0) will more than likely receive very stiff competition every time they step on the court starting with the 3A Dimmitt Bobcats (8-5) on Tuesday in Dimmitt. Dimmitt will probably be the tallest team the Whirlwinds have face this season with nine players measuring 6 foot or more according to their roster on Max Preps. The Bobcats have a longtime tradition of a winning basketball program. Dimmitt’s loses have been against 4A Borger (twice), 4A Dumas (15-0), 3A Tulia (12-5) and 3A River Road. Significant wins have been against Farwell (11-2), 4A Hereford (8-8) and 3A Abernathy.
The Whirlwinds will then compete in the 62nd Annual Caprock ABC Holiday Classic in Lubbock on Wednesday through Friday (Dec. 29-31). Floydada will be in the United Supermarkets Green bracket of small schools that includes 18 teams. The Caprock with 101 teams will be divided this year into five brackets of large school boys, large school girls, small school girls and two brackets of small school boys.
The Caprock Classic will be played all over Lubbock at 13 different gyms, which adds a degree of difficulty to the largest basketball tournament in the United States.
Floydada’s starting lineup will probably consist of Abran Castillo (21.9 ppg), Braun Hobbs (13.3 ppg), Jayson Cooper (10.6 ppg), Ty Henderson (8.8 ppg), and Aiden Trevino (8.3 ppg). Floydada has other talented athletes coming off the bench that give quality minutes each game. The Whirlwinds have no starters above 6 feet, but possess an abundance of speed, quickness and deceiving jumping ability. Their attacking man defense is a big part of their success.
Teams with Winning Records in the Green Small School Bracket:
- Floydada 12-0
- McMullen Co. 16-3 (No. 4 in 1A)
- Shallowater 11-1 (No. 5 in 3A)
- Grapevine Faith 12-6
- Denton Calvary 8-4
- Alpine 8-3
- Slaton 7-3
- LCHS 7-4 (No. 8 in 4A TAPPS)
- Winters 8-7
- Other teams in the field: Smyer, Vega, Klondike, Sundown, Sudan, Panhandle,
Stanton, Kingdom Prep, and Hawley.
First Round on Wednesday: 1:30 p.m. Floydada vs. Stanton at Lubbock High’s Westerner Gym
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Tuesday’s basketball game is at Whirlwind Gym. It is actually in Dimmitt.
