Lake Country Christian girls wins TAPPS title; Northwest boys clinch state berth
Austin Brentwood Christian never had an answer for Lake Country Christian’s defense Saturday in the TAPPS Class 4A girls state title game.
Lake Country trailed 8-7 with 7:43 left in the second quarter, but only allowed 11 points the rest of the game in a 44-19 victory at West High School for its fifth state championship in program history.
“It just shows the tradition that we have here at Lake Country,” said coach Eric Boettcher, who's team ended the regular season with its 108th straight district win. “It’s our fifth – my first – but I knew when I came here that this was a great place for basketball.”
Points were hard to come by in the opening eight minutes – the Eagles scored a minute into the game on a 3-pointer by junior Brinley Kilpatrick.
But both teams went scoreless for nearly five minutes. The Eagles (34-8) scored the first seven points before the Bears got on the scoreboard with 1:40 left in the quarter.
Brentwood took an 8-7 lead 17 seconds into the next quarter on a jumper by senior Grace McDaniel.
The Bears (32-12), who led in the game for only 20 seconds, missed their first 10 shot attempts and were 3 of 16 at the time of their only lead.
They would finish the state final by shooting 3 of 25 from the field – which comes out to 6 of 41 overall (15 percent).
“Defense is the key word,” Boettcher said. “Defense is how we win games.”
Trailing by one, Lake Country scored the next nine with a 3-pointer by junior Maddie Cawley and a 3-point play from junior Morgan Campbell, who beat the overtime buzzer to win Friday's 44-41 semifinal against Lubbock Christian.
"I just let it fly honestly and it went in with the shooter's touch," said Campbell of her game winner.
Senior McKenna Whites picked up a steal and went coast-to-coast for the reverse layup to give the Eagles a 26-14 lead midway through the third. She added a 3-pointer from the right wing on the next possession.
Whites, the only senior in the starting lineup, finished with 10 points. She hit her second 3-pointer at the end of the third while getting slapped in the face and knocked to the ground.
“I didn't go out with a loss so that's awesome. I love my girls, they're my family and I’ll miss them, she said.
Lake Country, which has been No. 1 in the state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches all season, recorded 11 steals and held Brentwood to two points in the fourth quarter.
“We were just really good on defense today,” said Cawley, who finished with a game-high 11 points. “We communicated well and there were no holes in our defense.”
Campbell, Cawley and Whites were named to the all-state team.
Cawley recorded 13 rebounds and seven blocks. Campbell scored nine points and senior Micah Lindstrom added eight boards and four points off the bench.
BOYS
Justin Northwest 60, Amarillo 56
Prior to last season, the Northwest Texans never played in a UIL boys basketball state tournament.
For the second-straight year, the No. 2 team in Class 5A is going back.
With four players in double digits, the Texans knocked off the Amarillo Sandies to win Class 5A Region I on Saturday at Western Texas College in Snyder.
Northwest (33-5) will head to the Alamodome in San Antonio along with Midlothian, Port Arthur Memorial and San Antonio Alamo Heights. The state semifinals are 7 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
"Last year, we were just happy to be there," coach Mike Hatch said. "This year our mindset will be to win a state championship."
The Texans led 25-20 at halftime before the Sandies scored the first seven points of the third. The game was tied at 38-38 after three quarters.
Juniors Avery Anderson and Sammie Freeman led the Texans with 12 points apiece. Senior Mason Hix and sophomore Julien Smith added 10.
Northwest went 20 of 25 from the free-throw line while Amarillo was held to 7 of 8.
"It’s a great feeling to be a two-time regional champion," said Anderson, who made all eight free-throw attempts. "But now it’s time for our unfinished business that we have from last year. We have a chip on our shoulders and we're coming for that state title."
Midlothian 48, Lancaster 45
Caleb Jordan hit the shot of his life.
The senior beat the buzzer with a game-winning 3-pointer to send Midlothian past District 10-5A rival Lancaster in the Region II final at Curtis Culwell Center on Saturday.
The Panthers (28-10), ranked No. 9 in the state, head to the state tournament for the first time in program history. They upset defending state champ Mansfield Timberview in the regional quarterfinals to clinch their first regional tournament berth.
Bowie 54, Brock 47
In a father-son matchup for the 3A Region I final at Midland College on Saturday, Doug Boxell bested his oldest son Zach to lead the Jackrabbits to their 11th state tournament berth and first since 1991.
Brock, which was attempting to reach its fifth state tourney in seven years, ends the season 35-4. The Eagles won a state title in 2015. They knocked off Bowie in last year's regional quarterfinals.
Doug Boxell won three state titles while coaching at Ponder.
Allen 40, Denton Guyer 36
For the second time in program history, the Allen Eagles are going to state.
They accomplished their goal by eliminating the No. 1 team in the nation.
Allen was in control for most of the game and held off a late Guyer rally to win the Class 6A Region I final on Saturday at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center.
The Eagles, who knocked off North Crowley in Friday's semifinals, went to the state tournament in 2014.
This story was originally published March 3, 2018 at 6:40 PM with the headline "Lake Country Christian girls wins TAPPS title; Northwest boys clinch state berth."