Down go the champs! DeSoto holds Duncanville to fewest points in 7 years during win
DeSoto girls basketball coach Andrea Robinson knew that it would be tough for her second-ranked Eagles to beat No. 3 Duncanville for a third time this season.
So when the two, both representing District 11-6A, met for the Class 6A Region 2 championship on Tuesday night they did not disappoint.
The game was close throughout, but DeSoto eased away at the end for a 52-39 win over the Panthers in a clash of titans at Waxahachie HS, knocking off the defending 6A state champ.
DeSoto held Duncanville to its fewest points in a game since Nov. 11, 2014.
“That program is solid and a championship quality program,” said Robinson. “It’s years of greatness over there and it’s extremely hard to beat them once and it’s an accomplishment whenever you do.”
Duncanville (28-3), which only had two turnovers Tuesday night, was able to solve every other team on its scheduled except DeSoto. The Eagles won 62-55 on the road Dec. 12 and 69-60 on Jan. 23 at home.
DeSoto (26-2), which earns a state berth for a second time in three years, only lost once on the court to out-of-state Oklahoma City Classen SAS, 50-46. The Eagles were forced to forfeit a district game against Cedar Hill for disciplinary reasons.
After a three-pointer by Duncanville’s Tristen Taylor tied the score at seven with 3:13 left in the first quarter, DeSoto had a chance to pull away early, but wasn’t able to. The Panthers went scoreless for the next 7:23 of game clock, but the Eagles only upped their lead to 12-7 during the span.
Duncanville played catch up the rest of the night, but kept the game close until late in the third quarter.
Leading 33-32, DeSoto went on an 11-2 run starting at the 1:18 mark of the third quarter. University of Houston signee Kendall Brown capped the spree with a steal and three-point play with 5:03 left in the game that ignited the Eagles’ faithful. Brown had left the arena late in the third quarter with severe calf cramps, especially on her right side, but came back to the bench as the fourth quarter started.
“I’m gonna drink some water as soon as I get out of here,” quipped Brown after the game. “Duncanville is probably the best competition that we have in the Metroplex so it feels pretty good to beat them three times.”
Duncanville never recovered and couldn’t hit a big shot the rest of the way.
In the end DeSoto’s size, length, balance and defensive prowess ruled the day.
Forwards Tionna Herron (6-5), Sa’Myah Smith (6-4) and Amina Muhammad (6-4) clogged the inside. DeSoto out rebounded Duncanville 35-22 and the Panthers shot only 24.5% (14 of 57) from the floor.
“Our size is really our strength,” said Robinson, whose zone defense was tenacious against the Panthers. “We try to stay in and be big and really use that.”
Muhammad led DeSoto recording a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Herron added 12 points with Smith and Brown chipping in 10 apiece.
“This team is whole and I’ve been coaching a long time and have had some gritty teams,” said Robinson. “This is the most resilient, toughest team that I have ever coached. People have no idea what they go through and how they just pick up and keep going...they’re fighters.”
DeSoto advances to the state semifinals and will have another tough challenge in No. 4 South Grand Prairie (25-2) later this week. SGP defeated Plano East 63-51 in the Region 1 final.
South Grand Prairie’s only two losses were by 31 points to DeSoto and 24 points to Duncanville earlier in the season.
