As the UIL Boys Basketball Playoffs continues to heat up, there are only a handful of teams left fighting for their right to play at the state title game. The McKinney Lions and Richardson Eagles are two of the teams preparing to give it everything they have in a Regional Quarterfinals Matchup that no Texas high school basketball fan is going to want to miss. VYPEDFW takes a deeper dive into what you should expect for this intense match-up!
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McKinney Lions
McKinney Lions (30-5, 10-2)
The McKinney Lions have posted an incredible season. After being knocked out of the playoffs in the second round last year, the Lions have been on a mission all season to prove to themselves and any naysayers that they belong playing against the best of the best. Losing only one game in the preseason and two during district play, McKinney has shown that not only are they here to play, but they have a depth on the court that is not easily matched.
During district play, the Lions took down opponent after opponent in order to finish at the top of their district and enter playoffs strong. In the first round of playoffs, the Lions topped the Coppell Cowboys 55-43 in order to advance. In the second round, the Lions didn't even think twice as they entered the court and put up a physical game against South Grand Prairie. Ja'Kobe Walter put up 20 points and eight rebounds in the big win while Alex Anamekwe and Devin Vincent scored 12 points each.
What To Expect
A confident Lion squad. The team has been geared up and rolling all season. After any loss posted, the team has learned from, regrouped, and bounced back stronger than ever. Despite facing a nationally ranked team in Richardson, McKinney won't soon back down from the challenge. Fans can expect to see a big game from Walter and company as the Lions do everything in their power to continue advancing to the state title game.
▲Richardson Eagles
Richardson Eagles (32-1, 14-0)
The Richardson Eagles are well known when it comes to Texas high school basketball- especially Texas high school basketball playoffs. Eliminated from the playoffs last year by eventual state champion Duncanville, Richardson has a bit of a chip on their shoulder this season as they fight to get right back to where they know they belong.
This season, Richardson has only dropped one game and it was to an incredibly tough North Little Rock (Arkansas) team during preseason play. From there, we have seen nothing short of typical Richardson play on the court. Led by Cason Wallace, the nationally ranked team has been on fire all season downing opponent after opponent to finish district play at the number one spot in their district. Although district play and the first round of playoffs saw a lot of huge wins from the Eagles, last week's second-round matchup against Allen saw uncharacteristic close calls for Richardson. The Eagles were able to escape the near-upset and advance to the quarterfinals.
What To Expect:
Richardson fears nothing. The Eagles are no stranger to bouncing back and playing harder than before. With the ability to put any mistakes behind them, fans can expect Richardson to use last week's close game as master course on how they want to better themselves coming into the next chapter of playoffs. Richardson is going to put up a fight and play physical from start to finish against McKinney.
▲Both teams want this win- there's no doubt about it. However, it's going to come down to who responds better to last week's game. Can Richardson shake off their close game? Will McKinney continue to hold strong with their fire and desire to be the best? The game tips off at 7 p.m. at the Curtis Culwell Center on Tuesday, March 1st.