Kountze Slams the Door from Start To Finish on Paradise to 'Complete Game' Texas High School State Championship

With a 67-38 victory, the Kountze Lions capture their fifth state championship in school history led by senior guards Zac Sells and Mason Donald - Sells drops 28 points and 7 steals capturing the MVP

Kountze guard Zac Sells goes up for a layup in a game against Lipan in the Tenaha ISD Holiday Hoops event on Dec. 28. / Wayne Grubbs

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - All gas, no brakes for the no. 1 Kountze Lions in game one of the TX-3A-II as they captured their fifth state championship with a 67-38 dominant victory.

From the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Lions showed why they were the no. 1 ranked team in the TABC rankings. Their dynamic guard play of seniors Zac Sells and Mason Donald showed to be to much for the Paradise Panthers.

"This is unbelievable, but it is something we have talked about for years," said Lions head coach Duane Joubert. It was something that we believed in after we came up short last year. We said we were not going to let it happen again, and these guys made sure we did not experience that feeling again."

The Lions started fast and got out to a large advantage in a hurry that started with their defense leading to a 42-20 first half lead. Kountze turned 22 Paradise turnovers into 31 points leading to their lopsided victory.

Sells had a game-high 28 points for the Lions while his backcourt mate Donald had 23 points to lead the way.

Kountze head coach Duane Joubert praised his senior guards and their work ethic the entire offseason through this point to lead the charge for his Lions to get to this point to raise the trophy.

"These guys do it behind the scene and I do not have to tell them to get in the gym at 6 p.m. and get up shots," Joubert said. "These guys are calling all the coaches to let them in the gym. They have dedicated themselves to getting better each and every day. I have never had another group like that."

Between Sells and Donald shooting 9-16 from three-point range, it was Sells forcing seven steals creating the havoc on the Paradise offense

"Pressuring the opposition is just what we do that is our style, our system," Jourbert said. "We feel that it is the system and that is what we say, 'run the system.' These guys believe in it, we are going to play tough up, smart defense."

"We both want the same thing, we both have the same goals, so we just push each other to be the best player we can be," Donald said.

The Lions were able to repeat what the Kountze Lady Lions did last week with their own state championship against the same opponent.

For Paradise, the Panthers were led on the offensive end by Cooper Jones' 15 points and seven rebounds.

3A Division II Bracket

3A Division II

#1 Kountze v. #13 Paradise: UIL TX-6A, Division II high school state championship live updates:

Final Score: Kountze Wins 67-38

• Donald has a game-high 23 points and Sells has added 22 for the Lions.

4Q: 3:34: Kountze: 61-35

• Panthers continuing to fight but the deficit to large to overcome. Kountze continues to shoot lights out from behind the arc.

FOURTH PERIOD

• End of Three Quarters: Kountze is in full control with a 51-30 lead.

• Mason Donald adds his first bucket of the second half with a transition layup, then comes up with a steal with :25 seconds left.

• Cooper Jones gets a transition layup to go and draws a foul for an 'And 1' - Missed FT. 48-24 at 4:00 mark.

3Q: 4:30: Kountze: 48-22

• The third quarter has started with a lot of back and forth action. Lions are continuing their extended 3-2 defense putting the Panther under so much duress.

THIRD PERIOD

Halftime leading scorers: Mason Donald 17 points, Zac Sells 15 points, Rylan Smart 5 points. For Paradise, Cooper Jones leads the way with 8 points.

Halftime from Game 1 at the 'Dome: Kountze leads 42-20

• Cooper Jones adds another three for the Panthers, then as the half is ending Donald gets into the lane and flips up an off balanced floater to end the half.

• Lions are now shooting 7-13 from three-point range on the day.

2Q: 1:00: Kountze: 40-17

• Panthers Cooper Jones with a corner three, then in a hurry off two more Paradise turnovers. Then, Hunter Courts and Donald hit back-to-back threes. Panthers timeout.

2Q: Kountze: 2:12: 34-14

• Carnell Lowe follows up his miss with an offensive rebound and put back. Then, Darnold adds another 3 ball.

• Panther's Max Jordan knocks down Paradise's first three.

• Donald to Gibson with transition layup.

2Q: 4:52: Kountze: 26-9

• Kountze has opened up lead to 26-9 at the 4:52 mark.

• Rylan Smart gets on the scoring action for Koutnze. Another 3 point bomb. Timeout Paradise.

• Sells and Donald open up the scoring in the second quarter for the Lions as they start the period on a 7-2 run.

SECOND PERIOD

End of 1: Kountze leads 16-7

• Paradise works the ball down the court through the press, run a nice offensive set for a lay-in at the buzzer by Cash Gibson.

• Donald transition three. Lions open up a 11 point lead near the end of the first.

• Sells hits 2 more from the charity stripe. Koutnze 12-3, 1:50 1Q

• Turnover Paradise. Zac Sells 3 point bucket. Steal Zac Sells on the full court press . Foul drawn.

• Cooper Woodard gets a bucket at the rim.

• Cash Gibson gets Paradise on the board with 1 of 2 free throws.

Kountze 7-0: 1Q: 4:04

• Donald drains 3 point jumper. Paradise Timeout.

• Paradise shooting 0-4 from the field ; midway through the 1st.

• Mason Donald gets his first bucket with a mid-range jumper. (Kountze 4-0) 4:25 1Q

• Zac Sells gets the scoring started with two free throws at the 6:37 mark. (Kountze 2-0)

FIRST PERIOD

Kountze Lions Starters: Rylan Smart, Mason Donald, Zac Sells, Jermaine Warren, Cordell Lowe

Paradise Panthers Starters: Ayden Winters, Cooper Jones, Cash Gibson, Will McGregor, Max Jordan