Nazareth continues storied girls basketball tradition with 24th state championship
The most storied program in Texas girls basketball history has done it again.
Nazareth won its 24th state title in its 29th trip to the final four, 44-31 over Lipan in the Class 1A championship game on Saturday at the Alamodome.
“I’m a small part of it. There are so many people that have come before us that layed the foundation and tradition,” Nazareth coach Eric Schilling said. “Credit to these kids now that have taken it all in. They understand the expectation and what it takes to win. When you have a bunch of coachable kids, they make our jobs easy.”
Schilling is in his ninth season with Nazareth, winning his sixth title (four straight), which have come in the past seven years. Its only loss came in 2016 against Lipan.
“Every year is different. Different group and different path to get here,” Schilling said. “They expect us to win and make it look easy. It’s not easy. The fight and adversity they had to overcome to get here and win, you can’t explain it unless you’re with them all the time.”
Both teams struggled in the first quarter with a combined 4 of 16 from the floor. Nazareth led 6-4.
Lipan (34-4) scored seven of the next nine points and a 10-3 run gave the Lady Indians a 14-9 lead with 5:24 left in the second quarter. Back-to-back 3-pointers from freshman Chelsea Lott turned an 8-5 deficit into an 11-8 lead.
But the Swiftettes (31-8) scored the final 16 points to take a 25-14 edge into intermission.
The Lady Indians got within nine on a free throw by junior post Maggie Peacock early in the third, but Nazareth extended it lead to 15 after three when an April Schmucker layup was good with 17 seconds to play.
Nazareth led by 16 with a free throw by Addie Dyer early in the fourth while Lipan got as close as nine after a couple of free throws by junior Taylor Clark.
“Nazareth is obviously Nazareth,” said Lipan coach Amber Branson while holding back tears. “I respect coach Schilling and his program, and what they do. They’re hard to beat. They’re a phenomenal ball club and have great kids and he’s an outstanding coach.”
Nazareth’s Emma Kleman was named title game MVP with a team-high 11 points and five rebounds. Makenzy Corrales added eight and Dyer chipped in seven.
Perhaps Nazareth’s best player, senior Cambrie Heiman injured her ankle last week at the regional final and missed Thursday’s semifinal against Veribest.
But when asked what the chances were she was going to miss Saturday’s game, she chuckled “Zero percent.”
Heiman had five points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds in 15 minutes. She’s one of seven players in program history to win four state championships.
“She’s got a tough group around her and when they’re as determined as they are, it’s hard to stop them,” Schilling said.
Lipan was led by Lott’s 10 points. Clark added seven.
“Being here and the experience has been a dream of ours since we were little girls,” said Peacock, who finished with seven points. “It will motivate us to get back here next year.”
