Previewing nine Dallas-Fort Worth boys basketball teams at the UIL state tournament
The UIL high school boys basketball state tournament gets underway on Thursday through Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Two more wins and teams will be crowned state champions.
Of the 24 state qualifiers, nine are from the greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Here is a look at each:
CLASS 6A
DUNCANVILLE
6A Region I champ
Semifinal: No. 22 San Antonio Brandeis (33-3), 7 p.m. Friday
Record: 29-5
District: 13-1 in 8-6A
Winning Streak: 6 games
Points Per Game: 69.4
Points Allowed: 50.4
Head Coach: David Peavy
Playoffs: SGP (68-56), Lewisville (86-73), Grand Prairie (66-65), Arlington Bowie (59-44), Odessa Permian (59-43)
State Tournament: 7th appearance (defending champ)
Championships: 4 (1991, 1999, 2007, 2019)
How the Panthers got to state: Erased an 11-point third-quarter deficit against No. 10 Grand Prairie then beat the Gophers in overtime. Then the Panthers took care of both Bowie and Permian at the Region I tournament.
Fun Fact: A state title will give both the boys and girls teams basketball championships in the same year for the first time in the school’s storied history.
WYLIE
6A Region II champ
Semifinal: No. 2 Dickinson (32-5), 8:30 p.m. Friday
State Ranking: N/A
Record: 32-7
District: 14-0 in 10-6A
Winning Streak: 21 games
Points Per Game: 56.7
Points Allowed: 48.6
Head Coach: Stephen Pearce
Playoffs: Plano (55-39), Rockwall (57-56), Waco Midway (48-44), RR Westwood (43-29), Killeen Ellison (50-42)
State Tournament: 1st appearance
Championships: 0 (Regional Quarterfinalist in 2015)
How the Pirates got to state: Edged out Rockwall by a single point in the area round to break a five-year drought to the quarterfinals. Eli Taylor scored a team-high 17 points in the Region II final against Ellison.
Fun Fact: One of two state qualifiers this season (San Saba) that are unranked.
CLASS 5A
MANSFIELD TIMBERVIEW
5A Region I champ
Semifinal: No. 5 San Antonio Wagner (35-5), 7 p.m. Thursday
State Ranking: 16
Record: 29-8
District: 11-3 in 5-5A
Winning Streak: 9 games
Points Per Game: 59.9
Points Allowed: 52.4
Head Coach: Duane Gregory
Playoffs: FW Eastern Hills (58-45), Braswell (40-36), Mansfield Legacy (41-40), Wichita Falls Rider (50-41), Burleson Centennial (64-62)
State Tournament: 4th appearance (defending champ)
Championships: 2 (2017, 2019)
How the Wolves got to state: Rallied back against Legacy in the third round then got 26 points from Joey Madimba as they beat Centennial, which swept Timberview in regular season, during the Region I final in Snyder.
Fun Fact: It’s the third trip to state in four years for the Wolves. No returning starters as they gear up for a state title game rematch in the semifinals on Thursday. Timberview beat Wagner, 77-64 in last year’s 5A final.
LANCASTER
5A Region II champ
Semifinal: No. 2 Missouri City Hightower (33-5), 8:30 p.m. Thursday
State Ranking: 1
Record: 36-1
District: 12-0 in 13-5A
Winning Streak: 34 games
Points Per Game: 80.0
Points Allowed: 49.8
Head Coach: Ferrin Douglas
Playoffs: Cleburne (96-32), Texarkana Texas (84-44), Sulphur Springs (44-38), Highland Park (62-34), Dallas Kimball (90-69)
State Tournament: 7th appearance
Championships: 2 (2015, 2016)
How the Tigers got to state: Wade Taylor scored a game-high 33 points while TCU commit Mike Miles added 26 against Kimball in the Region II final.
Fun Fact: Lancaster has 24 wins of 20 or more points this season including the past two during the Region II tournament. It beat 6A qualifier Dickinson earlier this season, 74-72 in OT.
CLASS 4A
ARGYLE
4A Region I champ
Semifinal: No. 18 Stafford (32-9), 1:30 p.m. Friday
State Ranking: 8
Record: 33-4
District: 5-2 in 8-4A
Winning Streak: 6 games
Points Per Game: 54.7
Points Allowed: 39.4
Head Coach: Russell Perkins
Playoffs: Stephenville (74-43), Snyder (44-28), Krum (45-35), Clint (36-31), Pampa (45-29)
State Tournament: 4th appearance
Championships: 1 (2012)
How the Eagles got to state: Four of the five playoff wins have been by at least 10 points. Averaging 15.6 points per playoff win.
Fun Fact: Argyle lost by two to defending champ Oak Cliff Faith Family in January.
OAK CLIFF FAITH FAMILY
4A Region II champ
Semifinal: No. 1 Houston Yates (26-4), 3 p.m. Friday
State Ranking: 3
Record: 24-13
District: 8-0 in 10-4A
Winning Streak: 15 games
Points Per Game: 60.1
Points Allowed: 52.0
Head Coach: Brandon Thomas
Playoffs: FW Western Hills (105-43), Wilmer-Hutchins (62-60), Dallas Lincoln (61-47), Tyler Chapel Hill (60-49), Paris (56-45)
State Tournament: 2nd appearance (defending champ)
Championships: 1 (2019)
How the Eagles got to state: Edged out Wilmer-Hutchins in the area round before reeling off three straight double digit playoff victories to return to state.
Fun Fact: Faith Family was 9-13 before going on an 15-game winning streak.
CLASS 3A
PEASTER
3A Region I champ
Semifinal: No. 3 San Antonio Cole (32-6), 3 p.m. Thursday
State Ranking: 5
Record: 34-5
District: 13-1 in 7-3A
Winning Streak: 6 games
Points Per Game: 70.0
Points Allowed: 46.2
Head Coach: Bubba Jennings
Playoffs: Nocona (65-43), Early (70-41), Childress (73-37), Abernathy (56-40), Shallowater (52-46)
State Tournament: 4th appearance
Championships: 2 (1999, 2000)
How the Greyhounds got to state: They have six wins over teams in higher classes and two narrow losses to 4A Decatur and 6A North Crowley. Beat No. 9 Shallowater and No. 10 Abernathy in the Region I tournament.
Fun Fact: The Greyhounds went to the state tournament three times in four years from 1999-2002. That was the last time Peaster reached the big dance.
DALLAS MADISON
4A Region II champ
Semifinal: No. 4 Coldspring-Oakhurst (36-4), 1:30 p.m. Thursday
State Ranking: 1
Record: 22-12
District: 10-0 in 11-3A
Winning Streak: 18 games
Points Per Game: 76
Points Allowed: 55.3
Head Coach: Damien Mobley
Playoffs: Alba-Golden (105-63), Gunter (90-49), Mineola (68-53), Jefferson (72-43), Whitesboro (65-54
State Tournament: 15th appearance (defending champ)
Championships: 4 (1997, 2009, 2017, 2019)
How the Trojans got to state: Started the season 5-12 with nine games against 6A/5A teams. Five playoff wins by 27.6 points.
Fun Fact: Went to the Prairie View Interscholastic League state tournament in four straight years (1959-62).
CLASS 1A
SLIDELL
1A Region III champ
Semifinal: No. 8 Jayton (31-3), 10 a.m. Thursday
State Ranking: 5
Record: 30-9
Districtwagner : 12-0 in 22-3A
Winning Streak: 20 games
Points Per Game: 64.9
Points Allowed: 42.1
Head Coach: Casey Pierce
Playoffs: Dodd City (49-28), Saltillo (62-40), Clyde Eula (58-33), Graford (53-47)
State Tournament: 7th appearance (defending champ)
Championships: 3 (1942, 1943, 2019)
How the Greyhounds got to state: Lost to TAPPS state semifinalist Grapevine Faith on Jan. 2 then reeled off 20 wins in a row.
Fun Fact: Slidell, which is 55 miles north of Fort Worth, is 12-3 in neutral site games this season. It beat Jayton, 49-36, in last year’s 1A final.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 1:18 PM.
