Basketball, High Schools

Class 6A girls basketball playoff outlook: Who to watch as season enters home stretch

By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

Westlake head coach Vickie Benson (center) talks with players during a time out during a girls high school basketball game on Jan. 16, 2026 at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. (Wayland Clark for the Austin Sports Journal)

The 2025-26 Texas high school basketball season enters the home stretch with two and a half weeks remaining in the regular season.

This week, the Austin Sports Journal will break down the South Central Texas playoff picture in each classification, beginning with Class 6A.

Across the Austin and San Antonio area, the 6A race is starting to take shape. Vandegrift (22-6, 11-0) has already punched its ticket, while Westlake and Vista Ridge each need one more win to clinch playoff spots.

While District 26-6A appears to be coming into focus, Districts 25-6A and 29-6A still feature late pushes and key head-to-head matchups down the stretch.

Here’s where things stand in the area’s three Class 6A districts, including the teams closest to clinching and how the Division I and Division II brackets could break if the standings hold.

Playoff outlook

District 25-6A

Vandegrift’s Maddie Broxterman (2) brings the ball upcourt during a girls basketball Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 at Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

Vandegrift (11-0) has clinched a playoff berth, while Vista Ridge (10-2) can punch its ticket with a win or a Hutto loss. Round Rock (8-4) is currently in third place with a 2½-game lead over fifth-place Hutto and a three-game lead over Westwood. The Dragons can clinch with two wins.

Cedar Ridge (7-4) is in fourth place and has won four straight. The Raiders hold a two-game lead over Hutto and a 2½-game lead over Westwood.

Outlook: If the standings hold, Round Rock and Cedar Ridge would be the Division I representatives, while Vandegrift and Vista Ridge would land in Division II.

District 26-6A

Austin High’s Jillian Shirk (0) drives to the basket during a District 26-6A women’s basketball game at Austin High School on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

Westlake (7-0) can clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Dripping Springs loss, but the other three spots appear close to settled if the second half plays out like the first. Del Valle and Akins have already been eliminated, leaving Dripping Springs (3-5) as the outlier behind Austin High (6-2), Lake Travis (5-2) and Bowie (5-3).

With four games left, the Tigers have little margin for error. They sit two games behind Bowie in the standings and three behind Austin High.

 Outlook: It appears Lake Travis and Bowie will be the Division I representatives, while Westlake and Austin High will be in the Division II bracket.

District 29-6A

San Marcos’ Azariah Fennell (4) sets up the Rattler offense during a Class 6A Division II regional semifinal on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at Bowie High School in Austin, Texas. (Michael Adams/Austin Sports Journal)

District 29-6A might have the most interesting playoff race shaping up. Converse Judson (7-1) and Cibolo Steele (7-1) can secure playoff spots with one more win or a New Braunfels Canyon loss. San Marcos (5-2) is in strong position as well, sitting 2½ games ahead of Canyon in the standings.

Canyon remains the team to watch. The Cougars are battling East Central for the final playoff spot and sit a half-game behind the Hornets for fourth place. Canyon picked up a big win Friday at San Marcos and faces a must-win matchup Friday at Buda Johnson.

Johnson (2-6) is still alive but has no room for error. The Jaguars beat Canyon 51-44 in their first meeting Jan. 6. If Canyon wins Friday, it will set up a winner-take-all showdown with East Central on Feb. 6 in San Antonio.

Outlook: Judson and Steele are safe bets, while San Marcos should clinch barring an upset in its next three games (Johnson, Clemens and East Central). The fourth playoff team will determine the Division I/Division II split. If East Central claims the final spot, the Hornets would join Steele and in Division I, while San Marcos and Judson would land in Division II. If Canyon takes the fourth spot instead, the Cougars would be Division II with San Marcos and push Judson into Division I with Steele.