High School

Kountze rolls to Texas UIL girls basketball 3A-II state title over Paradise behind MVP McDaniel: Live updates recap

Kountze sets 3A record for most steals in a title game; moves to 2nd all-time in 3-pointers made in title game

Cody Thorn

Koutze senior Jada Skipper, right, dribbles against East Chambers during a Feb. 6 game. Kountze plays in the Class 3 Division II finals on Feb. 28.
Koutze senior Jada Skipper, right, dribbles against East Chambers during a Feb. 6 game. Kountze plays in the Class 3 Division II finals on Feb. 28. / Julie Isbell

POSTGAME RECAP

After eight trips to the semifinals and one previous chance at a state title, Kountze took home the crown for the first time Friday morning.

The Lionettes used a swarming defense and hot shooting from the 3-point line to pull away for a 69-40 win over Paradise in the first-ever Class 3A Division I finals.

How confident was Kountze? 

State championship t-shirts were being handed out moments after the game at the Alamodome went final.

The No. 5-ranked squad finished the year 31-3 and won the final 16 games. 

Kountze forced 30 turnovers in the game and broke the state record with 21 steals. The previous 3A record was held by Shallowater, Ozona and Wall.

The Lionettes also came close to tying another record — 3-pointers. 

The team went 8-for-22, which is now tied for second all-time with Brock, Poth, Mount Vernon and Woodville — the most recent to do so in the 2018-19 season.

Gunter holds the record in 3A with 10.

Keyiona McDaniel had 4 of the 3s for the Lionettes. She was named the game MVP with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 8 steals.

Two other Lionettes finished in double figures scoring. Star Warren had 20 and Neosho McMahon ha d 13. Jada Skipper had 8 points and 10 assists.

That total is the second most in 3A history, one behind the record set by Kristen Harris of Shallowater in 2022-23. The previous No. 2 mark was 8. 

Gazey Yates led Paradise (27-11) with 13 points. Kimber Euler added 9 coming in a reserve role for the Panthers. 

HOW TO WATCH PARADISE (27-10) vs. KOUNTZE (30-3)

What: UIL Class 3A Division II championship game

When: 11 a.m., Feb. 28

Where: Alamodome, San Antonio

How to watch the live stream online: You can watch this game live on the NFHS Network.

PREGAME PREVIEW

Neither Paradise nor Kountze has a state title but that will change by Friday morning.

Paradise is unranked, while Kountze was No. 5 in the final regular season TABC poll heading into this championship game.

First-year head coach Tena Matthews Williams has led Kountze to the state championship on a 15-game winning streak. 

Kountze hammered Jourdanton, 73-37, in a semifinal game on Tuesday. In advance of the game, Koutze ISD canceled school to allow fans a chance to drive to San Antonio for the game. 

The Lionettes are captained by seniors Jada Skipper and Keyiona McDaniel. 

Kountze scored 117 in a win against Kirbyville and also had a 93-point game against Anahuac this season. 

Matthews Williams played at Northwestern State, where she was a 1,000-point scorer.

Kountze had been in the final four in Class 1A, 2A and 3A — the only finals berth was the 2002-03 season — falling to Canyon in the finals. 

Paradise is in the state championship game for the first time in school history.

The North Texas school enters with a 7-game winning streak and since the calendar flipped to 2025, the Panthers are 12-2 with the only two losses to No. 18-ranked Ponder.

The Panthers beat No. 11-ranked Idalou, 42-40, to punch the ticket to San Antonio. 

Paradise vs. Kountze, Texas UIL girls 3A-II state final; scoring, updates

The starting five for Kountze: Keyiona McDaniel, Neosha McMahon, Ja’Kya Irvin, Jada Skipper and Star Warren

The starting five for Paradise: Jayci Barnes, Madi Gentry, Brittan Richey, Gazey Yates and Channing Beauvais 

FIRST QUARTER

Beauvais hits two free throws early and Paradise is up 2-0 only seconds into the game.

Kountze goes up 4-2 but Yates hit a bucket with 4:16 left to tie the game at 4-4. Timeout on the floor with 4:16 left in the quarter.

Skipper with a steal and score for the Lionettes. Kountze up 6-4.

Kountze's defense is tough early on. Paradise forced to call a timeout to avoid a turnover. 2:28 to go. Kountz up 8-7

McDaniel has hit 2 3-pointers and the Lionettes are on a 10-0 run.

McDaniel hits another 3 and now a 13-0 run for Kountze. Lionettes are up 19-7. McDaniel now has 13 points.

Beauvais scores to make it 37-17 but McMahon hits a 3 on the other end for Kountze.

SECOND QUARTER

Yates with a basket for Paradise to stop the run. Kountze is up 20-9

Irvin and McMahon with back-to-back buckets taking advantage of the press. The lead for Lionettes is now 25-9 with 6 minutes to play in the second

Skipper fouled and going to the line and hits the first to make it a 20-point lead for the Lionettes, 32-12

Skipper with another basket. A 6-0 run in 50 seconds and Paradise calls a timeout with 3:02 left. It's now 35-12

Yates off the backboard and snaps the Kountze run. She has 6 points now for the Panthers

Another turnover and score for Kountze. That is 19 points off turnovers. 37-15 with less than 2 minutes to go in 1st half

McDaniel with a 3 for Kountze. The Lionettes have hit 7 treys

End of 2nd quarter: Kountze 43, Paradise 19

Kountze is 7 for 13 on 3s ; McDaniel has hit 4 and has a team-high 16 points.

Yates with 8 to lead Paradise at the break. The Kountze defense hasd forced 16 turnovers with its defense.

THIRD QUARTER

McDaniel scores on 1st possession of third quarter and Kountze up 45-19

Kimber Euler scores for Paradise with 4:31 left. It is now 50-21 and stops a 7-0 run.

Timeout on the floor with 3:39 left in the 3rd. Kountze up 50-23

End of 3rd: Kountze 54, Paradise 27

According to sideline reporter on TV broadcast, Kountze girls will get on bus after this game and head up to College Station to cheer on the boys basketball team -- which hopes to make it to state

FOURTH QUARTER

Kountze and Paradise are both going to the bench.

Warren scores for Kountze to extend the lead to 60-30 with 4:08 to play

2:18 left and Kountze is up 65-36

Both teams with a lot of new players in the game

47 seconds left

McMahon scores on a layup inside with 15 seconds left. Kountze up 69-39

Final: Kountze 69, Paradise 40

McDaniel was named the MVP; 19 points, 11 rebounds, 4 3-pointers, 8 steals

OTHER TEXAS STORIES

Meekins carries Nocona to win over San Saba in Texas UIL girls basketball 2A-I state final: live updates recap

Martin's Mill pulls away in OT to beat Farwell in Texas UIL girls basketball 2A-II state final: Live updates recap

Nazareth girls win 26th state title, down Saltillo in Texas UIL Class 1A-II state championship; live updates, recap

Predicting the winner of the 1A-6A Texas high school girl's basketball state championship games

CHAMPS: Broaddus, population 186, wins Texas girls Class 1A Division I state title; live scoring updates, recap

Texas UIL boys state basketball Class 1A-6A Division I and II regional finals brackets (02/27/2025 - 03/01/2025)

Aaliyah Chavez news: The latest updates on the nation's No. 1 recruit

Published |Modified
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.

Home/Texas