Belton High School participates in TABC Showcase taking advantage of summer basketball workouts

June 26, 2025

By Aries Ramos

The Belton Journal

The Belton Tigers took the floor this past weekend at the TABC Showcase and walked away with two wins in three games, showing toughness and potential for the upcoming season.

The Tigers opened with a tough loss to Mansfield but responded with back-to-back wins, including a strong 67-51 victory over Dallas Bishop Lynch to close out the event.

Held annually, the TABC Showcase brings together some of the best programs across Texas, offering teams a chance to test themselves in a competitive environment during the summer offseason. For Belton, it was a weekend of growth and grit.

Head Coach Phil McCaslin reflected on the team’s performance after the event.

“I felt really good overall,” McCaslin said. “We kind of got hit in the mouth in game one against Mansfield, and I was really proud of how we responded.”

The Tigers struggled with rebounding and execution in the open er, falling behind early and never regaining their rhythm.

But rather than hang their heads, the team regrouped and made the necessary adjustments heading into their second and third matchups.

“You could tell we had some sloppy habits in game one. We didn’t rebound very well,” McCaslin admitted. “They really took it to heart in games two and thre, to win effort plays and out rebound. Obviously, everyone knows we can shoot it. What I wanted to see was, are we going to defend the physicality? Are we going to rebound with physicality? Are we going to be the team that pushes and dominates the pace? And we did that in games two and three.”

The preparation leading into the showcase was key, as Belton took advantage of UIL-sanctioned summer practice time without overloading players in June.

“When we go up to that showcase, we want to treat it as important and put time into it,” McCaslin said. “We tried to still treat it like June it’s not December, I get that, but we defended, we rebounded. And I think that showed in games two and three.”

Several young players stepped up and showcased their versatility across the weekend. Whether it was adjusting to new roles or battling on the boards, the Tigers’ roster showed its depth and adaptability, traits that will serve them well during the regular season.

“My main takeaway is when we bring the fight and we rebound with our pace and our shooting I think we can be a really tough team,” McCaslin said.

With two summer wins and a clearer vision for the season ahead, the Tigers head into the rest of the offseason with momentum and purpose.