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Fairfield stuns Jim Ned with late comeback to win Texas 3A-I girls state championship; preview, live updates, recap

Brackens hits buzzer-beater, Fairfield stuns Jim Ned with late comeback to win Class 3A Division I state championship

Levi Payton

Jim Ned and Fairfield battle for a loose ball during the Class 3A Division I state championship girls basketball game on Friday, February. 28, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Jim Ned and Fairfield battle for a loose ball during the Class 3A Division I state championship girls basketball game on Friday, February. 28, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. / Angela Piazza/USA Today Network via Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Perhaps the most intriguing girls matchup of Friday's Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) state championship slate, No. 1 Tuscola Jim Ned takes on No. 4 Fairfield in the Class 3A Division I girls state championship at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, inside the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Ranked by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC), Jim Ned enters 35-2 with both of its losses coming to 4A teams by a combined five points.

Fairfield (32-) continues its program’s recent string of success as the Lady Eagles are in the tournament for the sixth time overall and fifth since 2020. They beat Corpus Christi West Oso in the state semifinals, 61-56. They’ve blown out most of their opponents this season, including a 78-0 victory over Buffalo.

These teams are certainly familiar with each other, as Jim Ned bested Fairfield in their lone meeting this season back on Dec. 28.

The Lady Indians – in the tournament for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2012 – survived a 40-38 scare against Winnsboro (29-7) in their state semifinal showdown.

They made a statement to open the tournament, beating Ingram Moore 58-15 in the first round before taking down Comanche, 51-32, in the Area championship. The Lady Indians ran into a tough Shallowater (27-9) team in the regional semifinal and escaped with a 56-49 victory before taking down Dalhart (30-7) in a 44-33 decision to win the Region 1 championship.

Fairfield had been breezing through these playoffs before West Oso gave them plenty to handle in their state semifinal showdown. The Lady Eagles jumped out to a 17-12 first quarter lead and never relented even though West Oso kept it close most of the way.

Prior to that, the Lady Eagles easily handled Franklin 73-40 in the Bi-District before beating Grandview 51-39 to win the Area championship, breezed past Hitchcock 46-33 in the regional semifinal and then walloped Little River Academy 61-43 in the Region 3 championship.

Jim Ned has scored 2,091 points and surrendered 1,146 this season. They’re currently riding a 17-game winning streak. Fairfield has scored 2,207 points, surrendered 1,390 and is riding a five-game winning streak.

Follow below for live updates as the game happens. You can also watch on NFHS Network.

(1) Tuscola Jim Ned vs. (4) Fairfield: Texas UIL girls Class 3A Division I state championship; live updates, recap

Starting lineups:

Jim Ned: Jessa Garcia, Emma Doran, Gracee Cooley, Riley Grohman, Addison Bradshaw

Fairfield: Jacelynn Schmidt, Blayke Brackens, Jaci Abram, Jimilyah Nash, Kaylee Williams

FIRST PERIOD

Fairfield opens up with three free throws across two possessions to take a 3-0 lead with 5 minutes to go in the first period.

Jim Ned gets its first points 3 minutes, 30 seconds into the game. Those points came off the bench, as McCaylee Miller just checked in and immediately scored to make it 3-2.

After a basket by Fairfield, Miller scores another basket for Jim Ned. She now has all four of the Lady Indians' points coming off the bench. It's 5-4, Fairfield with 2:41 left in the first.

Emma Duran takes a cross-court pass and buries a 3-pointer to give Jim Ned its first lead of the game. The Lady Indians lead 7-5 with 2:20 left in the period.

Addison Bradshaw hits one of two free throws at the end of the first period and Jim Ned leads Fairfield 8-5 in a defensive battle.

SECOND PERIOD

Jaci Abram pulls down a rebound and puts it back to trim Fairfield's deficit to 11-9 with 5 minutes to go, but Riley Grohman immediately answers with a 3-pointer for Jim Ned on the other end to push the Lady Indians' lead to 14-9.

These teams are really getting after it defensively.

Jim Ned - Fairfield
Jim Ned's Riley Grohman is blocked by Fiarfield's Jacelynn Schmidt during the Class 3A Division I state championship girls basketball game on Friday, February. 28, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. / Angela Piazza/USA Today Network via Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fairfield calls a timeout with 3:52 left in the half, trailing 14-9. Both offenses have been a bit sloppy in the early going as they're expending a lot of energy defensively.

Miller scores again for Jim Ned. She now has six points, and Jim Ned leads 16-9.

Gracee Cooley is true from long range. Her 3-pointer pushes Jim Ned's lead to 19-11 with 2:55 left in the half.

Jim Ned seems to be holding the ball for the final 45 seconds to take the final shot of the half.

The Lady Indians got a pair of good looks, but Grohmann's step-back 3 hit the front of the rim and the put-back attempt rimmed out. Jim Ned takes a 21-15 lead into halftime.

Halftime notes: The story of the first half has been turnovers. While neither team has shot the ball well (35.7 percent from the field for Fairfield, 26.9 for Jim Ned), Jim Ned's offense has yet to commit a turnover while Fairfield has turned it over six times leading to 10 points for the Lady Indians. ... McCayle Miller leads the Lady Indians with six points, while Riley Grohman has three points, six rebounds and three assists and Jessa Garcia has three points and five boards. ... Fairfield is led by Jaci Abram with six points and three rebounds, while Jacelynn Schmidt has four points and three boards.

THIRD PERIOD

Jaci Abram finally gets the first points of the second half nearly two minutes into the half, as both teams continue to struggle shooting the ball. It's 21-17, Jim Ned.

Abram scores another basked with 3:48 to go in the third to trim Fairfield's deficit to 25-22. Abram now has 10 points.

After the Lady Indians scored, Abram answered agian with another jumper to make it 27-24 and then immediately checked out of the game with 2:27 to go in the third She has 12 points.

Jim Ned
Jim Ned's Emma Doran shoots a basket during the Class 3A Division I state championship girls basketball game on Friday, February. 28, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. / Angela Piazza/USA Today Network via Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jim Ned immediately pushes its lead to 31-24 and now Abram is checking back in with 1:29 to go in the third.

Jim Ned finally turns it over with just under a minute to go in the third period. Blayke Brackens hits a jumper with 30 seconds left and Fairfield trims the deficit to 31-27.

What a finish. Kaylee Williams steals a pass, races to the other end of the floor and beat Gracee Cooley to the rack as the buzzer expired to further trim the deficit to 31-29 at the end of the third period. Fairfield scored four points across the final 30 seconds.

FOURTH PERIOD

Fairfield gets a couple of bad bounces to open the fourth. First, a shot by Schmidt in the paint lingered on the front of the rim before falling off, then a ball tipped out of bounds went against them. Jim Ned gets possession.

This game has been very physical. To credit the officials, they're letting these girls play.

Schmidt draws a foul on Cooley with 6:26 left and steps to the line and hits both free throws to tie the game at 31.

The speed of this game has picked up. It's still a defensive battle and both offenses are still getting sloppy with the ball. That steal by Williams at the end of the third period seems to have changed the momentum greatly in this one. Jim Ned's offense has gone cold and is still looking for its first points of the fourth period. Timeout with 5:44 to go in the game.

They are cool no more. Cooley drains a long 3-pointer for Jim Ned with 5:15 to go to break the tie. It's 34-31.

Fairfield immediately answers. Schmidt scores inside and gets fouled. She completes the three-point play to tie it at 34 with 4:47 to go.

Cooley, who hit a pair of free throws earlier to break a tie, hits the backend of two foul shots with 2:38 to go to give Jim Ned the lead back, 37-36.

This game could be decided at the line. Schmidt now heads to the line with 2:26 left and hits two shots. Fairfield leads Jim Ned, 38-37. Timeout on the floor.

Riley Grohman hits a huge 3-pointer with 1:44 left and Jim Ned takes a 40-38 lead. What a huge shot.

Jim Ned is trying to shorten this game. They inbounded the ball with 1:22 left and held it until Fairfield finally fouled with 36.1 seconds left. Grohman hits two free throws, and Jim Ned leads 42-38.

Fairfield had to have points and Blayke Brackens answers with a jumper from near the free throw line to cut Jim Ned's lead to 42-40 with 20 seconds left.

Huge moment here. Grohman gets trapped along the sideline and loses the ball out of bounds. Fairfield takes over, trailing 42-40 with 13.8 seconds left.

WE'RE HEADED TO OVERTIME! Brackens does it again. She gets off a clean jumper with 3 seconds left and it goes in. This game is tied at 42 at the end of regulation. BONUS BASKETBALL!

OVERTIME

Fairfield controls the tip to open overtime. Brackens starts the overtime with another basket. She's scored six straight. Fairfield leads Jim Ned, 44-42, with 3;21 left.

Jamilyah Nash makes one of two free throws and Fairfield leads 45-42 with 3:15 left.

Now it's Fairfield who is milking the clock. There's two minutes left. This one trip has already drained over 1 minute off the clock.

Fairfield milks the clock down to 1:33 and Jim Ned fouls to send Brackens to the line. She hits both foul shots and it's now 47-42.

Grohman drives and lays it in with 1:17 left. Timeout on the floor. Fairfield leads Jim Ned, 47-44.

Grohman gets a steal with 1:07 left and just misses an open trey. Fairfield gets the rebound and is fouled. Alexander hits one free throw to make it 48-44.

Brackens hits one free throw with 26 seconds left. Fairfield leads 49-44 with 16.4 seconds left.

Williams hits one free throw. Fairfield wins the state championship in dramatic fashion, beating Jim Ned 50-44. What a comeback.

Recap: Fairfield hadn't led since holding a 5-4 lead early in the game, then went on a late run and re-took the lead with 2 minutes left in regulation before Blayke Brackens hit two key baskets in the final 30 seconds of regulation, including a jumper at the buzzer in regulation, to send it to overtime.

The Lady Eagles outscored Jim Ned 12-2 down the stretch to take control.

A huge turnover by Kaylee Williams at the end of the third period seemed to be the turning point for Fairfield, as they took control the remainder of the way after struggling against Jim Ned's defense throughout much of the first three quarters.

Brackens was named the game's MVP. She finished with a game-high 17 points while adding six rebounds and two blocks. Jaci Abram and Jimilyah Nash each had 12 points for the state champions.

Riley Grohman led Jim Ned with 14 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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