The DeSoto, Lancaster and Lincoln boys basketball teams, and their fans, got to celebrate their state championships together Sunday. It was a very cool idea -- and also very appropriate.
DeSoto won in 6A, Lancaster in 5A and Lincoln in 4A. They're from different school districts, but they're from the same Dallas county basketball community, and it's a community that takes tremendous pride in the caliber of basketball it produces each year.
DeSoto was expected to be a state contender from the start of the season, and the Eagles dominated Humble Atascocita in the final. As the defending 5A champion, Lancaster was the team everyone wanted to knock off, but the Tigers repeated as champions despite an injury to one of their top players. And Lincoln, overlooked somewhat throughout the season because it played an incredibly tough schedule that beat up its record, came through in the 4A final. Lincoln, which finished the season with a 24-14 record, became the first team with double-digit losses to win a UIL title in more than 20 years.
The three wins gave the Dallas area its first basketball sweep of the largest three classes since 2012. A very memorable season, indeed.
Here's the column I wrote about DeSoto's championship.
Here's the column I wrote about Lancaster's championship.
Here's the Lincoln championship game story. (The Silsbee player who was injured, by the way, has thankfully recovered.)
Here's my column on Lincoln making it to the state final.
Here's the column I wrote on Lincoln before the state tournament.
Twitter: @mattwixon