WHERE: Alamodome -- San Antonio, TX
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BRENNAN BEARS
Star power has rarely been lacking at Brennan in recent memory—just look at 2025 graduate Kingston Flemings, who is going ballistic at Houston and is already drawing NBA Draft buzz. Tenured head coach Koty Cowgill has seen his team reach the State Final Four in three of the past four seasons.
Yet the championship game had long eluded the Northside ISD heavyweight…until this past Tuesday. The Bears edged Atascocita in a truly epic back-and-forth affair, fending off a late comeback to secure a 63-61 victory and punch the program’s ticket to its first-ever UIL State Final. Now, the question becomes: can Brennan (33-3) seal the deal?
UTEP-bound guard Donovan Criss continues to serve as the most prominent weapon in Cowgill’s arsenal, as the 6-foot-6 senior is averaging nearly 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists per contest. Fellow senior and three-star collegiate prospect Isaiah Ward brings a similar frame and finishing touch, chipping in 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game.
Meanwhile, standing just shy of 7 feet, senior center Delano Tarpley—another future UTEP Miner—is just as adept at scoring (10 ppg) as he is at cleaning the glass (8 rpg). Sean Mondragon (Sr. G) and Jacob Padilla (Jr. PG) round out Brennan’s formidable lineup, a group now on the precipice of history.
NORTH CROWLEY PANTHERS
Boasting an equally impressive 34-3 record, NoCro enters the title matchup on the heels of an exceedingly dominant 72-55 victory over Allen in last week’s Region I Final, before outlasting Duncanville 52-49 on Tuesday night. Making just their second appearance in the title game, head coach Tommy Brakel and the Panthers now have another state trophy within reach, aiming to add to the one captured in 2008.
When it comes to talent, the pool runs deep at North Crowley. Senior wing Jonathan Fox delivered what many are calling the “dunk of the year” off a perfect lob from junior point guard Isaak Hayes earlier in the postseason. Hayes serves as the undeniable engine behind the Panthers’ offense, orchestrating a system that also features the steady contributions of Trey Hall (Sr. W) and Alex Barther II (Sr. SF).
By Allison Ling
By Allison Ling
