Women’s Basketball 2023-2024
Apr 22, 2023 12:20:21 GMT -6
WildCatToothDoc, bogeyman, and 3 more like this
Post by Cap'n on Apr 22, 2023 12:20:21 GMT -6
Starting a new thread for 23-24. No better way to start than with a great article from yesterday’s Weatherford Democrat:
She is great enough to have her number 25 jersey enshrined in Peaster High School history. Humorously enough, 25 represents just half of her career high scoring total on the hardwood. By the time she turns 25 years old, who knows what kind of greatness she will be involved in?
The girl who wore No. 25 on the basketball court for the Peaster Lady Greyhounds is Payton Hull, a talented multi-sport athlete whose legacy is expected to remain strong on and off the court even after she graduates.
“Payton will leave a huge mark on Peaster athletics when she leaves for ACU. She has had a huge impact on the volleyball and golf programs, but I feel the legacy that she will leave on the basketball program can’t be measured,” Lady Greyhounds head basketball coach Garrett Hilton said. “She is a kid that has scored a tremendous amount of points – the most in school history – but she is a bit under the radar when it comes to doing other things on the floor … All of those things are obviously great and will be sorely missed, but what I really hope our younger girls learned from her is her work ethic.”
Hilton said she isn’t a vocal leader but certainly leads by example. Whatever the team is doing in practice, Hilton said she is working hard, and not every player in high school basketball brings that to their team.
“The last three years I was lucky to have quite a few that brought it everyday, and Payton is definitely in that group,” Hilton said.
Currently, Hull – a varsity basketball, volleyball and golf athlete – is finishing up her golf season before she graduates. Comically, she said she doesn’t think she would shine as a softball player due to her natural tendency to swing a bat like a golf club. At the present moment, though, Hull is gearing up for another state tournament appearance on the golf course.
She said she was proud to make it to the regional level once again and is entering the state tournament with confidence, which will take place Monday, May 15 to Tuesday, May 16 at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin. Furthermore, she said she has been practicing her craft diligently and aims to walk away from the competition with a medal.
When she walks the graduation stage at the end of the school year, she will travel two hours to Abilene Christian University’s campus, where her Division I basketball scholarship awaits her. She said she is grateful for the time she spent competing in volleyball and golf as well, but basketball has always been special for the Lady Greyhounds star. Hull’s love for basketball began at a young age, where she cultivated her talent amidst strong roots of familiarity.
“My passion really started for basketball in third grade,” Hull said. “My dad got the group together – the starting five – and made an AAU team called the PC Thunder. We just kicked everyone, like, murdered them – it was fun. We played together throughout the years, and in middle school everything just clicked with our chemistry. I’m grateful to have played with the same group year-round for all of those years.”
Familiarity bred consistency and the result of those aspects nurtured chemistry, which Hull and her squad carried with them through their entire adolescence and high school-playing careers. Eventually, the fruits of her labor led to another massive feat in signing with ACU, whose courtship of Hull began in her junior high years and came to fruition during her second year at Peaster High School.
“In seventh grade, I played on another AAU team called Texas Lonestar, and that’s when ACU started to look at me,” Hull said. “At the time, I thought of it as a possibility, but I ended up committing my sophomore year.”
From that point, the Lady Wildcats became fully aware of the special talent they would soon be getting in their girls basketball program. In her last act for the Lady Greyhounds, Hull was a dominant force in a losing effort to the eventual state-champion Holliday Lady Eagles. In Peaster’s 70-69 loss to Holliday in the regional quarterfinals this past season, Hull dazzled with 50 points. Yes, half of 100 points by a single player.
“First of all, it was just a surreal feeling and it was more memorable that it was my last high school game that I scored 50 points in,” Hull said. “Before the first quarter, we were all walking out of the locker room, and Coach Hilton grabbed me, pulled me back and told me that it was my time to shine. I guess that just sparked something in me. When the game was over, I had no idea how many points I had, but afterwards my dad told me, ‘You scored 50 points,’ and I couldn’t believe it.”
Even though she did everything humanly possible amidst her Herculean effort, Hull was still kicking herself about missed opportunities in that game, which she recalled through the final buzzer. Her recollection revealed the type of competitor she is.
“We were down two and I missed the free throw, and we fouled (Jalynn) Bristow – the State MVP – and she made both of her free throws and I thought, ‘Dang, I need to make a three and get fouled,’” Hull said. “I came down there and shot a three at the buzzer – I made it but didn’t draw the foul. It made me so mad that I missed that one free throw and everyone was telling me that I had 50 points and did everything I could do. I was still so mad at myself after the game.”
In spite of the sour ending, Hull and her Peaster squad racked up a 116-24 overall record in her run as a four-year varsity starter. Furthermore, Peaster touted a 54-2 district record – the only two losses came to rival Brock during Hull’s freshman season, and she led Peaster to the regional semifinals twice. She said all of this was possibly largely due to using God and her supportive family as sources of motivation, which remains true for her next step as a future ACU basketball player.
“I was super excited to commit to ACU, and I still am excited today,” Hull said. “I’m ready to play with talented teammates against other really good players. I’ve already met all the coaches and players, and they all seem like really nice people, so I can’t wait.”
Hilton is also eager to see Hull continue her hardwood journey for the Lady Wildcats, and he believes her impact will be felt early.
“I can’t wait to see her bring that same work ethic to ACU,” Hilton said. “I feel like she has a really good chance to play a big role for them as a freshman. I am excited for her and her family for what she is about to do next year in Abilene.”
As her time as a Lady Greyhound athlete comes to a close, her next chapter as a Lady Wildcat basketball player is nearing its inception. As a leader by example, Hull hopes she was able to inspire people with what she accomplished through her actions, and her final message to anyone looking up to her emulates that.
“Always give 110 percent in practice, games – anything,” Hull said. “If anything is wrong or you’re down on yourself, always look to God for comfort.”
She is great enough to have her number 25 jersey enshrined in Peaster High School history. Humorously enough, 25 represents just half of her career high scoring total on the hardwood. By the time she turns 25 years old, who knows what kind of greatness she will be involved in?
The girl who wore No. 25 on the basketball court for the Peaster Lady Greyhounds is Payton Hull, a talented multi-sport athlete whose legacy is expected to remain strong on and off the court even after she graduates.
“Payton will leave a huge mark on Peaster athletics when she leaves for ACU. She has had a huge impact on the volleyball and golf programs, but I feel the legacy that she will leave on the basketball program can’t be measured,” Lady Greyhounds head basketball coach Garrett Hilton said. “She is a kid that has scored a tremendous amount of points – the most in school history – but she is a bit under the radar when it comes to doing other things on the floor … All of those things are obviously great and will be sorely missed, but what I really hope our younger girls learned from her is her work ethic.”
Hilton said she isn’t a vocal leader but certainly leads by example. Whatever the team is doing in practice, Hilton said she is working hard, and not every player in high school basketball brings that to their team.
“The last three years I was lucky to have quite a few that brought it everyday, and Payton is definitely in that group,” Hilton said.
Currently, Hull – a varsity basketball, volleyball and golf athlete – is finishing up her golf season before she graduates. Comically, she said she doesn’t think she would shine as a softball player due to her natural tendency to swing a bat like a golf club. At the present moment, though, Hull is gearing up for another state tournament appearance on the golf course.
She said she was proud to make it to the regional level once again and is entering the state tournament with confidence, which will take place Monday, May 15 to Tuesday, May 16 at the Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin. Furthermore, she said she has been practicing her craft diligently and aims to walk away from the competition with a medal.
When she walks the graduation stage at the end of the school year, she will travel two hours to Abilene Christian University’s campus, where her Division I basketball scholarship awaits her. She said she is grateful for the time she spent competing in volleyball and golf as well, but basketball has always been special for the Lady Greyhounds star. Hull’s love for basketball began at a young age, where she cultivated her talent amidst strong roots of familiarity.
“My passion really started for basketball in third grade,” Hull said. “My dad got the group together – the starting five – and made an AAU team called the PC Thunder. We just kicked everyone, like, murdered them – it was fun. We played together throughout the years, and in middle school everything just clicked with our chemistry. I’m grateful to have played with the same group year-round for all of those years.”
Familiarity bred consistency and the result of those aspects nurtured chemistry, which Hull and her squad carried with them through their entire adolescence and high school-playing careers. Eventually, the fruits of her labor led to another massive feat in signing with ACU, whose courtship of Hull began in her junior high years and came to fruition during her second year at Peaster High School.
“In seventh grade, I played on another AAU team called Texas Lonestar, and that’s when ACU started to look at me,” Hull said. “At the time, I thought of it as a possibility, but I ended up committing my sophomore year.”
From that point, the Lady Wildcats became fully aware of the special talent they would soon be getting in their girls basketball program. In her last act for the Lady Greyhounds, Hull was a dominant force in a losing effort to the eventual state-champion Holliday Lady Eagles. In Peaster’s 70-69 loss to Holliday in the regional quarterfinals this past season, Hull dazzled with 50 points. Yes, half of 100 points by a single player.
“First of all, it was just a surreal feeling and it was more memorable that it was my last high school game that I scored 50 points in,” Hull said. “Before the first quarter, we were all walking out of the locker room, and Coach Hilton grabbed me, pulled me back and told me that it was my time to shine. I guess that just sparked something in me. When the game was over, I had no idea how many points I had, but afterwards my dad told me, ‘You scored 50 points,’ and I couldn’t believe it.”
Even though she did everything humanly possible amidst her Herculean effort, Hull was still kicking herself about missed opportunities in that game, which she recalled through the final buzzer. Her recollection revealed the type of competitor she is.
“We were down two and I missed the free throw, and we fouled (Jalynn) Bristow – the State MVP – and she made both of her free throws and I thought, ‘Dang, I need to make a three and get fouled,’” Hull said. “I came down there and shot a three at the buzzer – I made it but didn’t draw the foul. It made me so mad that I missed that one free throw and everyone was telling me that I had 50 points and did everything I could do. I was still so mad at myself after the game.”
In spite of the sour ending, Hull and her Peaster squad racked up a 116-24 overall record in her run as a four-year varsity starter. Furthermore, Peaster touted a 54-2 district record – the only two losses came to rival Brock during Hull’s freshman season, and she led Peaster to the regional semifinals twice. She said all of this was possibly largely due to using God and her supportive family as sources of motivation, which remains true for her next step as a future ACU basketball player.
“I was super excited to commit to ACU, and I still am excited today,” Hull said. “I’m ready to play with talented teammates against other really good players. I’ve already met all the coaches and players, and they all seem like really nice people, so I can’t wait.”
Hilton is also eager to see Hull continue her hardwood journey for the Lady Wildcats, and he believes her impact will be felt early.
“I can’t wait to see her bring that same work ethic to ACU,” Hilton said. “I feel like she has a really good chance to play a big role for them as a freshman. I am excited for her and her family for what she is about to do next year in Abilene.”
As her time as a Lady Greyhound athlete comes to a close, her next chapter as a Lady Wildcat basketball player is nearing its inception. As a leader by example, Hull hopes she was able to inspire people with what she accomplished through her actions, and her final message to anyone looking up to her emulates that.
“Always give 110 percent in practice, games – anything,” Hull said. “If anything is wrong or you’re down on yourself, always look to God for comfort.”