Cy Lakes, Cy Falls out for early edge

Cy Lakes and Cy Falls are two of the top picks for district playoff berths and first place in 17-5A, and these favorites square off for the only time during a Tuesday, Jan. 11, basketball doubleheader at the Berry Center (Cy Lakes-Cy Falls girls tip off at 6 p.m.).

It's the only meeting between Cy Falls and Cy Lakes because the 10 schools in 17-5A are placed into different five-team zones with each team playing co-zone teams twice and teams in the other zone once for a total of 13 league outings.

ABOUT THE GAME

• Matchup: Cy Lakes vs. Cy Falls

• When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11

• Where: The Berry Center

• What's at stake: A victory during the first week of district play and a leg up on one of 17-5A's co-favorites

• Cy Lakes players to watch: G Troy Fisher, W Jonathan Bowen, W Zac Garth, W Cory Jones, P Thomas Frazier

• Cy Falls players to watch: PG Mitchell Badillo, G Kerry Kang, F Matt Slade, P Kavin Gilder-Tillbury, P Matt Hochstrasser, F Kole Batiste

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Cy Lakes: The Spartans are in a zone with Langham Creek, Cy Creek, Cy Springs and Cy Woods, and will face those team twice during 17-5A play, and the teams in the other zone (Cy Falls, Cy-Fair, Cy Ranch, Cy Ridge and Jersey Village) once. The district decided on the two-zone format because if all ten 17-5A schools played each other twice, that would be 18 league games, and that's simply too many, and would cut into early-season contests and tournaments ... Cy Lakes, in only its second varsity season, and first with seniors, won the Cy-Fair ISD Invitational earlier this season, and looks to be on the way to a first-ever postseason berth, but coach Jeff Snedeker and his staff constantly remind the Spartans that it has to earned on the court, and that they're not sneaking up on anyone anymore ... The Spartans played two seasons of subvarsity ball before going through their first varsity campaign last season and finishing 11-17 overall and just missing a playoff berth with an 8-5 league mark ... Cy Lakes hosts Cy-Fair at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer game.

• Cy Falls: The Eagles, who are in the 17-5A zone with Cy-Fair, Cy Ranch, Cy Ridge and Jersey Village, crushed Cy Lakes 94-60 in the teams' only meeting last season ... Cy Falls went 11-9 during predistrict play this season compared to a 14-7 mark by Cy Lakes ... Leading scorers for the Eagles are Badillo (15.2), Slade (10.4), Kang (10.3) and Gilder-Tillbury (8.5) ... The Eagles just missed a postseason berth last season after falling to Langham Creek 53-49 in a district playoff after four teams tied for second place (Cy-Fair, Cy Creek, Langham Creek and Cy Falls) ... The Eagles continue 17-5A play at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, at Cy Creek.