Day 2: Texas high school girls basketball state championships. Which schools won titles?
Day two of the Texas high school girls basketball UIL state championships is underway.
Check back for coverage of the Class 4A and 3A state championship games on Friday, Feb. 28 at the Alamodome.
Decatur claims state title, ends La Vega Dynasty
Waco La Vega was looking for a championship three-peat in the Class 4A Divison I state title game.
On the other hand, Decatur was looking for its first state title in program history in its first state appearance since the 1961 season. From the start, the Eagles showcased superior efficiency and defense and continued to secure a 53-41 victory.
Freshman guard Style Brazile said the joy of hearing the buzzer sound and winning a state title was indescribable.
“There are really no words to describe it,” Brazile said. “You just think of all the hard work and all the summer workouts. Everyone going up there and shooting. All the work we put in — it finally paid off. And (the buzzer sounding) was just the best feeling you could possibly feel.”
Decatur coach Drew Coffman said he is extremely proud of his team.
“Our thing that we preach on a daily basis is toughness and family, and I think that was evident tonight,” Coffman said.
In the first half, Decatur thrived with a patient offense that consistently found interior scoring opportunities. The Eagles took a 25-16 lead into the third quarter while shooting 61% from the field and holding La Vega (33-7) to 16%.
Toward the end of the third quarter, Decatur (36-2) started to let La Vega back into the game and held a seven-point lead.
“We didn’t expect them to just go away,” Coffman said. “They’re a two-time defending state champion. We talked about it before the game — they’re going to make runs. This is part of it. We had to weather the storm.”
With the Pirates mounting a comeback, Coffman passionately urged his team on, delivering a much-needed wake-up call in the huddle by telling his team he knew they could perform better. The Eagles responded by seizing back the momentum.
“They took that tough love, and like they do quite often, ran with it,” Coffman said. “... I tell them all the time — you can’t make it in our program if you’re not tough. ... These kids are tough as nails.”
He was right, and the “tough love” worked to Decatur’s benefit. The Eagle offense came back to life with a boost of confidence and ended the third frame with three field goals in the final minute. The Eagles maintained a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.
Decatur’s efficiency was its strong point; the Eagles shot 50% from the field while the Pirates were held to 23%. La Vega was able to grab 21 offensive rebounds, but Decatur’s strong interior defense limited the damage.
“We have selfless kids that really care about each other and playing the game the right way, and we preach it on a daily basis,” Coffman said. “We don’t put the ball in one kid’s hand and say ‘go score.’ We don’t play that way.”
Junior Bralyn Peck led the way in an MVP performance with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Another key contributor was freshman Sayler Peck, who scored 13 points and tallied nine rebounds; the duo combined to shoot 11-18 from the field.
Decatur has a younger squad, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by watching them play. Coffman said it’s unlike any group he has ever coached.
“I’ve done this for a long time,” Coffman said. “These kids love each other. These kids care about each other.”
Kountze breaks away early, defeats Paradise to win title
In the Class 3A Division II state championship to open the day, Paradise (27-11) looked to topple No. 5 Kountze (32-3) in its first state championship appearance in program history.
Paradise entered the title game with confidence off the heels of a stellar 42-40 victory over No. 11 Idalou. The Panthers had a strong start, taking an early 7-6 lead, but Kountze responded with a 13-0 run to take full control en route to a 69-40 victory.
As an unranked underdog, Paradise wasn’t expected to make it to a state title game. The Panthers lost their ranking midseason but gradually improved into one of the best 3A teams in Texas, proving that a ranking is “just a number.”
Despite the loss, the Panthers still end their season with the best playoff run in program history.
“There is more to come,” Paradise senior guard Gazey Yates said. “We’ve got girls coming up, and we’ve set the bar high. We can’t come out of that game and be upset with it — our school has never been that far. Honestly, it’s a blessing.”
The Panthers put an emphasis on playing hard no matter what, even if you’re trailing by 30 points in a championship game.
“We’re going to do what we do,” head coach Michael Barnes said. “We’re going to continue to play hard, and we’re going to continue to get better. ... I’m extremely blessed to be with this group of girls here.”
Kountze, a program with seven state semifinal appearances since 1972, claimed its first state championship in its first state appearance since the 2006 season. The Lionettes held the Panthers to 24% from the field while shooting 8 of 22 (36%) from the three-point line.
Paradise’s defense settled in during the third quarter, but the Lionettes had already established a sizable 43-19 lead.
The big difference was the turnover battle. Kountze forced 30 TOs and allowed 15. The Lionettes scored 28 points off of turnovers, making up for Paradise outrebounding them 50-38.
Paradise also finished 2-15 from beyond the arc, which Barnes said was uncharacteristic of the squad.
Dallas Lincoln cruises past Cuero, puts Dallas ISD back on top
Dallas Lincoln (39-2) was the better team from the star and cruised to a 60-32 victory over Cuero (33-7) to win the Class 4A Division II state championship. Its the first title for the Tigers since 2008 and the fourth overall.
Junior guard Ar’jayla Elder led the way with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. Freshman Lanae Dallas and senior Grace Spencer were also key contributors with 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Lincoln took a dominant 31-11 lead into the halftime break after holding Cuero to just three points in the second quarter. The Lincoln Tigers kept their foot on the gas, increasing their lead the rest of the way.
Lincoln’s win gives Dallas ISD its first girls basketball state title since Lincoln’s last championship in 2008, which ends an 16-year drought.
Fairfield takes down Tuscola Jim Ned to claim 3A D1 title
Fairfield (33-6) entered the Class 3A Division I state championship looking to claim the program’s third state championship since the 2020 season.
The Eagles accomplished their goal, defeating Tuscola Jim Ned 50-44 after trailing 21-15 at the half. Fairfield was led by junior guard Blayk Brackens, who scored a team high 17 points. Senior Jaci Abram and sophomore Jacelynn Schmidt were also key contributors — both scored 12 points.
The game came down to efficiency. Fairfield shot 41% from the field while holding Jim Ned to 27%. The Indians outrebounded Fairfield and had better perimeter shooting, but a strong interior offensive presence gave the Eagles a slight advantage.
This story was originally published February 28, 2025 at 12:46 PM.
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