MOSS BLUFF — A year ago the Sam Houston Lady Broncos went into the state basketball playoffs as the No. 24 seed in Class 5A. Their reward was a date with No. 9 seed and eventual state champion Mount Carmel.

Though they lost that game, coach Jason Jagneaux’s group took that loss as motivation and parlayed it into a school-record 20-1 start this season.

This year, the Broncos have set their goals much higher than the first-round of the playoffs. Sam Houston hopes to claim its first District 3-5A crown in nearly a decade and also make a postseason run.

Jagneaux said the growth of the team began with that playoff loss.

“In that Mount Carmel game, I think that’s when they realized they do have the potential to be pretty good,” Jagneaux said. “I think they used it as motivation over the summer to get better and work to get to that level.”

The catalyst of the start has been a ferocious defense which gives up a mere 33.7 points per game. At practice Jagneaux his team drills endlessly on rotations. Perfection is the name of the game, with “Do it again” heard regularly.

Jagneaux said he believes there is room for improvement on that end. He calls it a quest to be “the best defensive team in the state.”

“We emphasize defense more than anything,” he said. “I really believe that the best defensive teams are the ones that can make (postseason) runs. We really need to focus defensively and cut down on turnovers.”

With defense being a priority, the stress on the offense isn’t as severe. Yet, the Broncos boast an efficient inside-outside game with senior Sam Logan and junior Miracle Simon leading the way.

“Our biggest asset is our balance,” Jagneaux said. “We’ve got a good balance between our guards and our post players and I think that’s a key for us.”

Success has bred accountability among the Broncos. While Jagneaux brings an intensity to the practices, his team provides a balance by keeping it lighthearted and offering bits of encouragement to each other.

“That comes from a lot of experience,” Jagneaux said of his team’s ability to self-correct. “They’ve matured a lot in the past two years and they have a lot of game experience. That allows them to communicate better with each other.”

With big goals set, the Broncos know they’ll be prepared for whatever comes their way.

“I’ve been coaching 19 years, and I can honestly say this is the hardest working team I’ve ever coached,” Jagneaux said.

A March trip to Burton Coliseum for the state tournament could be in the cards if Sam Houston keeps up the hot start. But the Broncos aren’t a team to get ahead of themselves. There’s still work to be done.

“Ever since the first practice, coached has pushed us,” senior guard Abby Jolie said. “We didn’t really understand why. Finally, after we’ve gotten out 20 wins we see why. Our potential is starting to show.

“The ultimate goal is to make it to Burton. But until then, we’ve got to focus a game at a time.”

(Rick Hickman/American Press)

Rick Hickman