The Cooldown: Week 25
The Cooldown: Week 25
So it’s on to the final week of the Texas high school basketball season! That also means there’s just one more chance to catch Pat Doney host your favorite high school sports show on NBC5 with a full rundown of highlights available.
Congratulations to the Frisco Liberty and Duncanville girls on clinching state championships in San Antonio this past weekend! Congratulations also go out to Mansfield Timberview and South Grand Prairie on making it to the state championship game! We’ll have a recap of both games, plus a preview of the boys state tournament below!
6A State Championship Game
Duncanville clinched its 12th state championship by way of a 59-41 win over metroplex rival South Grand Prairie. The Pantherettes returned to the pinnacle of girls high school basketball under first year head coach Neiman Ford. Duncanville had to overcome adversity to deliver its 12th title to the city of champions, but the Pantherettes were inevitable in the end. South Grand Prairie led 16-11 after the first quarter before Duncanville outscored the Lady Warriors in each quarter the rest of the way. Duncanville held South Grand Prairie to just two points in the second quarter before it scored 18 points in the 3rd quarter and 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Mariah Clayton led the way for Duncanville with 19 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Chloe Mann chipped in 13 points and four rebounds. Kaylinn Kemp scored nine points while Trystan James and Laila Coleman each scored six points. Samari Holmen scored four points and Katelynn Price scored two points to round out the scoring for Duncanville.
Taylor Barnes led South Grand Prairie with 14 points and eight rebounds while Taliyah chipped in 10 points. Anyla Herbert scored nine points and finished with six rebounds while Cedraiah Peterson contributed four points. Autumn Sherman and Spirit Sheriff scored two points each to round out the scoring for South Grand Prairie.
South Grand Prairie overcame plenty of adversity just to reach the state championship game. The Lady Warriors were without star Adhel Tac for nearly the entire season, and Erica Carr missed the state tournament with an injury as well. It was a great season for South Grand Prairie, but there is only one city of champions, and Duncanville is currently the best girls basketball program in the state. The Pantherettes further proved that point on Saturday night.
5A State Championship Game
Frisco Liberty made it back-to-back state titles on Saturday afternoon with a 60-51 win over Mansfield Timberview in the 5A State Championship Game. The Lady Redhawks capped an incredible season with a 34-7 record and a successful title defense that will now carry into the 2024-25 season.
Frisco Liberty trailed Mansfield Timberview 29-22 at halftime and 47-44 heading into the final frame. The Lady Redhawks put together their best quarter of the season when it mattered most by outscoring Timberview 16-4 to clinch a second straight state championship.
Jacy Abii led the way for Frisco Liberty with 30 points, 12 rebounds and four assists to win MVP of the game. Aziyah Farrier scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds. Keyera Roseby scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds and dished three assists. Judith Aluga scored four points and Lilian Johnson scored two points to round out the scoring for Frisco Liberty.
Emilee Jones paced Mansfield Timberview with 23 points and three rebounds. Chrishawn Coleman scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds and Kamryn Wilson chipped in six points. Brooklyn Terry scored five points and grabbed seven rebounds to round out the scoring for Mansfield Timberview.
It was a great season for Mansfield Timberview. The Lady Wolves finished 40-2 and made it to the state championship game. In the end, it wasn’t quite enough to beat Abii and the Lady Redhawks. Now, Frisco Liberty gets to celebrate back-to-back titles before preparation begins for another title defense.
Boys State Tournament Preview
6A
Unlike the girls state tournament, there will be no DFW vs. DFW showdown in the boys state championship game. Instead, we get a DFW vs. DFW state semifinal between Plano East (38-0) and Mansfield Lake Ridge (32-6).
Plano East punched its ticket to San Antonio by taking down Eaton 57-30 and Keller 76-60. The Panthers smothered Eaton from the opening tip, but Keller made Plano East work to punch its ticket to San Antonio. The Indians were without star guard Brooks Bahr, who suffered a lower leg injury prior to the playoffs starting. Despite that, Keller used a barrage of threes to stay in the game. A 19-9 advantage in the fourth quarter powered Plano East to the win. If Mansfield Lake Ridge or the winner of Round Rock Stony Point and Beaumont United are going to beat Plano East, dialing it in from deep would be recommended.
Mansfield Lake Ridge eliminated Cypress Ranch 68-56 and Rockwall 48-39 to advance to its first state tournament in school history. Despite finishing third in the loaded District 11-6A, Mansfield Lake Ridge is one of the final four teams standing in 6A. Having to take on the top team in the state isn’t ideal, but anything can happen in the Alamodome. Mansfield Lake Ridge will need to be connected on defense, but Lake Ridge has more size than Keller and Eaton and should be more equipped to guard DJ Hall.
5A
Lancaster (28-5) is the lone representative from the metroplex in the 5A state tournament. The Tigers get Amarillo (34-4) in the state semifinal on Thursday night. The winner of San Antonio Veterans Memorial (40-1) and Killeen Ellison (34-5) waits in the state title game.
Lancaster punched its ticket to San Antonio with a 74-50 win over Frisco Lone Star and a 42-39 win over The Colony. If Lancaster is going to win a state title this year, the Tigers will need big performances from Dillon Battie. Fortunately for Lancaster, Battie has been turning in big performances night after night throughout the playoffs. Amari Reed and Kollin Douglas will also need to play well, but Lancaster has the depth to win it all.
4A
DFW is once again represented in the 4A Final Four by Oak Cliff Faith Family. The Eagles (23-11) face Stafford (35-6) in the state semifinal on Friday afternoon. The winner of Canyon Randall (34-3) and Silsbee (28-9) waits in the 4A title game. Don’t let the records fool you, Faith Family has played the toughest schedule of these four teams and was given the benefit of the doubt at the end of the season by being ranked No. 1 in the TABC state rankings.
Faith Family has annihilated every team its faced in the 4A playoffs thus far. The Eagles beat Aubrey 107-53, Dunbar 105-64, Frisco Panther Creek 88-46, Pinkston 84-61 and Carter 76-48. I have no doubt that Stafford that winner of Canyon Randall and Silsbee is in for a similar fait this weekend as Faith Family cruises to another state title before moving up to the 5A classification next season.
Player of the Week
My Player of the Week is none other than Frisco Liberty’s Jacy Abii! I know Abii will appreciate this honor more than being named MVP of the 5A State Championship Game. In all seriousness, Abii earned it with 30 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the biggest game of the year. Abii has won two state titles in her two seasons at Frisco Liberty and she still has two years left. I don’t know if any player, men’s or women’s, has ever won four state titles in high school, but I won’t put that expectation on Abii. I’ll just say that it’s incredible that it’s even still a possibility going into her junior year. With her talent, there is no limit, and going four for four in San Antonio is absolutely possible.