#1 Dallas-Kimball Flexes their Speed and Strength Capturing the Texas High School Basketball State Championship

Sophomore Marri Wickware earns the MVP with his 21 point performance as the Knights out last the Houston-Washington Eagles, 71-48 in emphatic fashion.

Vanderbilt commit Jaylen Dean-Vines prepares to go airborne on a Kimball fast break in the first quarter of the Texas high school state championship. / Tom Dendy

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - Speed and size kills. The Dallas-Kimball Knights put on a display of 32 minutes of strength and quickness to outlast the Houston-Washington Eagles in the TX-4A, Division II state championship, 71-48.

In Saturday night's primetime game in the Alamodome for the UIL Texas boy's basketball state title game, the Knights raised their eighth state championship in school history becoming the winningest program in Dallas ISD history.

Senior UAB commit Lance Carr flexes on the baseline dunk in the Texas high school basketball 4A-Division state championship. / Tom Dendy

From the opening tip to the final buzzer, this championship had it all. both teams traded body blows in the first quarter to a 12-12 tie at the 3:56 mark and for the Knights those 12 points were all exclamation marks - three dunks and two three-point shots.

“They live for the highlights,” said Knight head coach Nicke Smith. “If they’re going to play defense like they did tonight and every other night, the can do that. On a good night, they average 12 to 14 dunks. On a bad night, it’s like 6 or 7.”

After Kimball led by just one point after eight minutes, the Knight defense really picked up the pressure defense on the Eagles. Washington committed 22 turnovers because of that pressure in the final three periods leading to 22 points off turnovers.

Smith said this year’s team is a defensive group and that showed throughout the title game, which started out competitive. It was a one-point game after the first quarter, but Kimball ramped up the pressure in the next holding the Eagles to just four points and one shot from the field to take a 39-23 halftime lead.

The Eagles continued to fight their way back into the game after the halftime break cutting their deficit down to seven, however, the Knights would respond to close the quarter on a 9-0 run .

That third quarter run would continue into the fourth as Kimball continued to build on that momentum and it was just to much for Washington to handle in the final period. The Knights outlasted the Eagles in final period 19-12 to claim their eight Texas state title.

Wickware, the games’s MVP scored a game-high 21 points and added seven rebounds with four assists. He shot 10 of 13 from the floor. Three-star Alabama-Birmingham signee Lance Carr recorded 17 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and four steals.

Last year, Kimball won the 2023 Texas high school 5A state championship over Killen-Ellison, but with the new UIL realignment to start the 2024-2025 school year, the Knights dropped a classification with a school enrollment of 1,260.

For the Eagles, they were led offensively by seniors Jalen Webb and Samuel Johnson each scoring nine points.

#1 Dallas Kimball v. #6 Booker T Washington: Top-10 UIL TX-4A State Championship live recap:

FINAL SCORE: Kimball holds the Eagles to just 10 fourth quarter points pulling away to a 71-48 drudging

4Q: 5:15: Kimball: 64-38

Marri Wickware is flexing his strength and size on both ends - Leads with a game-high 19 poiuts.

The Knights are starting to feel it. They have now on a 21-2 run into the fourth quarter. Eagle timeout,

4Q: 8:00: Kimball: 52-36

Jaylin Hancock for Kimball knocks down the long range three pointer as the Knights closed the third on a 9-0 run. Eagles had the deficit down to 7, but the Knights responded and now lead by 16 headed into the fourth.

Jaylen Dean-Vines gets the second chance put back at the rim. Wickwire with a nice post move to extend the lead.

Lance Carr gets the slam at the rim to slow down the Eagle run. (45-36, 3Q, 1:28)

Kimball turnover. Samuel Johnson throws long outlet pass to Robert Jones for the layup. (43-36)

Samuel Johnson gets the friendly roll as the Eagles get within 9. (43-34, 2:56)

3Q: 3:30: Kimball: 43-32 The Eagles are not going away as they continue to plug to the Kimball lead. Robert Jones nails a transition three.

3Q: 6:11: Kimball: 41-27

Washington come out with a purpose in the third. Cutting into their halftime deficit.

THIRD PERIOD

HALFTIME: Kimball leads 39-23.

With a nice baseline cut, Wickwire found Lance Carr for the emphatic baseline dunk to close the first half out in fashion.

Kimball has opened up a 15 point lead over Houston-Washington.

2Q: 3:03: Kimball: 33-20

Kimball is pulling away with their size, speed in this one. Their pressure defense has forced 15 first half Eagle turnovers.

2Q: 6:55: Kimball: 24-19

Kimball starts the second quarter on a 4-0 as Marri Wickware pick pockets the Washington player to end in a flush at the rim.

2Q: 8:00: Kimball: 20-19

End of 1: Kimball leads 20-19

Rylan Austin converts the three point play the old fashioned way to give Kimball the lead back.

Hassan Thomas gives the Eagles the lead 19-17 nearing the end of the 1st.

1Q: 1:45: Kimball: 16-15

Jaylen Dean Vines picks second foul in the first.

Washington still fighting strong and gets a three point play by Hassan Thomas.

A long two point bucket for Kimball and Lance Carr and then after and Eagle TO , Raphael Smith gets the post bucket.

Kimball is bringing all the excitement to start with 3 emphatic dunks and two three pointers.

1Q: 3:45: Tie Game: 12-12

Kimball right back at you with a three ball and then a break away dunk. Kimball leads 10-9

On a transtion, Washington's Jalen Webb knocks down three ball.

Back and forth we go through the first two minutes. 6-5 Washington

FIRST PERIOD

Kimball Starters: Kayden Gray, Jaylen Dean-Vines,

Washington Starters: Jalen Webb, Robert Jones, Kylan Hooks, Samuel Johnson, Kadyn Barnes