Girls basketball state semifinal Fast Break: Decatur prevails, Brock falls

Welcome to The Fast Break, a Star-Telegram series featuring the top Fort Worth-area high school basketball news, performances and results from the UIL girls basketball state semifinals.

No. 1 Decatur cruises into state title game

Decatur led by double digits in the first quarter and then coasted to a 78-59 win over Prosper Richland in a Class 4A Division I state semifinal on Tuesday night at Denton High School.

The Eagles (36-4), No. 1 in the 4A rankings according to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, extended their winning streak 24 games.

Decatur looks to defend its 4A D1 title in a rematch against No. 7 Waco La Vega (28-11), which knocked off San Antonio Davenport 62-33 on Tuesday night. The two teams will play for the 4A D1 title at 5 p.m. on Friday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Decatur beat La Vega 53-41 last year to win the program’s first state championship. Last season marked Decatur’s first trip to the state semifinals in 64 years.

Against Richland, Decatur scored nine of the first 11 points and then led 16-6 with 2:11 left in the opening period. Sayler Peck hit a jumper just inside the arc that pushed the lead to 20-8 a minute later.

Oklahoma State signee Bralyn Peck, last year’s state championship game MVP, scored on an offensive put back and Decatur led 37-28 at the intermission. The lead was as much as 17 in the third quarter following a three-point play from Bralyn Peck, who scored a game-high 22 points.

Three other players scored in double figures for the Eagles: Style Brazile with 18 followed by Laken Coffman (15) and Sayler Peck (12).

Richland finishes at 35-5, reaching the state semifinals in the Raiders inaugural season.

No. 5 Dallas Lincoln too much for No. 3 Brock

Lanae Dallas made 4 three-pointers in the first quarter on her way to a game-high 17 points as Dallas Lincoln’s defense stymied Brock 46-26 in a Class 4A Division II state semifinal on Tuesday night at Mansfield Legacy High School.

Brock, No. 3 in the 4A state rankings according to the TABC, ends the season 31-6 with its first state semifinal appearance since 2018. No. 5 Lincoln (28-8) looks to defend its 4A D2 state championship against No. 11 Fredericksburg (31-8), which beat No. 6 Bridge City 49-45 on Tuesday night.

The championship game is at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Lincoln defeated Cuero 60-32 in last year’s title game.

Jacee Riddle gave Brock an early 5-3 lead with one of the Eagles’ 3 three-pointers in the game. But Lincoln answered when Dallas hit a three that started up a 7-0 run.

The Tigers led 20-11 after the opening period and then their defense took it to another level by holding Brock to three points in each of the second and third quarters. Lincoln led 28-14 at the break and 34-17 after three.

Old Dominion signee A.J. Elder and Jada Patterson scored eight points apiece for Lincoln. A win on Friday will give the Tigers back-to-back state titles for the first time and their fifth overall.

Laney Hudson led Brock with 12 points.

No. 5 Argyle downs Frisco Memorial to reach title game

Landry Murphy poured in 17 points and put forth a stellar defensive effort to lead Argyle to a 52-41 win over Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal at Flower Mound High School.

Argyle (33-5), No. 5 in the TABC’s Class 5A state poll, will be seeking its 7th state title in 9 state championship game appearances when the Eagles meet No. 6 Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill (37-3) at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Argyle lost to Brownsboro in the 2022 Class 4A state semifinals, before the state tournament format was changed. Memorial’s season ends at 28-10.

Click here for a complete list of girls state semifinal scores