Previewing six Dallas-Fort Worth girls basketball teams at the UIL state tournament
The UIL high school girls basketball state tournament gets underway on Thursday through Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Two more wins and teams will be crowned state champions.
Of the 24 state qualifiers, six are from the greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex; two from Class 6A, 5A and 4A.
Here is a look at each:
CLASS 6A
DUNCANVILLE
6A Region I champ
Semifinal: No. 18 Converse Judson (33-8), 8:30 p.m. Friday (defending champ)
Record: 38-3
District: 14-0 in 8-6A
Winning Streak: 27 games
Points Per Game: 75.7
Points Allowed: 38.6
Head Coach: LaJeanna Howard
Playoffs: Mansfield Summit (65-47), Lewisville (52-36), DeSoto (47-43), Arlington Martin (66-49), Cedar Hill (56-54)
State Tournament: 26th appearance (Previous- 2017)
Championships: 10 (1976, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017)
How the Pantherettes got to state: 5-star McDonald’s All-American and North Carolina bound guard Deja Kelly scored 27 points in the Region I final vs. Cedar Hill. Kelly made 7 of 8 free throws in the fourth quarter during their win over No. 2 DeSoto.
Fun Fact: A state title this year will give Howard three at Duncanville, one as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Duncanville has the third most trips to state all-time behind Nazareth and Canyon.
MCKINNEY
6A Region II champ
Semifinal: No. 3 Houston Cypress Creek (40-0), 7 p.m. Friday
State Ranking: N/A
Record: 22-12
District: 7-5 in 9-6A
Winning Streak: 6 games
Points Per Game: 47.7
Points Allowed: 41.1
Head Coach: Debbie Harris
Playoffs: Garland Lakeview Centennial (43-39), Tyler Lee (64-35), Harker Heights (58-50), Pflugerville Henderickson (66-53), Plano (32-28)
State Tournament: 3rd appearance (Previous- 1998)
Championships: 0 (Semifinalist- 1986, 1998)
How the Lionettes got to state: They held defending champ Plano without a made 3-pointer in the Region II final. Plano was No. 6 in the state. They also beat No. 12 Harker Heights. Senior Taylor Jackson scored 30 points against Lee, which helped give the program its first area championship in nine years.
Fun Fact: McKinney has the fewest wins among this year’s state qualifiers (all classes) and is the only unranked team.
CLASS 5A
MANSFIELD TIMBERVIEW
5A Region I champ
Semifinal: No. 6 San Antonio Veterans Memorial (31-7), 8:30 p.m. Thursday
State Ranking: 5
Record: 31-8
District: 14-0 in 5-5A
Winning Streak: 17 games
Points Per Game: 54.8
Points Allowed: 43.6
Head Coach: Kit Kyle Martin
Playoffs: FW Eastern Hills (84-20), Braswell (55-36), The Colony (64-50), WF Rider (53-49), Amarillo (51-49)
State Tournament: 5th appearance (Previous- 2018)
Championships: 1 (2010)
How the Lady Wolves got to state: Junior guard Stephanie Mosley’s buzzer-beating 17-footer pushed them past No. 1 and two-time defending champ Amarillo in the Region I final.
Fun Fact: The UIL will be honoring 10-year anniversary winners at the state tournament, which includes the 2010 state champion Lady Wolves. They won the Class 4A title over Cibolo Steele (semis) and Frisco Wakeland (55-39). This year’s bunch has no returning starters from 2019.
FRISCO LIBERTY
5A Region II champ
Semifinal: No. 23 College Station (32-7), 7 p.m. Thursday
State Ranking: 25
Record: 29-11
District: 16-2 in 9-5A
Winning Streak: 5 games
Points Per Game: 40.9
Points Allowed: 35.5
Head Coach: Ross Reedy
Playoffs: Lovejoy (53-33), South Oak Cliff (57-43), Frisco Centennial (32-31), Red Oak (42-36), Midlothian (48-43)
State Tournament: 3rd appearance (2016, 2019)
Championships: 0 (State runner-up to Canyon, Amarillo)
How the Lady Redhawks got to state: Won the Region II tournament by beating No. 3 Red Oak in the semifinals and then Midlothian in triple overtime. Sophomore Jazzy Owens-Barnett scored 22 points.
Fun Fact: Liberty has been playing since the 2007-08 season following the school’s opening in 2006. The program has reached the postseason 12 times and regional tournament seven of the past eight years.
CLASS 4A
ARGYLE
4A Region I champ
Semifinal: No. 19 Fredericksburg (33-8), 3 p.m. Friday
State Ranking: 5
Record: 32-6
District: 7-1 in 8-4A
Winning Streak: 6 games
Points Per Game: 51.8
Points Allowed: 37.2
Head Coach: Chance Westmoreland
Playoffs: Godley (57-17), Snyder (51-27), Glen Rose (39-34), Canyon (41-38), Bridgeport (42-38)
State Tournament: 9th appearance
Championships: 6 (Five-time defending champ, 2006)
How the Lady Eagles got to state: Senior guard and SMU bound Rhyle McKinney scored Argyle’s first 26 points against Bridgeport in the Region I final. She scored 33 points in the semifinals over No. 1 Canyon.
Fun Fact: Argyle has won its past 40 playoff games.
DALLAS LINCOLN
4A Region II champ
Semifinal: No. 11 Fairfield (33-4), 1:30 p.m. Friday
State Ranking: 16
Record: 26-8
District: 11-1 in 12-4A
Winning Streak: 8 games
Points Per Game: 67.7
Points Allowed: 44.4
Head Coach: Darrin Samuels
Playoffs: Anna (69-46), Benbrook (84-34), Aubrey (59-44), Texarkana Pleasant Grove (60-57), Melissa (55-45)
State Tournament: 15th appearance (Semifinalist in 2019)
Championships: 3 (1999, 2004, 2008)
How the Lady Tigers got to state: Junior guard Nakia Brumley scored 19 points for Lincoln in the Region II final. The team hit 12 of 16 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
Fun Fact: After coaching in Mesquite ISD, Samuels took over as Lincoln head coach last summer. He replaced LaJeanna Howard, who is now at Duncanville.
This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
