The second round of the girls basketball playoffs kicked off Thursday night with some theatrics as well as some blowouts. The rest of the Regional Quarterfinal opponents will be decided on Friday and Saturday.
Dallas Lincoln, Frisco Centennial, Argyle Dominate
Lincoln and Centennial both used suffocating defense and cruised to big wins in their respective Area Round matchups. Lincoln had two players score 21 points on the way to a 50-point win over Fort Worth Benbrook. Centennial jumped out a 37-9 lead on the way to a 30-point win over Carrollton Newman Smith. Argyle, seeking its seventh straight state tournament appearance, cruised to a 24-point win over Snyder. All three teams await their next opponents, which will be decided Friday.
12 Years Later: A Theme
On Tuesday, Lake Dallas won its first playoff game since 2008. A couple days later, it advanced to its first Regional Quarterfinals since then with a comeback win over Mansfield Legacy. Trailing by four after a cold-shooting second half, Lake Dallas rattled off a 7-0 run to close the game in the final minute, thanks in large part to Dorian Norris' double-double.
Lone Star Downs Highland Park
Those two names have invoked a lot of fun memories over the last two years, but on the gridiron. Thursday night had some theatrics as well as a defensive battle through three quarters broke out into an offensive showcase in the fourth with Lone Star topping Highland Park as the two teams combined for 44 of the game's 86 in the frame. It marks the fourth straight year Lone Star advances to the Regional Quarterfinals.
Run it Back
There are a number of high-profile matchups still remaining across the landscape in the Area Round in all classifications. Here are a few to keep an eye out for, including five, 30-plus win teams in action on Friday.
6A
DeSoto and Southlake Carroll meet at Mansfield Legacy for the right to meet No. 1 6A state-ranked Duncanville in the Regional Quarterfinals. DeSoto is ranked No. 2 in the state.
It's a matchup of 6A Top 25 teams with No. 8 Denton Guyer and No. 13 Cedar Hill. It's unfortunate this matchup comes this early, but it happens from time to time when the playoffs roll around. The winner will play the winner of Irving MacArthur and No. 7 South Grand Prairie.
5A
Top 25 teams square off Friday night with No. 5 Mansfield Timberview facing No. 17 Denton Braswell. The winner here will meet The Colony in the Regional Quarterfinals.
In Kaufman, No. 15 Royse City will meet Midlothian and will meet the winner of North Forney and Jacksonville.
4A
It's another Top 25 matchup as No. 22 Kennedale meets No. 15 Dallas Pinkston on Friday night. The winner will play whomever comes out of the Melissa and Carrollton Ranchview matchup.
