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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. VYPE DFW 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.
Who goes to State? Region IV Finals Preview
This basketball season has been full of twist and turns but we are almost to the finish line. The Regionals finals are upon us and whoever wins these matchups is going to the state tournament.
Region IV - 6A
In Region IV - 6A, the Westlake Chaps will match up against San Antonio Clark. The last time Clark was in the playoffs was the 2016-2017 season but this year's squad is a confident team and a team that knows how to win close games. Clark has won every game on this Cinderella playoff run by less than 10 points. Austin Westlake has Kansas signee KJ Adams but Westlake is solid from top to bottom. The last time they lost a game was before Thanksgiving, so the Chaps look to continue the winning streak all the way to state. Expect this one to be a tough and hard-fought match-up between these schools.
Tip-off is 7:00pm at New Braunfels Canyon on March 5th.
Region IV - 5A
At the 5A level, McAllen will face off against Leander Glenn. McAllen has been the surprise team of Texas high school basketball playoffs making it to the Regional Final for the first time in school history. But the District 31-5A champs are proving they belong. McAllen beat a good Georgetown team with an effective 2-3 zone that would make Jim Boeheim proud and looks to continue this historic run all the way to State. Glenn has been humming all season long and cruised through the playoffs until the regional semi-finals when they narrowly defeated Victoria West, 61-59. The outcome of this game will depend on how well Glenn handles McAllen's zone.
Tip-off is 6:30pm at Blossom Athletic Center on March 5th.
Region IV - 4A
The 4A level is an all San-Antonio matchup between Boerne and Somerset. Boerne has been atop of the VYPE SATX Basketball Rankings all season and ranked No. 5 in the state entering the playoffs. This is no surprise that the Greyhounds are in the regional finals and look to join the girl's team at the state tournament. On the other side is Somerset who beat last year's Region IV champion Stafford 57-50. Somerset lost to Boerne 85-65 on December 8 but that was a long time ago. This Somerset team hasn't lost a game in two months and hopes to avenge that early-season defeat.
Tip-off is 7:00pm at Taylor Fieldhouse on March 5th.