2020 Texas State Tournament Preview

 
   
700pm:  College Station v Frisco Liberty  |  830pm: SA Veteran’s Memorial v Timberview
 
College Station: They beat Cedar Park in OT to get to San Antonio. They are athletic and do a good job of pressuring the ball to create turnovers and disrupt opponents. Junior Na’layjah Johnson hit four three pointers in the Regional Final including the shot from the top of the key to send things into OT. 
 
Frisco Liberty: Let’s make something really clear: Ross Reedy can flat out COACH and he has been here before. This team knows how to execute and they value good shots and possession of the basketball. They had to go to 3OT to beat Midlothian in the Regional Final. Sophomore Jazzy Owens-Barnett leads the way for Liberty. She is the #14 sophomore in our Texas 2022 Class. 
 
SA Veteran’s Memorial: Head Coach Christina Camacho has been here before – with both SA Wagner and her Veteran’s Memorial squad. Texas A&M bound Sahara Jones is their best player .. and she is very good. She is the #48 ranked player in our National 2020 Class. Senior Brenna Perez is headed to the University of the Incarnate Word and fills many roles for her team. 
 
Timberview: Kit Kyle has also been here before…are we seeing a pattern? This team graduated five seniors that all went on to play at the D1 level, yet here they are again. Senior Destiny Burton is averaging near a double-double and sophomore Desiree Wooten (#8 in PBR Texas 2022, #67 in National 2022) has made a serious name for herself this season. 
 
   
130pm:  Fairfield vs Dallas Lincoln  |   Argyle vs Fredericksburg
 
In checking the UIL website ( HERE) this is Lincoln’s 15 ^th trip to the State Tournament. They are led in scoring by guard Alexis Brown. Interesting fact, Coach Darrin Samuels replaced Coach LaJeanna Howard who has taken her Duncanville squad to State this year in 6A. Lincoln was in San Antonio last year as well.
 
Fairfield beat what many would call the favorite in their region, Hardin-Jefferson, in the Regional Final, 54-50. This is their second trip to the State Tournament in history. We hear that 2023 McKinna Brackens hit the game clinching free throws late for them to advance to San Antonio. 
 
Argyle. Take a minute to think about this: They are here to try to win their SIXTH State Championship in a row. SIX. Head Coach Chance Westmoreland took over a program in 2017 that had experienced much success (under Skip Townsend and led by current Wade Trophy watch list player in Oklahoma State’s Vivian Gray) and they haven’t missed a beat. SMU bound Rhyle McKinney does things that are jaw dropping and must-see in terms of consistency. This team knows how to execute a game plan and they deliver in clutch situations as we saw at our December  SHE GOT GAME Classic – DALLAS event: an OT buzzer beater over visiting Bishop Ireton from Virginia. 
 
Fredericksburg has four State Tournament appearances in their history, but this is their first since 1995. They may have the most unique mascot in that they are the “Battlin Billies”. They defeated Lampasas, El Campo, Liberty Hill (McDonald’s All-American and current Oregon red shirt freshman Sedona Prince’s alma mater), Devine, and Salado to get to San Antonio. 
 
   
700pm:  Cy Creek v McKinney | 830pm:  Duncanville v Converse Judson
 
Cy Creek: Head Coach Jennifer Alexander has her squad rolling, and they are 40-0. They won the coveted  Mansfield Spring Creek Invitational Championship after Christmas. This year’s team is more balanced and they have invested in the defensive end more. However, let’s not forget what makes this engine run: Arguably the best 2021 backcourt in the country, Rori Harmon (PBR #1 in Texas 2021 / #18 in National 2021) and Kendall Hunter (PBR #2 in Texas / #23 in National 2021) are the catalysts to the tempo for Cy Creek. 
 
Quite simply, they are a hard team with which to keep up. On paper, they are the favorite going into the weekend for the 6A crown. 
 
McKinney: Debbie Harris has done an outstanding job with this team. They have taken turns with injuries throughout the season, but they have held together, and that is the key: together. This team compliments each other very well and it gives them an edge of toughness as they compete. Senior PG Erin Fry is headed to Regis University and Senior do-it-all player Nic Porter is headed to Ranger College. Junior Trinity White is a sniper from the outside. This team challenged themselves with a tough schedule starting with the  Austin Bowie BeYOUtiful Classic in November, to the  SHE GOT GAME Classic – DALLAS in December (in which they defeated Colorado reigning 5A State Champion Cherry Creek), and on to the  Mansfield Spring Creek Invitational after Christmas. 
 
Duncanville: This is Duncanville’s 26 ^th State Tournament appearance, but first with first year Head Coach LaJeanna Howard (a DVille alum). Taking over for a legend (Cathy Self-Morgan) is not easy, but Howard not only welcomed it, she grabbed it, embraced it, and has made her mark from day one. She made it her mission to schedule strongly. They entered the  Austin Bowie BeYOUtiful Classic (and won it), the  Allen Lady Eagle Hoopfest (lost in the championship to SGP), the  Thanksgiving Hoopfest vs nationally touted Sierra Canyon (dropped that one), the  SHE GOT GAME Classic – DALLAS vs nationally touted Bishop McNamara of MD (won in a thriller), and defended their turf in the  Sandra Meadows Classic for the championship. 
 
McDonald’s All-American and UNC bound Deja Kelly (PBR #3 in Texas 2020 / #19 in National 2020) leads the way. Highly touted junior guard Nyah Wilson (PBR #9 in Texas 2021 / #92 in National 2021) makes an impact on both ends. Watch out for freshman Tristan Taylor (#6 in PBR Texas 2023 / #37 in PBR National 2023)… she is a pest on the defensive end and a poised young PG. By traditional terms DVille is undersized, so Zaria Rufus holds it down inside. Sophomore Laila McLeod began to find her groove late in the season. 
 
Duncanville plays with intensity and energy and it starts on the sidelines. Coaches love to compete too!
 
Judson: Coach Triva Corrales is back! This is Judson’s fourth trip to the State Tournament in a row, and they are the defending 6A Champions. They won a nail biter over Austin Westlake in the Regional Final that displayed one of the most clutch performances in recent memory by Junior Kierra Sanderlin (#8 in PBR Texas 2021 / #81 in PBR National 2021). Senior guard Teanna Huggins breaks down the defense and Sophomore Amira Mabry does all the necessary things for winning inside – she is an emerging player in her class. 
 
Judson enters the gym knowing that they will compete for 32 minutes. You can never count them out because as soon as they lock in to their press, they are bound to make things interesting. Sanderlin has an uncanny and unique playmaking ability… she just gets to spots and can draw fouls with the best of them and then knock down the free throws. She is very hard to stop in transition – especially if she got the defensive board. The pace of the game is huge for Judson. 
 
The most outstanding thing is that it is evident that Coach Corrales really knows her players – when to push buttons, when to let them play through mistakes, when to call the crucial timeout… excellence!
   
In small town Texas basketball, you can expect a few things: execution, team play, and cities that travel to support their schools. Style can vary in these towns; they have a traditional way that they play and they stick to their respective systems. Many of these teams have multi-sport HS stars and they compete and represent their schools with a lot of pride and tradition. We’ve seen names like Lipan, Nazareth, Muenster, Shallowater, and Winnsboro many times before. 
 
 
1A:
Lipan v Chireno |   Nazareth v Veribest
 
*Notable: This is Lipan’s eighth State Tournament appearance and Nazareth’s 29th !!
 
 
2A:
Gruver v Grapeland |   Muenster v Mason
 
*Notable: Gruver has a guard that garnered some attention on the club circuit with Texas U last year in versatile shooter 2022 Bailey Maupin. We currently have her as the #13 prospect in Texas in the class. She has caught our eye at multiple events such as the PBR Super 64 and the Under Armor circuit stops. One thing that is consistent in our evals of Bailey: Skills! 
 
Mason and Grapeland have made it to the State Tournament in back to back years now (19, 20). This is Muenster’s sixth State Tournament appearance.
 
 
3A:
Shallowater v Schulenberg  |   Woodville v Winnsboro
 
Winnsboro is no stranger to the State Tournament. A notable alumnus is Stacey Stephens who played for Premier Basketball’s Joey Simmons and Texas Express (AAU National Champion) before matriculating to the University of Texas and leading them to a Final 4 in 2004. Stephens is currently the Head Coach at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. 
 
This is Winnsboro’s 13 ^th appearance at the State Tournament, Shallowater’s seventh, and Woodville has made back to back appearances now (19, 20). 
 
     
Remember, if you cannot make it to the State Tournament in person, you can stream it live on the  NFHS website. Support these teams in their quest for a Championship! Take a look at what the best look like.