Previewing DFW Girls Hoops State Semis
6A
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W8 South Grand Prairie (25-2) vs. W11 DeSoto (26-2)
4 p.m. @ Prosper High School
It's an early-season rematch between these two for the right to go to the State Championship next week in San Antonio. The first game being a 53-22 win for DeSoto in mid-November. South Grand Prairie - the state's No. 4-ranked 6A team - is on a 20-game win streak that includes a perfect district record. In the playoffs, SGP has won its playoff games by an average of 27 points, including a 67-point win in the first round over Lake Highlands. DeSoto is on a six-game win streak and probably would have been an 18-game win streak had it not been for a forfeit to Cedar Hill in early February. Still, No. 2-ranked DeSoto has been playing lights out in the playoffs, holding opponents to an average of just 29.4 points per game, including knocking off district-rival and the No. 3-ranked team in the state, Duncanville, 52-39 in the Regional Finals.
5A
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W4 Lubbock Cooper (28-3) vs. T9 Frisco Liberty (21-8)
4 p.m. Saturday @ St. Mary's University (San Antonio)
With the big target on its back to open the year, Frisco Liberty had a quasi-tough start to the year. Liberty started 2-4 in non-district play against some of the top schools in the state, and then started district play 3-3 before ending the regular season 9-1. It's been all about defense for Liberty during that 9-1 stretch plus the playoffs. Only one team has cracked 40 points against Liberty's defense, which was the overtime loss to Lone Star. In the playoffs, Liberty is giving up a stingy 28 points per game. Lubbock Cooper, the No. 8-ranked team in 5A, enters on a 15-game win streak and has won its playoff games by an average of 22.2 points per game.
4A
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W4 Canyon (28-1) vs. R12 Dallas Pinkston (27-5)
2:30 p.m. Saturday @ Angelo State (San Angelo)
In another state-ranked matchup, No. 23 Dallas Pinkston enters on fire having won eight straight including knocking off two consecutive state-ranked teams to get to the semifinals. Pinkston held off Brownsboro a week ago and then pulled away late to down Gilmer a few days later. Pinkston has played relatively close games throughout the playoffs from the Area Round, winning the last four games by 11, 9, 1 and 7 points, respectively. Canyon has only lost once this season, way back in mid-November to Lubbock Cooper, and has rattled off 26 straight since then. The No. 2-ranked team in 4A has used its stingy defense to get through the playoffs, holding opponents to 28 points per game.
3A
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W3 Brownfield (28-1) vs. W10 Ponder (29-3)
10 a.m. Saturday @ Angelo State (San Angelo)
Ponder is in the state tournament for the first time since 1998 after knocking on 9th-ranked Gunter last time out. Ponder is the state's 4th-ranked team and has won 14 straight after dropping its last non-district matchup of the season to Bridgeport. Ponder opened the playoffs with a 90-point and has won its last four playoff games by an average of 13 points per game - the closest being a 7-point win over Winnsboro a week ago in the Regional Semifinals. Brownfield, ranked No. 4 in the state, has rolled through its last 19 opponents. In the playoffs, Brownfield has knocked off three ranked teams in Idalou, Peaster and No. 1-ranked Shallowater - the last two being the last two rounds Brownfield has played.
Previewing DFW Boys Hoops Regional Finals
6A Region I
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W7 Richardson (25-1) vs. T7 Dallas Jesuit (21-6)
7 p.m. @ Loos Field House (Dallas)
For the third time this year, state-ranked Richardson (No. 3 in TABC rankings) meets Dallas Jesuit, which is riding a Cinderella run to get to this point. One sports adage is that it's hard to beat a team three times in one year, and in a span of 10 days in early-to-mid January, Richardson had a tough time getting past Jesuit, winning by a combined 5 points in those previous meetings. Richardson's lone loss on the year was a 3-point setback to Waxahachie and has rattled off 23 straight since, including winning its playoff games by an average of 20.3 points per game. For Jesuit, it's the second time in three games to meet a district opponent, beating Lake Highlands two games ago.
6A Region II
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W11 Waxahachie (20-2) vs. R11 Duncanville (26-1)
7 p.m. Friday @ Waxahachie High School
The first meeting was an overtime classic was No. 1-ranked Waxahachie earned the road win over Duncanville, which has been the only its only blemish on the year. Waxahachie was hit with shutting down the program for two weeks due to the coronavirus before finishing the regular season with a win over DeSoto before the start of the playoffs. Both teams are coming off big wins in the Regional Semifinals with Waxhachie winning by 34 over Cypress Woods and Duncanville beating Cypress Park by 28. Since that loss to Waxahachie, Duncanville's closest game was the 10-point over Sachse in the Area Round.
5A Region I
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W3 Amarillo (23-3) vs. R8 Mansfield Summit (24-4)
7 p.m. Friday @ DL Ligon Coliseum (Wichita Falls)
Mansfield Summit is a bit of the surprise team out of District 8-5A. Over the course of the past few years, we've grown accustomed to Timberview being at this point. But after dominating Timberview in the Regional Semifinals, Amarillo is now on deck for Summit, which is on a six-game win streak that includes a forfeit and winning the third meeting over another district mate, Mansfield Legacy, two rounds ago. Amarillo is on a 5-game win streak and has only lost once since the turn of the calendar.
5A Region II
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W12 Lancaster (26-4) vs. R12 Dallas Kimball (16-10)
7:30 p.m. Friday @ Forney High School
It's the third inter-district Regional Final on our ledger, and it's the third meeting between Lancaster and Dallas Kimball this season. In the first meeting, Lancaster cruised to a 24-point win while the second meeting a month later was a much closer, six-point contest. Lancaster is on a roll, having won 25 straight games to this point. In the playoffs, Lancaster won its first three playoff games by an average of 28.7 points but then found itself in a tough matchup with Mt. Pleasant, winning by two. Kimball's last loss was against Lancaster in early February and has won its playoff games by an average of 8.5 points.
4A Region I
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W7 Argyle (27-1) vs. W2 Seminole (23-6)
3 p.m. Saturday @ Clyde HS (Clyde)
Argyle has simply been a roll since its 52-43 setback against Highland Park on November 23. That's 24 straight wins by Argyle since that point, including a perfect district mark that saw it win those games by an average of 37.1 points per game, according to the MaxPreps schedule. That impressive streak has continued in the playoffs as Argyle has won by 38, 20, 9 and 17 in the first four rounds, respectively. Not to be dismissed, Seminole enters on its own 17-game win streak and has won its playoff games by an average of 26.5 points per game.
4A Region II
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W12 Dallas Carter (26-1) vs. W10 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy (24-5)
7 p.m. Friday @ Grand Prairie High School
Something will have to give in this 4A matchup as Carter and Oak Cliff FFA both enter riding double-digit win streaks that encompassed undefeated district slates and completely dominating the playoffs so far. Carter owns a 22-game win streak and hasn't played a game within 10 points since February 6 against Dallas Pinkston. Carter has won its playoff games by 30, 50, 25 and 19, respectively. FFA has a 16-game win streak and hasn't played a remotely close game since a 7-point win over Fort Worthy Wyatt at the end of December. It's playoff wins have been by an average of 26.5 points.
3A Region I
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W8 Brock (28-3) vs. W2 Shallowater (23-3)
6 p.m. Friday @ Junell Center (San Angelo)
It's a matchup of two, 3-loss teams in this 3A Regional Final as Brock enters on a 5-game win streak and winners of 20 of its last 21 games. Brock is coming off a big win over Abernathy in the previous round, winning by 42 after a closer game against Wichita Falls City View. Brock finished 14-1 in district play, losing the front-end of a back-to-back with Peaster just before the playoffs started, according to the MaxPreps schedule. Shallowater is on a 16-game win streak, including knocking out Peaster in the last round by 15 points.
1A Region III
Graphic by Stephen Peters
W22 Slidell (27-3) vs. W21 Graford (23-2)
7 p.m. Friday @ Bridgeport High School
For the third straight year, it's another deep playoff trip for Slidell, which after ending a 76-year drought in 2019, is knocking on the door of another state tournament appearance. Slidell made it last year to the State Semis before things shut down for the rest of the year. Now, Slidell is a win away from getting back there as it heads into its matchup with Graford with a 17-game win streak that started after an 11-point setback to Kennedale near the end of December. Slidell has only played in three games this year decided nine points or less.
ONE FOR THE ROAD: 3A Regional Semifinals
W9 Dallas Madison (21-5) vs. W14 Atlanta (19-4)
8 p.m. Friday @ Athens High School
While not technically a Regional Final, Dallas Madison has the potential for back-to-back gamedays - the first being a Regional Semifinal against Atlanta. Dallas Madison is on a 17-game win streak, which includes winnings its first three playoff games by an average of 22.3 points per game. A win Friday night for Dallas Madison will bring up a Saturday evening matchup between the winner of Paris Chisum and Tatum.