GAMES
RANKINGS
3 Interesting DFW Hoops Storylines That Remain
As the playoffs roll right along, it's always interesting to see how things unfold. As the case with most sports, matchups are key. Simply put, you cannot look at a record and decide that team has the decided advantage over the other.
With the conclusion of Wednesday night's games, there are a number of interesting situations unfolding. We'll take a look at three of them here ahead of Thursday night's action, which could completely render this article moot by the end of the night.
[insert shrug emoji]
Here we go.
Frisco Liberty Won't Quit
After winning it all in 2019-20, Frisco Liberty has received the best from each of its opponents this year. Frisco Liberty climbed the mountain for the first time in its program's history after falling in the state finals the year before and in 2015-16.
Despite a solid 13-4 record in 9-5A play, the defending 5A state champs only got to third in the district standings, a half-game better than Frisco Centennial.
Still, Frisco Liberty has shown its championship mettle as it one of two schools in classes 6A-3A to be a third-place team in the Regional Semifinals round and is the only 9-5A team remaining after beating district mate Frisco Memorial in the Regional Quarterfinals as well as Frisco Lone Star falling to Wylie East.
SGPs Flying High
Year-in and year-out the Duncanvilles, DeSotos and Mansfield Timberviews - both boys and girls teams - make great runs through the playoffs. This little corner of the internet is directed at the great seasons both South Grand Prairie teams are having this year.
First off, the girls squad is in the Regional Quarterfinals for the first time since 2018-19 after it took down state power Plano. The team has rattled off 18 straight wins since it suffered a 61-37 setback to begin the month of December - three whole months without a loss.
Not to be outdone, the boys team remains the only undefeated team in the state after it advanced to the Regional Quarterfinals with a big win over Denton Braswell. The win sets up a highly-anticipated matchup between state-ranked teams in #3 Richardson (23-1) and #4 South Grand Prairie (21-0).
Between the two squads, SGP basketball is 44-2 this season.
3's Company
One of my favorite things to see is to how well a collective district does once it gets into the playoffs. Some are generally stronger than others, but as it usually goes in the playoffs, not all district mates can advance - somebody's gotta lose.
In the boys space, there are two districts in 5A that have three squads remaining that have advanced to the Regional Quarterfinals.
In 8-5A, Mansfield Timberview, Mansfield Legacy and Mansfield Summit all moved on at the expense of the 6-5A teams. In 12-5A, Lancaster, Dallas South Oak Cliff and Dallas Kimball all took out the 9-5A teams.
On the horizon for whatever shakes out on Thursday, 11-6A could have the same thing if Waxahachie beats Rockwall and Mansfield downs Garland.
As an aside, if Mansfield does win, all four Mansfield ISD schools would still be in the playoffs, and that's a pretty rare feat, especially three rounds deep across two classifications.
DFW Boys Hoops: Area Round (Updated)
[UPDATED: 5:36 a.m. Friday, February 26]
Just like the girls playoff schedule, the boys schedule is a bit out of sync across the state thanks to the winter storm that blew through last week.
In some areas of the state, teams have already advanced to the third round while most of the state is waiting to play the Area Round, including some Metroplex teams that were just able to play their Bi-District games earlier this week.
The Area Round is about to get underway, and here are the matchups featuring DFW teams.
6A
Region I
W4 Byron Nelson 64, T2 Abilene 48
W3 North Crowley 39, R2 Odessa Permian 38
W8 South Grand Prairie 70, R5 Denton Braswell 47
W7 Richardson 63, R6 Flower Mound Marcus 42
W2 Wolfforth Frenship 62, T4 Northwest Easton 53
W1 El Paso Americas 49, T3 Euless Trinity 25
R7 Richardson Lake Highlands 53, W6 Coppell 50
T7 Dallas Jesuit 64, W5 McKinney 60
Region II
W12 Killeen Ellison 78, R9 Garland Naaman Forest 48
W11 Waxahachie 74, R10 Rockwall 62
R11 Duncanville 61, F9 Garland Sachse 51
T11 Mansfield 62, W9 Garland 56
5A
Region I
W8 Mansfield Timberview 48, T6 Birdville 37
W7 Fort Worth Wyatt 59, R6 Denton Ryan 44
T8 Mansfield Legacy 76, W6 Richland 44
R8 Mansfield Summit 61, F6 Grapevine 45
Region II
W12 Lancaster 78, R9 Frisco Heritage 58
W11 Carrollton Smith 50, R10 McKinney North 43
W16 Huntsville 91, R13 North Forney 82
T12 Dallas South Oak Cliff 46, W10 Lucas Lovejoy 44
R12 Dallas Kimball 69, W9 Frisco Wakeland 63
W14 Midlothian 44, R15 Sulphur Springs 36
W13 Highland Park 57, T15 Longview 52
4A
Region I
W8 Fort Worth Young Men's Leadership Academy 89, R5 Burkburnett 74
W7 Argyle 65, R6 Lampasas 45
R7 Decatur 47, W6 Glen Rose 35
R8 Fort Worth Dunbar 64, W5 Wichita Falls Hirschi 62
Region II
W12 Dallas Carter 91, R9 Anna 41
F12 Dallas Pinkston 71, R10 Carrollton Ranchview 56
W10 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy 67, T12 Dallas Hutchins 41
W9 Van Alstyne 74, R12 Dallas Lincoln 67
W13 Kaufman 47, R16 Tyler Chapel Hill 38
3A
Region I
W8 Brock 47, T6 Tuscola Jim Ned 29
1A
Region III
W22 Slidell vs. R23 Dodd City - 2/25 @ 7:30 p.m.