The Cooldown- Week 27
Cover Photo via the Dallas Morning News/ Elias Valverde II
Congratulations to the DeSoto Lady Eagles on winning the 6A State Championship Game to repeat as state champions! DeSoto was one of three metroplex area teams to play for a state title at the Final Four in San Antonio on Saturday. Frisco Memorial lost an overtime heartbreaker to Cedar Park in the 5A State Championship Game and South Grand Prairie lost to DeSoto in the 6A State Championship Game. We have a recap of both of those games and a preview of the men’s Final Four this weekend!
DeSoto defeats South Grand Prairie to win 6A State Championship
Two fantastic seasons and unique paths led two metroplex area teams four hours south to San Antonio for the 6A State Championship Game. DeSoto eliminated South Grand Prairie 40-23 to remain the last team standing for a second straight season.
DeSoto’s defense smothered South Grand Prairie after the Lady Warriors scored 65 points in a 65-41 win over Humble Summer Creek in the semifinal game. South Grand Prairie scored just eight points in the first half and had just 11 points heading to the fourth quarter. The Lady Warriors more than doubled that total in the fourth quarter with 12 points, but also gave up 12 points to DeSoto in the final frame. Victoria Dixon scored 10 points to lead SGP and Adhel Tac was held to just three points by the DeSoto defense.
State Tournament MVP Ja’Mia Harris scored 16 points to lead DeSoto and Jiya Perry scored nine points as the duo outscored South Grand Prairie on their own. Ayanna Thompson scored seven points and Sa’Myah Smith added four points for the Lady Eagles. Amina Muhammad and Nissa Muhammad each scored two points for DeSoto. The DeSoto Legacy Tour is over after three trips to the Final Four and two State Championships. The Lady Eagles roster will look much different next season with the loss of seven Division I players. One of the most talented senior classes we have ever seen in the metroplex is now off to college, but the legacy those players left at DeSoto will live on forever.
Cedar Park eliminates Frisco Memorial to win 5A State Championship
Frisco Memorial’s quest for a State Championship ended in the 5A State Championship Game in a double-overtime heartbreaker. Cedar Park defeated Frisco Memorial 45-40 and outscored Frisco Memorial 5-0 in the second overtime period after star Jasmyn Lott fouled out at the end of the first overtime. Cedar Park finished the season a perfect 37-0 and is 64-1 over the last two seasons.
Gisella Maul was named MVP of the State Tournament and led Cedar Park with 27 points and 19 rebounds. Maul was 11-12 at the free throw line with the only miss coming in the final minute of regulation to send the game into overtime. Jasmyn Lott scored 21 of Frisco Memorial’s 40 points in her final high school game, but the Lady Warriors struggled to score without her on the floor.
Kimball eliminates Frisco Memorial in Overtime
Kimball punched its ticket to the Final Four in San Antonio with an 80-67 win over Frisco Memorial in overtime. The Knights outscored Frisco Memorial 17-12 in the fourth quarter to force an overtime period in which Kimball outscored the Warriors 18-5. Between the two periods, Kimball finished the game on a 35-17 run to advance to the Final Four.
Trae Clayton led the way for Kimball with 25 points and an emphatic dunk to end the game. Chauncey Gibson scored 13 points while Arterio Morris and T’Johnn Brown each added 12 points. Kyron Henderson scored eight points and DaCannon Wickware scored six points for the Knights. Landen Hughlett added four points to round out the scoring for Kimball. Avery Jackson Jr. scored 23 points to pace Frisco Memorial. Isaiah Foster added 16 points and Mason Wujek scored 13 points. Leon Horner chipped in nine points while Drew Steffe scored six points for Frisco Memorial. Kimball will face Beaumont United in the 5A semifinal game and we have more on the State Tournament below.
Men’s Final Four Preview
6A Semifinals
McKinney (34-5) vs Austin Westlake (38-1)
McKinney upset Richardson in a thriller last Tuesday and routed North Crowley and Arlington Martin to close the week and punch its ticket to San Antonio. Ja’Kobe Walter and Alex Anamekwe pack a powerful one-two punch for McKinney, and Thatcher McClure has had a good playoff run as well. All three will need to play great this weekend to deliver a State Championship to McKinney.
The only loss for Austin Westlake came back on November 13th in a 55-53 loss to San Antonio Clark. The Chaparrals have won 37 straight games after starting the season 1-1. Austin Westlake avenged its loss to San Antonio Clark last Tuesday with a 47-38 win before it beat San Antonio Warren and San Antonio Brennan to advance to the Final Four. Jaden Greathouse scored 31, 15 and 14 points in Westlake’s three playoff wins last week and will make a big impact at the Final Four this weekend after putting up video game numbers in the 6A DII State Championship win over Denton Guyer in football last December. Connor McManus scored 21 points against Brennan and is a player to watch this weekend as well.
Duncanville (33-1) vs Humble Atascocita (34-6)
If Duncanville and McKinney each advance, we’ll have an all-DFW 6A State Championship Game, just like the women’s 6A State Championship Game. Duncanville beat Cypress Ranch 72-59 and Garland 61-38 to advance to the Final Four. The Panthers have long been considered a favorite to make the State Tournament behind top ranked junior Ron Holland and McDonald’s All-American Anthony Black. The Panthers will need Black this weekend after he has played in each of Duncanville’s last two playoff games. The Panthers are looking for a third straight state championship and will have to get by Atascocita and the winner of McKinney- Austin Westlake in order to do so.
Atascocita beat Pearland Dawson 62-50, Fort Bend Clements 61-54 and Shadow Creek 67-51 to advance to the Final Four. Landyn Jumawan scored 13 points and AJ Aungst scored 12 points to help power Atascocita past Shadow Creek after the game was tied 31-31 at halftime. The identity of Atascocita’s team is defense and the Eagles will need to be excellent on that end of the floor to defeat a high-powered Duncanville squad.
5A
Kimball (30-8) vs Beaumont United (34-3)
Dallas Kimball will matchup with Beaumont United in a rematch of last season’s 5A State Championship Game. Beaumont United defeated Kimball 71-70 in that game after a game-winning shot from Terrance Arceneaux. Kimball outlasted a talented Frisco Memorial team to advance to the Final Four. Arterio Morris, Trae Clayton and Chauncey Gibson form a talented trio, but will have to be better than Arceneaux and Wesley Yates for Beaumont United.
Mansfield Timberview (35-4) vs Boerne Champion (33-6)
Mansfield Timberview outlasted Mansfield Legacy 62-60 on Tuesday before routing El Paso Chapin and Amarillo to advance to the Final Four. Timberview is led by Donovan O’Day, Chendall Weaver and Jared Washington. All three guys can score the ball at will and have powered Mansfield Timberview to its 35-4 record. Weaver scored 28 points in the win over Amarillo while O’Day chipped in 14 points and Washington added 12 points. If Mansfield Timberview wins the 5A State Championship, those three will be the reason why.
Boerne Champion started its season 1-2 and scored just 25 points in a loss to San Antonio Reagan at the start of the season. The Chargers have been rolling as of late, peaking at the best time of the season. Boerne Champion defeated Buda Johnson 61-56, McAllen 61-50 and San Antonio Veterans Memorial 51-46 to advance to the Final Four.
Player of the Week
My Player of the Week is DeSoto’s Ja’Mia Harris! The MVP of the 6A State Tournament scored 16 points in the State Championship Game and scored 13 points in the win over No. 2 Humble Summer Creek in the semifinal game. Harris didn’t get to play in the 2021 State Tournament with a knee injury but led the Lady Eagles in scoring in her final high school game to help DeSoto secure back-to-back State Championships!
Cover Photo of the DeSoto Lady Eagles courtesy of the Dallas Morning News and Staff Photographer Elias Valverde II.