The Cooldown- Week 22
It’s the last day of January and the most critical two months of the high school basketball schedule start tomorrow. There are just a few weeks left to determine which teams will make the playoffs and which teams will watch from home. It’s also an important week for the future of high school sports in Texas with UIL Realignment taking place on Thursday. We will have coverage on our social media channels and next week’s Cooldown will be entirely focused around UIL Realignment. But before that happens, let’s recap some of the best action from around the metroplex last week.
Mansfield Timberview beats Mansfield Legacy
Two of the most exciting teams in the area call Mansfield home and put on a show last Tuesday. Mansfield Timberview rallied to beat Mansfield Legacy in a 65-63 thriller. Timberview rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter for the win. It only took a 23-6 run to end the game for Timberview to pull off the two-point win. That was due in large part to Mansfield Legacy only connecting on two of its six free-throw attempts in the final minute of the game.
Donovan O’Day led the game in scoring with 24 points and Chendall Weaver scored 13 points to give Mansfield Timberview another player in double-figures. Jared Washington chipped in nine points for Timberview, including a three-point basket in the final minute of the game. Wayne Wiggins led the way for Mansfield Legacy with 23 points and Amir McMillian added 12 points for the Broncos. Le’jai Jordan scored seven points while Isaiah Manning and Jhaden Brown scored six points each.
DeSoto defeats Duncanville
The DeSoto women returned home from playing some of the best teams in the nation at the ESPN Invitational to play another top ranked team in the nation. The Lady Eagles outlasted Duncanville 51-47 on the road after playing what has to be considered as the toughest three game stretch any women’s team in the nation will play this season. DeSoto swept Duncanville after winning the first matchup by four points. Duncanville led DeSoto 26-15 in the third quarter before a 14-2 DeSoto run gave the Lady Eagles the lead. DeSoto held the lead throughout a tense fourth quarter to hold on to the win.
Sa’Myah Smith and Jiya Perry each scored 12 points to lead DeSoto in scoring. Tionna Herron and Amina Muhammad each scored eight points and Ayanna Thompson added seven points in the win. Victoria Flores paced Duncanville with 18 points and Tristen Taylor chipped in 13 points. Tajenae Gooden scored six points while Kenidi Glover and Kaylinn Kemp each scored four points.
Plano takes down Lewisville
Plano will take an undefeated record into the month of February when it takes on Plano East tomorrow night. That is thanks to a 63-58 win over Lewisville (and a slew of other impressive wins throughout the month of January) last Friday night. Lewisville gave Plano all it could handle but the Wildcats found a way to stay undefeated. Lewisville led Plano 20-15 after the first quarter and by just two points heading to the fourth quarter.
Xavier Williams led the way for Plano with 28 points and Justin McBride added 10 points to give Plano two players in double figures. Dre’Lyn Hall scored seven points and Robert Hall added six points. Adrian Banks paced Lewisville with 17 points while Tre’Lin Green added 12 points and Sterling Curtis scored 11 points. Landon Brown chipped in nine points for the Fighting Farmers.
South Grand Prairie beats Arlington Martin
South Grand Prairie and Arlington Martin faced off on Friday night for the right to take sole possession of first place in District 8-6A. South Grand Prairie downed Arlington Martin 70-53 to take the top playoff seed for now. South Grand Prairie blitzed Arlington Martin from the jump, racing out to a 22-9 lead after the first quarter. The Warriors from Grand Prairie scored 44 points in the first half and cruised to a 17-point win despite being outscored in the third and fourth quarters.
Chandler Burnett led the game in scoring with 23 points and Ringo Deng added 15 points for South Grand Prairie. Anthony Solomon scored 13 points and Donavhn Sanford chipped in seven points. Cydd Ford led Arlington Martin in scoring with 13 points and Andre Norris added 12 points. Kordelius Jefferson chipped in eight points for Martin while Jeremiah Charles added seven points.
Player of the Week
My Player of the Week is Mansfield Timberview’s Donovan O’Day! Mansfield Timberview beat Mansfield Legacy and Burleson last week and O’Day’s scoring ability is a big reason why. O’Day led Mansfield Timberview with 24 points in a close win over Mansfield Legacy and followed that up with a 14-point performance in an 85-65 win over Burleson on Friday!