It’s a great time to be a sports fan in DeSoto.
Since the start of March in 2022, the Lady Eagles basketball team has a state championship (2022, the second of back-to-back) and a state runner-up finish (2023) and the Eagles football team won the 6A Division II state championship in December.
Now, this weekend the Eagles basketball team will be vying for its own state title in the Alamodome in San Antonio. DeSoto (30-8) will face Richardson Lake Highlands (32-3) in one Class 6A state semifinal Friday at 8:30 p.m. The winner will take on the survivor between Beaumont United (35-1) and San Antonio Northside Brennan (32-7) in the championship game Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
United won back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022 in Class 5A before moving up to 6A this season, which means there will be a new champion at the 5A level.
The Mansfield Summit (34-4) are seeking to win that state championship in Class 5A as the Jaguars are making their first state tournament appearance. They are playing Killeen Ellison (37-3) in one semifinal Thursday at 8:30 p.m., with Dallas Kimball (31-2) tangling with San Antonio Veterans Memorial (36-4) in the other. The winners will play in the championship game Saturday at 3 p.m.
This is DeSoto’s first appearance at state since 2016, when the Eagles won it all. It is also their first appearance under coach Richard Bacon, who took over the helm in 2020 when longtime coach Richard Dyer retired.
Bacon is a former assistant coach at TCU and previously won a state championship at Dallas Lincoln. His last trip to state was 1994, when Lincoln lost to Pampa in the semifinals.
“It’s very special to be one of the four teams still standing when the field began with 128 teams,” Bacon said. “It takes seven straight wins to win the title in Texas.
“It’s an outstanding field. Everyone has 30 wins or more.”
Overall, this is DeSoto’s sixth trip to state. Dyer led them to state championships in 2003, 2009 and 2016 with other appearances in 2005 and 2014.
Lake Highlands is in its first state tournament since 1968 when they won the Class 3A state championship.
Kimball is in the state tournament for a 14th time and is seeking a seventh state championship, which would be the Knights’ first since 2014.
Class 6A Boys State Basketball Tournament
Friday-Saturday
Alamodome, San Antonio
Semifinals, Friday
Beaumont United (35-1) vs. San Antonio Northside Brennan (32-7), 7 p.m.
DeSoto (30-8) vs. Richardson Lake Highlands (32-3), 8:30 p.m.
Championship
8:30 p.m. Saturday
DeSoto Eagles
Region 2 champion
Texas Association of Basketball Coaches state ranking: 16,
How they got here: Defeated Pflugerville Weiss 56-50 in bidistrict, defeated Rockwall Heath 63-45 in area, defeated Killeen Harker Heights 66-62 in regional quarterfinals, defeated Cypress Falls 34-30 in regional semifinals, defeated Klein Oak 64-53 in regional final.
Win streak: 6.
State tournament appearances: 2003, 2005, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2023.
State championships: 2003, 2009, 2016.
Richardson Lake Highlands Wildcats
Region 1 champion.
TABC state ranking: 1.
How they got here: Defeated Arlington Bowie 81-43 in bidistrict, defeated Plano East 66-63 in area, defeated Arlington Martin 48-45 in regional quarterfinals, defeated North Crowley 63-43 in regional semifinals, defeated Northwest Nelson 62-36 in regional final.
Win streak: 22.
State tournament appearances: 1968, 2023.
State championships: 1968.
San Antonio Northside Brennan Bears
Region 4 champion.
TABC state ranking: 14.
How they got here: Defeated Laredo United South 88-33 in bidistrict, defeated Brownsville Hanna 78-45 in area, defeated San Antonio Northside Taft 73-52 in regional quarterfinals, defeated Round Rock Stony Point 57-43 in regional semifinals, defeated San Marcos 82-54 in regional final.
Win streak: 9.
State tournament appearances: 2013, 2023.
State championships: None.
Beaumont United Timberwolves
Region 3 champion.
TABC state ranking: 2.
How they got here: Defeated Pasadena Dobie 82-47 in bidistrict, defeated Dickinson 87-63 in area, defeated Beaumont West Brook 71-60 in regional quarterfinals, defeated Katy Jordan 54-39 in regional semifinals, defeated League City Clear Falls 53-48 in regional final.
Win streak: 34.
State tournament appearances: 2021, 2022, 2023.
State championships: 2021, 2022 at 5A level.
Class 5A Boys State Basketball Tournament
Thursday/Saturday
Alamodome, San Antonio
Semifinals, Thursday
Dallas Kimball (31-2) vs. San Antonio Veterans Memorial (36-4), 7 p.m.
Mansfield Summit (34-4) vs. Killeen Ellison (37-3), 8:30 p.m.
Championship
3 p.m. Saturday
Mansfield Summit Jaguars
Region 1 champion.
TABC state ranking: 11.
How they got here: Defeated Colleyville Heritage 57-48 in bidistrict, defeated Fort Worth Arlington Heights 63-38 in area, defeated Mansfield Timberview 61-37 in regional quarterfinals, defeated Amarillo 55-48 in regional semifinals, defeated El Paso Chapin 54-47 in regional final.
Win streak: 9.
State tournament appearances: 2023.
Killeen Ellison Eagles
Region 3 champion.
TABC state ranking: 2.
How they got here: Defeated Montgomery Lake Creek 66-36 in bidistrict, defeated Pflugerville Hendrickson 90-50 in area, defeated College Station A&M Consolidated 65-43 in regional quarterfinals, defeated Port Arthur Memorial 50-34 in regional semifinals, defeated Fort Bend Marshall 66-50 in regional final.
Win streak: 25.
State tournament appearances: 1992, 2023.
State championships: None.
San Antonio Veterans Memorial Patriots
Region 4 champion.
TABC state ranking: 10.
How they got here: Defeated Leander Glenn 72-50 in bidistrict, defeated San Antonio Houston 53-46 in area, defeated Leander Rouse 46-44 in regional quarterfinals, defeated Corpus Christi Miller 69-33 in regional semifinals, defeated Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial 79-63 in regional final.
Win streak: 14.
State tournament appearances: 2023.
Dallas Kimball Knights
Region 2 champion.
TABC state ranking: 1.
How they got here: Defeated Mesquite Poteet 75-38 in bidistrict, defeated Frisco Heritage 75-72 in area, defeated Dallas White 67-52 in regional quarterfinals, defeated Red Oak 69-44 in regional semifinals, defeated Lancaster 63-54 in regional final.
Win streak: 26.
State tournament appearances: 1986, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2023.
State championships: 1990, 1996, 1997, 2011, 2012, 2014.
