AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Unbeaten Duncanville marches on.
Only one more game stands between the Pantherettes and another perfect season, another state title and a claim that they belong among the great dynasties in Texas girl’s basketball.
Sophomore center Ciera Johnson had 21 points and 16 rebounds and Duncanville, the two-time defending Class 5A champion, cruised to its 105th consecutive victory, 80-57, over San Antonio Wagner in the state semifinals Friday.
“I’ve got them one more day. I’m going to make the most of it,” Duncanville coach Cathy Self-Morgan said of her lineup that includes six seniors, including top guards Tasia Foman and Ariel Atkins, two of the top players in the country who both have signed with Texas.
Foman scored 28 points and Atkins added 18 points for Duncanville (35-0). Atkins was 8 of 11 shooting in the first half.
Wagner stayed with Duncanville longer that most teams have this season. Dessiere Johnson’s 3-pointer to open the third quarter had Wagner within 44-36 before Duncanville pushed the lead back to 60-46 by the start of the fourth.
Ashley Ross scored 15 for Wagner (25-11), which simply gave out as the game wore on.
Duncanville is rated as high as No. 2 in the country by some national polls and has seldom been tested this season. The Pantherettes rolled through playoffs by an average margin of 40 points to get to Austin.
Most of that dominance been built around the dynamic Atkins and Foman. Add in a breakout game by the 6-foot-4 Johnson and Wagner had no way to keep up.
Duncanville dominated the rebounding 57-31 and held Wagner to 33 percent shooting. About the only thing Duncanville didn’t do well was shoot 3-pointers, where the Pantherettes were just 2 of 12.
“They’re a little bit bigger and taller,” Wagner coach Christina Camacho said. “We came off this court today just exhausted.”
Atkins scored eight in the first quarter. Duncanville made seven of its first eight shots and built the lead as high as 17-4 before Wagner ran off a 10-2 run. Atkins ended the quarter with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1 second left.
Atkins kept Duncanville’s offense humming in the second, scoring six of her team’s first eight points. Wagner stayed close for most of the period, and a 3-pointer by Johnson and two free throws by Ashley Ross kept Wagner with five.
Duncanville answered with a 3-point play by Foman and a layup by Atkins as the Pantherettes pushed the lead back up to 44-33 by halftime.
“We just kept our composure. They harder they came, the harder we came back,” said Duncanville’s Tiara Davenport, who had nine points and 11 rebounds.
The Texas record for consecutive victories is 134, also set by Duncanville from 1987-1991. The current players said they’ve tried to earn each victory in the current streak without taking any for granted, especially at the state tournament.
“We come in humble,” Foman said. “We play every game like we’re supposed to play.”
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