5A, 6A regionals boast five area boys teams ready to stake claim for state
UIL boys basketball teams seek regional tournament championships this weekend and a berth in the state tournament next week at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
New champions will be crowned in 6A and 5A with last year’s champs DeSoto and Lancaster eliminated. Only one team from last year’s 6A and 5A state semifinals – Humble Atascocita – remains in the hunt.
Class 6A Keller is making its first regional appearance, while 5A Fort Worth Eastern Hills and Justin Northwest are making return trips after nearly 25 years away.
Among Star-Telegram area teams, five are playing in the two largest classifications, while 5A Waxahachie, 4A Midlothian Heritage, 4A Waxahahcie Life and 3A Brock also remain in contention.
Class 6A Region I
Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center, Fort Worth
Friday semifinals: Keller (30-2) vs. Allen (29-6), 6 p.m.; Arlington Bowie (27-10) vs. Killeen Ellison (28-7), 8 p.m.
Final: 1 p.m. Saturday
Keller: The Indians finished the season No. 13 in the state poll, and knocked off North Crowley 66-51 in the quarterfinals to advance to their first regional tournament in program history. Senior guard R.J. Nembhard, a TCU signee, has scored 26, 36 and 32 points through three playoff wins.
Allen: The Eagles upset No. 17 Killeen Shoemaker 69-58 to reach their third regional tournament in past four years. Allen has scored the most points in the region this season – 2,621 – for an average of 74.5 points per game.
Bowie: The Volunteers make it back to the tournament for the first time since 2014 after beating No. 18 El Paso Americas 48-42. Junior guard Kyler Edwards scored a game-high 22 points. Freshman forward Cade Cunningham added 17.
Ellison: After winning just 15 games last season, the Eagles won their 28th by eliminating Duncanville 63-56 to advance to the program’s first regional tournament since 2004.
Class 5A Region I
Western Texas College, Snyder
Friday semifinals: FW Eastern Hills (21-7) vs. EP Burges (27-4), 4 p.m.; Justin Northwest (31-5) vs. EP Andress (27-6), 6 p.m.
Final: 2 p.m. Saturday
Eastern Hills: Last season the Highlanders won just five games, including one in district, last season. This season Eastern Hills finished as 8-5A champions and returns to the tournament for the first time since 1993. The Highlanders have won 13 straight and allow 52.5 points per game.
Burges: The Mustangs make it back-to-back trips to Snyder. Burges comes in averaging 79.3 points, and has three players averaging 17 or more points: junior Jawaun Newton (25.9), sophomore Tristen Newton (21.9) and senior Deion Bauman (17.8).
Northwest: The Texans beat Birdville 76-58 to get to their first regional tournament since going in 1993 and 1994. Sophomore guard Avery Anderson scored 34 points in the quarterfinals and has averaged 25.3 points in the postseason.
Andress: Like Burges, the 1-5A champion Eagles are making the tournament for a second-straight year. Ranked No. 8, Andress has won 16 in a row and averages 65 points this season.
Class 5A Region II
Culwell Center, Garland
Friday semifinals: Mansfield Timberview (28-7) vs. Highland Park (25-9), 6 p.m.; Waxahachie (28-6) vs. West Mesquite (25-9), 7:30 p.m.
Final: 1 p.m. Saturday
Timberview: The No. 7 Wolves dethroned two-time defending champion Lancaster 76-52 in the quarterfinals. Senior guard Tim Johnson has scored 26, 30 and 21 points in three playoff wins. Junior forward Isaac Likekele is averaging 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists over the past two games.
Highland Park: The Scots are back to the tournament for the first time since 2008 after beating McKinney North 47-44. Highland Park has won 14 consecutive games, five by five points or fewer.
Waxahachie: The No. 3 Indians won the 10-5A title and are on an 18-game winning streak. Waxahachie, which hadn’t been in the playoffs since 2011, last made the regional tournament in 2004. The Indians are averaging 74 points in the playoffs.
West Mesquite: It’s the fourth trip to the regional tournament in seven seasons for the Wranglers, who are riding a nine-game win streak and averaging 70 points per game this season.
This story was originally published March 2, 2017 at 5:22 PM with the headline "5A, 6A regionals boast five area boys teams ready to stake claim for state."