Aaliyah Chavez scores 20, No. 5 Monterey beats No. 6 Memorial in Texas UIL state semifinal; live updates, recap

Chavez scores 20 as Monterey survives second half scare to advance to Texas 5A championship

Monterey's Aaliyah Chavez shoots against Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. Chavez finished with 20 points as Monterey advanced to the state final for the first time since 1981. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Today’s highly anticipated state semifinal features No. 5 Lubbock Monterey against No. 6 Frisco Memorial in a Texas UIL 5A-Division II playoff at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.

The opening tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Memorial (33-7) is back in the semifinals for the first time since 2022, when the Lady Warriors finished as the 5A runner-up to Cedar Park.

It’s been a different journey for Monterey (35-5). It’s been 35 years since the Lady Plainsmen participated in the 1989-1990 state semis.

After starting these playoffs with a 61-35 win over Frisco Lone Star in the first round, Memorial beat Lucas Lovejoy 44-35 in the area round before surviving a couple of close calls.

They escaped a nail-biter with Midlothian Heritage in the region semifinals on Feb. 18, winning that game 37-36, before beating Frisco Wakeland, 46-41, in the Region 2-5A final Feb. 21.

This will be Monterey’s second go with a Memorial team this postseason. The Lady Plainsmen walloped Wichita Falls Memorial in the first round, 83-26, before hammering El Paso Burges in an area game, 91-52. They followed that with a 76-46 win over Fort Worth Brewer in the regional semifinals.

Monterey’s first real test came on Feb. 21 against No. 8 Argyle. Despite leading by as many as 12, the Lady Plainsmen fought off a late charge by No. 8 Argyle to win their Region 1-5A semifinal, 58-52.

The teams have faced a pair of like opponents this season. Two of Memorial’s seven losses came against 6A power Cedar Hill – who is in the 6A-I state semifinal – in a 57-56 decision on Nov. 15 and a 61-58 setback Dec. 27.

Monterey beat Cedar Hill 63-51 in their only match up – a game that saw five-star senior guard Aaliyah Chavez – the No. 1 uncommitted prospect in the 2025 recruiting class – finish with 35 points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Lady Plainsmen.  

Both teams beat up on Allen this season. Monterey beat them 70-40, while Memorial beat them 63-47 and 64-38.

As a team Monterey has scored 3,027 points and surrendered 1,850 this season. Memorial’s offense has scored 2,253 points, while the defense has yielded only 1,451 points – an average of 36.27 per game.

Memorial’s defense will be handed a tough task with Chavez, who is averaging 35.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Down to four schools in her recruitment – Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas Tech – Chavez has 1,412 points this season and 4,757 in her career.

She also has 371 rebounds, 172 assists, 151 steals and 48 blocks this season.

The nation’s No. 1 player, Aaliyah Chavez, had @TexasWBB HC @CoachVic_UT in attendance as she lead her team to the state semifinals. #HookEm

The #Longhorns are one of @AALIYAH2CHAVEZ’s top schools. @OnTexasFootball pic.twitter.com/b2HK2iV2kZ

— Blake Munroe (@BlakeMunroeOTF) February 22, 2025

Argyle’s defense, which was allowing just 32 points per game, swarmed Chavez all evening and held her to 17 points in front of Texas women's coach Vic Shaefer, after she’d scored 45 against Burges and 50 against Brewer.

But slowing Chavez wasn’t enough. Junior 5-foot-7 guard Ambrosia Cole stepped up with a game-high 21 points, while 6-3 junior center Ari Johnson chipped in 11 points, seven boards and a block to help secure the win.

The winner of today’s game will move on to face the semifinal winner of Mt. Belvieu Cedar Hill or No. 12 Barbers Hill for the 5A-II state championship, scheduled for 11 a.m. March 1 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Check back often as we will post live game and scoring updates as they happen once the game tips off this evening.

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No. 5 Monterey vs. No. 6 Frisco Memorial, Texas UIL girls 5A-II state semifinal; scoring updates, recap

Starting lineups are being announced. We're just about ready to go.

Starters for Frisco Memorial: Sydney Murphy, MaKayla Ellison, Katelynn Evans, Pressley Powell, Jevan Collier.

Starters for Lubbock Monterey: Aaliyah Chavez, Khloie Serna, Zaniyah Wilkerson, Ambrosia Cole, Ari Johnson.

FIRST PERIOD

Ambrosia Cole hits two free throws and Monterey draws first blood, 2-0.

Monterey gets a steal, Cole tosses it to Chavez and Chavez gets fouled on a 3-point attempt. She hits two of three free throws and its 4-0.

Ari Johnson gets her second steal - she's had a huge defensive start for Monterey - and Khloie Serna pops an open jumper. Timeout, Memorial. Monterey leads 6-0 with 6:12 left in the first. Johnson's steals have led to four of Monterey's six points so far.

Sydney Murphy hits a 3-pointer for Memorial's first points with 5:02 left, cutting Montery's lead in half, 6-3.

Cole scores back-to-back baskets and Aaliyah Chavez hits a long 3-pointer in front of two defenders to make it 13-3 with 2:02 left in the first.

Cole scores again and the teams trade a flurry of baskets at the end of the first period. Cole finishes the first quarter with eight points and Lubbock Monterey leads Frisco Memorial 18-8.

SECOND PERIOD

Murphy hits her third 3-pointer of the game to open up the second period and Katelynn Evans scores on a layin to cut the deficit to 18-13.

Zaniyah Wilkerson answers with a 3-pointer for Monterey to make it 21-13. Ari Johnson picks up her second foul, however. Which will be a big thing to keep an eye on as this game unfolds. She's vital to Monterey under the basket.

Monterey's Ambrosia Cole shoots against Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ambrosia Cole picks up two quick fouls here early in the second. Another thing to keep an eye on.

Chavez drains another tough, contested 3-pointer to extend Monterey's lead to 26-16 with 5:13 to go.

Bad news for Monterey. Cole picks up another foul. She got three in a hurry here in the second, and exits with 5:04 to go in the half. She's a huge part of Monterey's team.

Chavez is called for a charge on the same play Zaniyah Wilkerson limps off badly with an apparent injury. It's 26-18 with 4:23 to go.

Payton Jones hits a shot inside to cut Monterey's lead to 28-23, but Chavez goes to the basket and draws a foul. She completes the three-point play and Monterey leads 31-23 with 3:21 left in the half. Chavez has 11 points so far.

Chavez gets her 3-pointer blocked but gets it right back and immediately drains a 3-pointer over the defender who'd just denied her, then Jasmine Holloway hits a trey of her own to make it 37-23 with 2:01 to go in the half.

Holloway hits another 3-pointer. This one with 32 seconds left to make it 40-25, Monterey.

Memorial lost track of time off the inbounds with three seconds left and never got off a shot before the end of the half. The Lady Plainsmen have played incredible defense and several members of Monterey's supporting cast are stepping up in a big way. Monterey leads at halftime, 40-25.

Halftime notes: Monterey is led by Aaliyah Chavez with 14 points, followed by Ambrosia Cole with eight and six apiece from Khloie Serna, Zaniyah Wilkerson and Jasmine Holloway. ... Memorial is led by Sydney Murphy with 11 points, while Katelynn Evans has six, MaKayla Ellison and Pressley Powell have three and Payton Jones has two. ... Monterey will be on thin ice in the second half, as Cole has three fouls and Chavez and Johnson each have two.

THIRD PERIOD

Bad news for Monterey. Zaniyah Wilkerson is on crutches on the bench.

Memorial is off on a 8-0 run to start the second half, six of its points coming from Katelynn Evans, and Monterey's lead is down to 40-33 with 5:31 left in the third.

Johnson's first points come at the 4:47 mark of the third period to snap Memorial's 10-0 run.

Sonny Chavez celebrates a basket by his daughter, Monterey's Aaliyah Chavez, against Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Memorial cuts it to 46-40 on a 3-pointer from Samantha Earnest. Timeout by Monterey with 2:04 to go in the third.

Collier cuts it to 46-42 on a runner with 33 seconds left and that's how the third period ends. Lubbock Monterey 46, Memorial 42.

FOURTH PERIOD

Aaliyah Chavez gets her first points of the second half, making the back-end of two free throws to make it 47-42.

Katelynn Evans makes it a two-point game on an open jumper. Memorial cuts the deficit to 49-47 with 6:26 to go.

Pressley Powell with a nice spin move to the basket and hits a runner to pull Memorial within one. It's 50-49 with 5:48 to go in regulation.

It's worth noting that with 5:48 remaining in the game, Aaliyah Chavez has scored one point in the second half. Ambrosia Cole only has four and Ari Johnson has just five points all game.

Monterey girls basketball coach Jill Schneider instructs her team against Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Credit Memorial's defense for this stark turnaround. The Lady Warriors are denying second-chance opportunities and Monterey's offense has gone cold.

Memorial takes its first lead of the game on a Katelynn Evans basket to make it 51-50 with 4:23 to go.

Big shot by Chavez. She drains a 3-pointer with 3:54 to go and Monterey reclaims the lead, 53-51. Memorial's Sydney Murphy goes down with an injury on the play and is helped off the court.

Payton Jones ties it with a basket at 3:24. It's 53-53.

Monterey is still struggling to score, as Memorial is swarming Chavez with double and triple teams. The Lady Plainsmen were getting big shots in the first half from its supporting cast. They're going to need that again here. Memorial has a ton of momentum. The Lady Warriors defense has been tremendous in the second half.

Shamari Wilkerson scores an open basket with 1:23 to go and Monterey takes the lead back, 55-53. Johnson gets a big defensive rebound on the other end and Monterey has the ball with a minute to go.

Memorial ties it, but Chavez scores over a group of defenders with 41 seconds to go to make it 57-55. Memorial gets an open look at a trey on the ensuing possession, but it gets rim and Monterey gets the rebound. Ambrosia Cole is at the line shooting two with 19.4 seconds left.

Cole missed the backend, but Memorial turns it over on an errant pass out of bounds with 12.8 seconds to go on Monterey's end. Timeout on the floor. Huge play here for Memorial's defense. They need a steal.

Monterey's Jasmine Holloway, left, and Ava Longoria celebrate after a win over Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ambrosia Cole makes both free throws with 11.1 left and that should seal it.

FINAL: (5) Lubbock Monterey 60, (6) Frisco Memorial 57. Monterey heads to San Antonio to play in the 5A-Division II state championship at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1.

Monterey's Khloei Serna cuts off a piece of the net after a win over Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite a slow second half and battles with foul trouble, Monterey finished strong in the final five minutes to pull out the win.

Chavez finished with 20 points, including three 3s. Cole finished with 15.

Katelynn Evans led Memorial with 18 points, while Murphy had 11.

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