Argyle’s girls basketball bid for undefeated season falls shy as Eagles lose UIL semi
Going into the Alamodome locker room at halftime with an eight-point lead in Friday’s UIL Class 4A semifinal, it looked as though the Argyle Eagles were well on their way to yet another state title game.
But the team struggled to score in third quarter and got into foul trouble, and both things ultimately doomed the Eagles, who lost to Hardin-Jefferson, 49-42. The Hawks (34-4) will play for the 4A girls basketball state championship at 7 p.m. Saturday against Brownsboro (39-2). They advance to their sixth state final, including three in the past four seasons, and will be looking to add a third championships after winning it all in 1986 and 1989.
Argyle (37-1) entered Friday with designs on a 39-0 season and their sixth UIL state title in the past eight seasons and seventh overall.
The Eagles certainly did what they needed to do early. Argyle shot 52.2% and was 6 of 8 on three-pointers in the first half, but their offense went cold in the second half. The team was held to 10 points on 3 of 17 shooting. Argyle’s only points in the third quarter came from the free-throw line.
“Knew we’d be in a battle, and I’m extremely proud of my kids. They fought their tails off. We had the better first half and they had the better second half, so hats off to them for making some big plays.” Argyle coach Chance Westmoreland said. “Foul trouble limited us from what we needed to do. It was a game of runs and a heavyweight battle.”
Senior Caroline Lyles hit a pair of free throws to up the Argyle lead to 34-24 within the first minute of the third quarter, but Lyles picked up her third foul and went to the bench with 6:19 seconds to go.
That’s when Jefferson scored the next 15 points. The Hawks had missed their first five shots in the third and didn’t score until the 5:39 mark off a three-point play from McDonald’s All-American Ashlon Jackson, who scored a game-high 26 points. “She’s an incredible player, and she came to play today,” Westmoreland said.
Jada Pleasant’s mid-range jumper cut Argyle’s lead to five about two minutes later, and then the Hawks cut the deficit to three on their next possession after Argyle had missed a three-pointer.
Down 34-32, Jackson tied the game with a layup but was fouled on the play. Her free throw gave Jefferson a one-point lead with 1:14 left in the third. It was the Hawks’ first lead since they went up 2-0.
“They turned up the pressure, and we had our opportunities to attack in transition, but we had some turnovers and got into foul trouble,” Westmoreland said. “They did a good job at getting offensive rebounds and second chances.”
Lyles entered the game right after Jefferson took the one-point lead, but she was called for a charge just six seconds later and had to return to the bench with four fouls. Pleasant and Jalyn Wright both made layups with under a minute to go and that gave Jefferson a 39-34 advantage after three quarters.
Argyle was able to regain the lead, 42-41, when Gabby Campbell and Madi Lumsden hit threes and Samantha Bacon made a layup with 3:34 left to play. But Jefferson would end the game on an 8-0 run.
“Our kids did a great job at the half, and I liked our momentum,” Westmoreland said. “Unfortunately we couldn’t sustain it in the third quarter. You have a two-point quarter in the state semifinals, and it’s going to be hard to win.”
Lumsden led Argyle with 14 points and four threes. Ashlin Crabtree and Campbell added eight each and Lyles finished with six points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
“You have a team playing in San Antonio and it’s something special,” Westmoreland said. “It’s so hard to get down here. We were in Region 1 and it’s a dogfight, and our season could’ve ended last week against Canyon and it didn’t, and that just shows you the kids we have in our program.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 3:17 PM.
