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Rylan Jones helps Cedar Hill beat Plano East in Texas high school girls basketball semifinal: Live updates recap

Cedar Hill heads to Class 6A Division I finals against Humble Summer Creek

Cody Thorn

Plano East freshman guard Arianna Robinson (11) dribbles during a Feb. 14 game against South Grand Prairie.
Plano East freshman guard Arianna Robinson (11) dribbles during a Feb. 14 game against South Grand Prairie. /  Oladipo Awowale

No. 10-ranked Cedar Hill will be playing for a championship for the third time in school history.

The Longhorns fended off Plano East, 61-51, on Tuesday night in a Class 6A Division I semifinal game in Fort Worth.

Cedar Hill (29-8) knocked off defending state champion Duncanville last week and will play Humble Summer Creek. In the other semifinal game on Tuesday, Summer Creek won 60-31 against Cibolo Steele.

Rylan Jones led Cedar Hill with 23, while Brooklyn King chipped in with 15.

The game was close going into the final quarter, with Cedar Hill leading 49-46. 

Plano East (24-14) had a chance twice to tie the game, but didn’t capitalize. King scored with less than 5 minutes left for the first basket of the final stanza.

Trinity Thomas and Jones later scored near the 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 minute mark to push the lead to 58-49, which all but locked it up.

Freshman Arianna Robinson scored a game-high 31 in the loss for the Panthers. She had 14 in the first half for Plano East.

Cedar Hill is 0-2 in previous state title game appearances, losing to Canyon in the 4A finals in 1996 and falling to Levelland in 1997 by three points. 

Pregame Preview

With the split into two divisions this year, there was already going to be one new champion in the 6A girls playoff bracket.

However, defending state champion Duncanville was bounced from the Division I bracket last week with a loss to Cedar Hill.

Now, Cedar Hill will clash with Plano East in a semifinal game tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center in Fort Worth. Cedar Hill was ranked No. 10 in the final regular season poll by the TABC.

This is a neutral-site playoff game due to the expansion of the playoffs. Only the finals games will be played at The Alamodome in San Antonio — at 7 p.m. on Saturday. 

Last year, this game would’ve been in San Antonio.

The other semifinal game is No. 20 Cibolo Steele vs. unranked Humble Summer Creek.

Cedar Hill is in the semifinals for the first time since the 2009-2010 season.

The Longhorns have not won a state title but were runner-up in 1995-96 and 1996-97. Cedar Hill brings a 28-8 record into this contest.

For Plano East, this is the furthest trip to the postseason. Last year, the boys team won its first-ever state championship. The Panthers are 24-13 and enter on a 4-game winning streak.

You can watch the game here.

Plano East vs. Cedar Hill, Texas UIL girls 6A-I state semifinal; scoring, updates

First quarter

Cedar Hill out to 6-0 lead in opening 2 minutes. Those trying to watch on the NFHS feed may be having technical difficulties

Plano East's Arianna Robinson with 5 straight points. Cedar Hill up 6-5 now.

Robinson with a pull-up jumper. 1:12 left. Cedar Hil up 17-12

Plano East 6-foot-0 post Sema Udo draws 3rd foul with 34.2 seconds left in 1st. Cedar Hill going to the line for 2

Plano East gets a steal but can't convert at the buzzer.

End of 1st: Cedar Hill 18, Plano East 12

SECOND QUARTER

Brooklyn King with an offensive rebound off a missed 3 and gets a putback for the Longhorns. Cedar Hill up 20-12 with 7:28 left in 2nd. Plano East dribbles the ball down and the clock doesn't start for about 5 seconds.

Robinson hits a pair of free throws for Plano East. She has 11 now. Cedar Hill up 20-14.

Cedar Hill calls a timeout with the ball. The Longhorns led 22-17

Sydney Moultrie with a basket inside for Cedar Hill. Next possesion, Trinity Thomas with a 3-pointer from the corner. Cedar Hill up 27-17 with 3 minutes left.

Half of the state final is now set; The game in Houston is now: Humble Summer Creek will get this winner

2:07 left in first half and a timeout is called. Robinson hit a jumper before timeout. Cedar Hill lead down to 27-21.

Hailey Reed with a 3-pointer for Plano East. Lead cut to 27-21. Cedar Hill turns ball over on next possession and then fouls Reed.

Reed hits both shots in the bonus at the free-throw line. Plano East down 27-26.

Rylan Jones scores the final two baskets in the first half for Cedar Hill to expand the lead.

End of 2nd quarter: Cedar Hill 31, Plano East 26

Robinson leads all scorers with 14. Jones has 11 for Cedar Hill

THIRD QUARTER

Cedar Hill balls gets the ball to open the second half

King fouled while shooting a 3. She hits all 3 free throws. Cedar Hill up 36-28 with 6 minutes to go in 3rd

Robinson with back-to-back buckets. Cedar Hill lead down to 38-32 4:54

Jones with a pair of free throws for Cedar Hill. Longhorns up 43-32 with 4:11 left in 3rd

Didi Chineke with a layup inside for Plano East. Cedar Hill up 44-36. Plano East calls timeout after the bucket. 3:44 left

Robinson hit a 3-pointer and then steals the ball and goes down and draws a foul. She will shoot 2 FT but Cedar Hill calls a timeout before that. 44-39 is the lead with 2:40 left in 3rd.

Not game-related but ... Arena DJ has played Will Smith's Getting Jiggy Wit It and and Ricky Martin's La Vida Loca at different points this game. The late 90s music is probably a big hit with these players' parents.

Udo draws 4th foul with 1:37 left. She leaves the game for Plano East.

Jones gets a bucket to give Cedar Hill a 49-42 with 1:20 left.

Robinson misses her first shot of the game on a layup that rolls in and out. She goes to the line for 2 with 45.5 left. Trinity Thomas picked up foul No. 4 on that play. She makes both to make it 49-46. She has 29 points for Plano East

End of 3rd quarter: Cedar Hill 49, Plano East 46

FOURTH QUARTER

Plano East has had two chances to tie and failed to do so. Missed a 3 and then turned the ball over on the next possession. Still 49-46. 5:43 to go.

King with a big bucket for Cedar Hill. Plano East travels on next possession. 51-46 left and Longhorns up

Another travel on Plano East. And now two players with 4 fouls. 2:36 left to go. Cedar Hill up 51-47

Jones with two big baskets for Cedar Hill. Timeout by Plano East. 1:55 left. Cedar Hill up 55-49.

Kennedy Borders with foul No. 5 and she is done for Plano East. 46.4 left. Cedar Hill going to the line for two

Plano East misses a 3-pointer, but a foul is called on Cedar Hill on the rebound. 34.6 seconds left. Cedar Hill up 59-50

Plano East gets a turnover it needs but misses a 3. Thomas with the rebound for Cedar Hill and she is fouled. 25 seconds left.

Final: Cedar Hill 61, Plano East 51

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Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

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