The most anticipated boys basketball showdown of the holiday season got a boost it probably didn't even need Thursday as No. 7
Richardson (Texas) shocked No. 1
Duncanville (Texas) 60-58 in the Whataburger Tournament championship game.
Tournament MVP and Kentucky commit
Cason Wallace scored a game-high 23 points to give the Eagles the wild overtime win, their first Whataburger crown. The victory handed the Panthers their first loss of the year and avenged a season-ending 68-49 defeat to Duncanville in last season's state semifinals.
However, all those storylines shifted to the back burner early in the fourth quarter when Duncanville's five-star guard
Anthony Black suddenly entered for the first time with the Panthers down by four points.
The 6-foot-7 senior with 22 college offers has been
embroiled in an eligibility squabble with the UIL, the state's governing body. A transfer from Coppell, Black was held out of several games early in the season, then played in at least three, before his appeal was overturned, making him ineligible again.
According to the
Dallas Morning News, a final verdict occurred during the third quarter and because Black's name was in the scorer's book, he rushed into the locker room to suit up.
With its star leading the way, Duncanville (15-1) quickly tied things at 46, setting the stage for a fourth-quarter heavyweight flurry.
Each team threw haymakers with four ties over the final three minutes of regulation.
Cason Wallace, Richardson
Photo by Tommy Hays
It started with a lob pass and finish from
Ronald Holland to tie things at 50 with 2:16 remaining before Richardson held for a shot with just 15 seconds remaining. Wallace nailed a contested floater from the mid-range to give Richardson a 52-50 lead before Holland rebounded home his own miss to tie it with four seconds remaining.
Wallace went the length of the court after an inbound pass and narrowly sank an open layup, sending the game to overtime.
Black's fresh legs were evident and he carried the Panthers through the opening minutes of overtime. His layup and pair of free-throws gave Duncanville a 56-54 advantage with 2:30 remaining.
Wallace, like he did most of the night, responded with a game-tying layup at the 1:30 mark before being fouled with 32 seconds remaining. He knocked down 1-of-2 from the line, to make it 59-58 Richardson.
The Eagles got back to the line again as
Tre Howell, made one-of-two tries setting up a possible game-winning possession for the Panthers. But a 3-pointer from
Ashton Hardaway fell short at the buzzer and Richardson (17-1) held on.
Holland scored 13 first-quarter points to help Duncanville jump to a 17-14 lead.
After a 3-pointer from
Pharaoh Amadi tied things at 17-17 to open the second quarter, the Panthers quickly responded with an 11-2 run capped by an emphatic reverse dunk from
Cameron Barnes to extend their lead to 28-21 with 2:39 remaining in the second period.
It looked like no Black, no problem.
But Richardson closed the half on an 8-0 run, including a personal 6-0 run from Wallace to end the second quarter that cut the Duncanville lead to 28-27 at the intermission. Wallace led the way for Richardson with 12 first-half points.
The teams traded a pair of 3-pointers to open the third
quarter before Duncanville went on a 5-0 run behind Holland's first points
since the first quarter, followed by Hardaway banking in a 3-point shot from the left wing to extend the Panthers lead to 36-30.
The Eagles quickly responded with a 9-0 run as a Howell corner
3-pointer gave the Eagles their first lead since the opening minutes of the game.
Duncanville won three games to advance to the finals, knocking off St. Mark's (Dallas), 81-43, Martin (Arlington), 61-55, and Mansfield Timberview (Arlington), 83-49.
Richardson took a similar decisive path to the finals with wins over Guyer (Denton), 67-54, South Grand Prairie, 57-43, and Waxahachie, 63-47.
The Lone Star State powerhouse programs could easily meet again in the state tournament, which culminates in March.
Anthony Black of Duncanville controls the ball as Rylan Griffen of Richardson plays defense.
Photo by Tommy Hays
Cason Wallace drives toward the basket against Duncanville in the Whataburger Tournament championship game.
Photo by Tommy Hays
Richardson celebrates first Whataburger Tournament championship.
Photo by Tommy Hays
