Guards' red-hot shooting helps Kimball win 4A Texas title

AUSTIN — Throughout the season, Kimball (Dallas) boys basketball coach Royce Johnson was asked about his team's Big Three.

"I used to ask them, what Big Three are you talking about?" Johnson said Saturday after his team beat La Marque, 78-64, to earn Kimball the Class 4A state title at the Frank Erwin Center.

Those who asked were referring to Kimball's frontcourt, which features three Division I recruits: Jordan Williams (signed with North Texas), Jalen Jones (SMU) and Jarion Henry (who has offers from Pac-10 and Big 12 schools).

But it was Kimball's guards that played huge in Kimball's fourth state title victory. Shannon Lilly, who was named the game's MVP, nailed 5 of 6 3-pointers and scored 23 points. Austin Franklin had 15 points and made 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, and Oscar Lewis had eight points, four assists and only one turnover against intense defensive pressure.



"We told each other, 'We're not leaving without that ring,'" Lewis said. "It's a dream come true."

Lilly made his fifth straight 3-pointer to give Kimball a 48-33 lead early in the third quarter, but La Marque (33-5) turned the game into a nailbiter. Julien Lewis, a Texas signee who led La Marque with 26 points, made a pair of free throws to cut Kimball's lead to 60-57 with 2:25 left.

"We've been in situations like that all year where a team has battled back," Lewis said. "We just needed to stay focused."

Kimball also needed to make free throws, and that was a reason to be nervous. Kimball had only made 6 of 14 when La Marque began fouling to extend the game.

But the Knights knocked down 14 straight in the final two minutes.

FLOWER MOUND MARCUS TOPS GARLAND LAKEVIEW IN 5A TITLE GAME
In a game featuring some of the wildest swings of momentum you'll ever see, Marcus (Flower Mound) beat Lakeview Centennial (Garland), 40-38, on Saturday to win the 5A boys state championship. Marcus' suffocating defense gave it a 29-9 lead at the half, but Lakeview's pressure defense led to a 27-2 run that gave it a 36-31 lead in the fourth quarter before Marcus rallied. Here are the full details of the game.

GARLAND LAKEVIEW BASKETBALL COACH NAMED NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
Garland Lakeview boys basketball coach Tony Mauldin last week was named 2010 National Basketball Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Mauldin led Lakeview to a 5A state runner-up finish this year and last, and he made six straight trips with 2A Morton from 1982 to 1987, winning three titles during that stretch.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, A. MACEO SMITH, MELISSA FALL IN SEMIFINALS
The Dallas-area's other three boys state basketball qualifiers lost in the semifinals. In 4A, Arlington Heights (Fort Worth) lost to La Marque, 72-61, and in 3A, West Oso (Corpus Christi) knocked off A. Maceo Smith (Dallas), 80-60. Melissa, which finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in 2A, lost to Tatum, 70-57.

LAKE HIGHLANDS WINS BASEBALL GAME BY MORE THAN 50 RUNS
There were two reports of the final score of last week's baseball game between Lake Highlands and Samuell, but they were both difficult to believe. After the District 9-5A opener for both teams, Lake Highlands coach Jay Higgins reported a score of 57-0 to The Dallas Morning News. Samuell coach Mike Peña said the score was 53-0. Either way, it was a colossal mismatch. Higgins said he emptied his bench and told the players that they couldn't advance more than one base on a hit. The game was ended by the mercy rule after five innings.

TOP PERFORMERS
* Katie Daigle, Lewisville soccer: The junior forward scored a pair of goals Friday as Lewisville pulled out a 3-2 win over Plano.

* Micah Cooper, A. Maceo Smith basketball: The junior guard scored 20 points and had four rebounds and three steals in A. Maceo Smith's 80-60 loss to Corpus Christi West Oso in the 3A state semifinals. West Oso beat Burkburnett, 61-57, in the championship game.

FINAL THOUGHT
Fans at the UIL basketball championships often complain about how they can't see the title games in the two largest classes back-to-back – and that it's just about the UIL wanting to make more money. They're right about the money, because the UIL sells two-game session passes for the tournament at the Frank Erwin Center. The two-day afternoon session for the championship Saturday featured the 2A title game at 2 p.m. and the 4A title game at 3:30. The evening session featured the 1A Division II title game at 7 p.m. and the 5A title game at 8:30.



Yes, it's about selling more tickets and making more money, but at least there's a positive side effect. Fans arriving early to get good seats for the 5A game usually get involved in the 1A championship game and create a big-game environment for small schools. The UIL's mission statement talks about creating opportunities for students, and having more than 10,000 fans cheering for schools with enrollments of less than 100 creates an unforgettable atmosphere for small-town teams.

Matt Wixon is the high school sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He can be reached at mwixon@dallasnews.com or on Twitter @mattwixon.