Oak Cliff Faith Family makes free throws late to advance past Silsbee in state semifinal

Four players scored in double figures as Oak Cliff Faith Family edged out Silsbee, 70-62, in a Class 4A state semifinal on Friday at the Alamodome.

Faith Family (35-4) is at state for the fourth consecutive season with a title in 2019 and co-championship during the 2020 COVID year.

The Eagles will play for the 4A state championship at 7 pm Saturday against Wichita Falls Hirschi. They join Graford, Dallas Madison, Lipan and Mansfield Timberview as other DFW area teams in championship games.

Silsbee ends the year at 32-7.

Leading 54-47 at the end of three, Faith Family increased the margin to nine on a pair of free throws by Brandon Walker. Silsbee missed six straight field goals to start the fourth before getting back to back buckets from Dre’Ion Miller and Jerrick Harper to cut the lead to five with 6:17 left in the game.

The Eagles’ scoring drought went almost three minutes when Miller hit two free throws that made it 56-53. Both teams traded scores on back to back possessions with a JT Toppin dunk for Faith Family and a Miller layup for Silsbee that made it 58-55 Eagles with 4:11 remaining.

Faith Family went back up six at 61-55 at the 3:35 mark.

The Eagles’ last 11 points came at the free throw line (11 of 15).

TJ Caldwell led Faith Family with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Toppin and Walker added 15 and 13 points, and Isaiah Jones chipped in 11.

As a team, the Eagles shot 54% (22 of 41) while holding Silsbee to 31% (20 of 64).

Miller led all scorers with 28 points on 9 of 20 shooting, 10 rebounds and three assists.

After Silsbee took a 2-0 lead in the opening period, the Eagles stormed out with the next nine points and a 16-1 run following a Walker layup with 3:15 left in the frame. Faith Family led 20-9 after one.

The Eagles’ largest lead was nine in the second quarter and Silsbee even got as close as 29-27 on a Jared Harris three with 2:08 before half. Faith Family made a strong push late and Caldwell just beat the buzzer for a 39-31 advantage at intermission.

Silsbee again clawed its way back in the third quarter, but never could grab the lead. Miller’s layup in the paint cut the deficit to 48-47 with under 30 seconds left in the period before Caldwell beat the buzzer with a three for a seven-point lead.

This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 3:16 PM.