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DeSoto poses with their championship medals following another State Title victory (2022).
Back-to-back: DeSoto adds another State Title to their legacy
It has been the come-back story to watch all season. DeSoto, defending state champions, was ready to get back on the court and show the entire state that the Lady Eagles Legacy was not even close to being over... in fact, it was still only beginning. With a perfect district record (14-0) and only two losses the entire season (35-2), DeSoto took on South Grand Prairie in the UIL 6A Girls Basketball Championship Game and walked away with a 40-23 victory!
With some of the best high school girls basketball athletes the state has possibly ever seen in LSU signee Sa'Myah Smith, Kansas State signees Ja'Mia Harris and Michayla Gatewood, Kentucky signee Tionna Herron, Texas signee Amina Muhammad and more, DeSoto had been set up for success for four years. Despite being riddled with injuries and recovery as Smith, Harris, and Gatewood all suffered ACL injuries, the Lady Eagles proved their resiliency by making it to the state tournament three times over the last four years- two of which resulted in state titles.
"It's been a hard journey to get here. People will talk about this team for the rest of our lives," said head coach Andrea Robinson following Saturday evening's 40-23 victory over South Grand Prairie at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. During the game, it was a team effort that kept South Grand Prairie from being able to do much of anything. With high game IQ, impressive defending, and a talented offense ready to score early and often, the Lady Eagles set the tone and ran with it. SMU signee Jiya Perry and Mississippi signee Ayanna Thompson combined for 16 points to help lead DeSoto to their second state championship victory. "I told them about this game and what we wanted to accomplish," started Robinson. "It was to leave a legacy. These girls brought the first championship now bringing back-to-back and it's an amazing accomplishment."
Harris scored 14 points and recorded four rebounds with two assists while going 6-for-8 from the free throw line before being named the State Championship MVP. "I just got into my game," said Harris after the game. "Seeing Sa'Myah and Tionna weren't able to get buckets, so I just had their back and did what I had to do."
Smith added a nod towards Harris' recovery: "She has worked so hard during this comeback. Nobody knows her journey; nobody knows what she's been through," Smith said after saying how proud she was that Harris was named MVP.
Although the bigger names are graduating and moving onto the next chapters of their basketball careers, there is a wealth of knowledge left trickling down into the DeSoto Lady Eagles' basketball program. Their legacy isn't finished and fans can expect to see greatness continue to arise out of the coming seasons.
Defining a Legacy: DeSoto Lady Eagles look to defend their state title ahead of semifinals matchup
The DeSoto Lady Eagles are ranked No. 1 for a reason- not only are they the defending Class 6A state champions, but they have proven to be nothing short of consistent and dominant on the court throughout every game they have played. In fact, the current senior class has seen 137 games since their freshman year if they made the varsity roster back then. Out of those 137 games, only 14 were losses. VYPEDFW takes a deeper dive into how they have gotten this far and a look-ahead at their semifinal's matchup:
Rewind
DeSoto has made three UIL State appearances (2008, 2019, 2021)- two of which many players on the current roster have been a part of and one of which they claimed the title (2021). Led by Kentucky signee Tionna Herron, Kansas State signee Ja'Mia Harris, LSU signee Sa'Myah Smith, and Texas signee Amina Muhammad, DeSoto posted a 14-0 district record to finish at the top of their district this season. The team's only two losses this season both came against Washington DC's Sidwell Friends during preseason play. For clarity, Sidwell Friends is the top team in the nation.
With the impeccable ability to maintain possession on the court, reduce turnovers, and set the tone during a game, the Lady Eagles have set the bar and the standard for UIL Class 6A women's basketball. In playoffs, DeSoto has defeated Belton, Tyler Legacy, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Tomball, Memorial, and most recently- Duncanville.
The Road Ahead
Heading into Friday's matchup against San Antonio Clark after a big-time win over Duncanville, the Lady Eagles are on an 11-game win-streak. The team will face-off against a tough 35-2 Clark squad who has taken down the likes of Schertz Clemens, San Antonio Johnson, Cibolo Steele, and more. Players to watch from Clark's squad include Natalie Huff, Arianna Roberson, and Aaliyah Roberson. The Robersons each average just over 11 points per game and are quick on their feet while Huff averages over eight points a game.
What To Expect:
Just as anyone would tell you- once you're this far into the playoffs, there is no game that is considered a "cake-walk". Although DeSoto is quick-footed, physical, and dominant on the court they are going to have to channel their usual communication and knowledge of the game in order to shut down Clark. While DeSoto is the clear favorite in the state tournament, the Lady Eagles will have to remain focused and not get ahead of themselves. The ability to keep their head in the game while maintaining a certain swagger, finesse, and confidence is something fans can watch for.
The state semifinal game is set to tip-off at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 4th at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.