DeSoto girls basketball rallies for a 51-47 victory over Duncanville

“We knew we were gonna have to play,” said DeSoto head coach Andrea Robinson after the game. “It’s always a competitive rivalry game so we knew we were gonna have to come in and get after every play.”

SBLive Staff | Jan 26, 2022

DeSoto girls basketball rallies for a 51-47 victory over Duncanville /

In a Texas girls basketball showdown that lived up to the hype, the DeSoto Eagles (23-2) rallied for a 51-47 victory over the Duncanville Pantherettes (26-6) on Tuesday night.

December’s meeting between the teams - a 60-56 DeSoto victory - was not only a closely contested game, but also an emotionally charged one in light of post-game frustration from both rosters.

The Eagles struggled in the first half, falling behind 24-15.

But they quickly showed why they are one of the state’s best teams, opening the second half with a 10-2 run. At the end of the third quarter they had flipped the game and led by three points.

In the fourth quarter DeSoto extended their lead to as many as seven points and never looked back, securing their second victory of the season over Duncanville.

“In the second half I think we came out and did a lot better,” said Robinson. “This team just finds ugly ways to win, so we’ll just take the win and move on to the next game.”

Jiya Perry led the charge offensively for the Eagles, finishing with 12 points. Sa’Myah Smith also contributed with 12 points and a handful of clutch free throws down the stretch.

“It was simple, just knock them down and get the lead,” said Smith when asked about he mindset at the charity stripe. “It’s something I do every game, so just knock them down, get the lead and take care of the game.”

Looking ahead to the postseason, coach Robinson shared that mental toughness would be the key to continued success.

“Coming to play,” she said. “We’re gonna work on getting better, our execution needs to get better, there are things we gotta play smarter but mainly it's getting ready to come in and play every game night in and night out.”

The Eagles will take on the Mansfield Tigers this Friday as they approach state playoffs.

(All photos by Robbie Rakestraw)

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