Canyon caps perfect season with Texas 4A crown

AUSTIN, Texas – The gymnasium at Canyon (Texas) school has 14 basketball placards on the wall to commemorate the school's girls basketball titles. Midway through the season, guard Madison Russ noticed that only two of those champions were undefeated.

"We're going to be the third ball on the wall that says zero losses," the senior decided.

On Saturday, Russ and her teammates made that prediction come true with a 44-39 victory over Austin LBJ in the Class 4A state final at the Frank Erwin Center. Canyon (38-0), No. 22 in MaxPreps' Xcellent 25, earned its first title since 2008.

"They believe they're going to win every game," coach Joe Lombard said of his players, "and when you believe you're going to win the game, that's a nice thing to have on your side."

Canyon also had depth on its side. Senior guard Nicole Hampton was the only player in double figures with 10 points, but eight other players scored. Four players hit 3-pointers as Canyon hit 5 of 8 from behind the arc.

Canyon needed a team effort to offset a game-high 19 points by LBJ forward Alexis Hyder. The junior scored eight points in the first five minutes of the third quarter to help LBJ (25-4) take a 29-25 lead, its biggest of the game.

After Canyon rallied back, Hyder hit a shot in the lane to tie the game at 38 with 3:31 left. But in its 23rd appearance at the state tournament, Canyon's experience showed in the final minutes. Morgan Dean scored off a rebound to give Canyon a 40-38 lead with 3:12 left, and Canyon didn't allow LBJ another field goal.

Canyon held on to the ball and forced LBJ to foul, and Hampton and Madison Russ each hit a pair of free throws.

"They find a way to win the game in the clutch," Lombard said of his players. "When the pressure's on, our guys make plays."

Canyon, which also finished undefeated in 1978 and 1996, held its own against LBJ's bigger post players. Canyon outrebounded LBJ, 26-24, and attacked the rim throughout the game despite LBJ's trio of Hyder, Morgan Simmons and Tierany Henderson combining for 10 blocks.

"We had to go in there fearless," Canyon senior forward Ashton Pedigo said. "We had to go in there like it was war."

LBJ won some of the battles in the paint, but as usual, Canyon won the war. With the victory, Lombard's 33-year coaching record (seven seasons at Nazareth and 27 at Canyon) improved to 1,100-98.

The other championship games Saturday:

Class 5A
MacArthur (Irving) 74, Georgetown 51
Point guard Alexis Jones was sensational, scoring 25 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 14 assists as Irving MacArthur (37-2) rolled to its first state title. Georgetown 6-4 center Krystal Forthan, a McDonald's All-American who has signed with LSU, had 14 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.

Class 3A
Wylie (Abilene) 66, Lovejoy (Lucas) 58
Junior guard Peyton Little, who has orally committed to Texas, led Wylie with 43 points – the most ever in a girls 3A title game. Wylie was the state runner-up last year.

Class 2A
Brock 47, Winnsboro 26
Kamy Cole scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds and Brock (35-5) never trailed on its way to a third straight state title. Brock outrebounded Winnsboro 40-24.

Class 1A Division I
Smyer 52, Martin's Mill 49
Haley Fowler had 27 points and 14 rebounds as Smyer (34-2) won its second straight title.

Class 1A Division II
Neches 65, Whitharral 44
Neches (37-4) dominated from the start on its way to a second straight title. Roddericka Patton had 20 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for Neches.