By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal
SAN ANTONIO — Lancaster turned a tight early game into a commanding second-quarter surge Saturday night, defeating Austin Westlake 51-37 to capture the UIL Class 6A Division II girls basketball state championship at the Alamodome.
The title was Lancaster’s second in program history and its first at the Class 6A level.
Westlake entered the game chasing history of its own. The Chaparrals were making their first state final appearance since 1996 and finished the season 40-1, which is the most wins in any sport in school history.
“We’re super proud of just the fight and the no-quit that the girls put out there,” said Westlake head coach Vickie Benson said. “It’s not the cherry on top we were hoping for, but this group has grown so much all season.”
After a back-and-forth opening quarter that ended with Lancaster leading 13-11, the Tigers seized control in the second frame.
Lancaster outscored Westlake 18-7 in the second quarter and took a 15-point lead that proved too much to overcome. Ava Womack and Journee Hampton sparked the run with fast-break baskets and second-chance points as Lancaster stretched the lead to 31-18 at halftime.
The Tigers’ pressure defense continued to dictate the game after the break. Westlake struggled to find rhythm offensively and shot just 34.8% from the field while hitting only 3 of 18 attempts from three-point range.
Makenzie White led Lancaster with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Hampton added 12 points and Arianna Davis chipped in nine points and six rebounds. Womack finished with 10 points as the Tigers built their lead to as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter.
Westlake was paced by Tamia King with 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Geralynn Byers-Veal added nine points and Wynn Thorne finished with six.
The Chaparrals had turned last year’s first-round playoff loss into motivation throughout the season.
“That fueled us for the whole season,” King said. “We said we’re never going to lose in the first round again.” Westlake press conference
While Westlake fell short of the title, the Chaparrals delivered one of the most successful seasons in school history, finishing with a program-record 40 victories and a trip to the state championship game.
Lancaster finished the season 33-5 and led for more than 24 minutes of game time on the way to the championship.
Box score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | 13 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 51 |
| Westlake | 11 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 57 |
Lancaster (33-5): Makenzie White 14, Journee Hampton 12, Ava Womack 10, Arianna Davis 9, Monique Phoenix 2, Kyla Cooper 2, Kiyah Long-Sattarphal 2.
Westlake (40-1): Tamia King 11, Geralynn Byers-Veal 9, Wynn Thorne 6, Peyton Hensle 6, Molly Frazer 5.
Coverage brought to you by:
