Wall Girls Survive Paradise Comeback, Punch Ticket to State Final

COMANCHE, TX — The No. 1-ranked Wall Lady Hawks survived a furious fourth-quarter comeback by No. 6 Paradise on Tuesday to punch their ticket to the state championship game with a 54-51 win.

Wall led by as many as 12 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Hawks couldn’t relax until the final buzzer.

After Paradise pulled within 52-51 with 27 seconds remaining, McKenzie Lopez sank two clutch free throws, and Wall’s defense made one final stand to seal their biggest victory in 10 years.

Wall will play in the state final for the first time since 2016 at 1 p.m. Friday at the Alamodome in San Antonio against No. 24 Central Heights.

Wall will be aiming for its third state title in program history, joining the 2014 and ‘16 teams.

The Lady Hawks had to survive a gauntlet to reach the state final this year as their last three wins were over No. 3 Idalou, No. 2 Coahoma and now No. 6 Paradise.

"I'm just so proud of the kids," Wall head coach Silas Crisler said. "They have bought in since Day 1, early mornings, everything. All the things we told them to do, they did tonight. It was a hard-fought game. Paradise is very well-coached, a very disciplined team. They did a very good job fighting back and clawing all the way, but our kids are resilient. That's the word I keep using on this run. ... They just keep continuing to win the next one and taking a one-more mentality."

Wall was led Tuesday by sophomore Jewels Johnson, who poured in 23 points, including 10 in a pivotal third quarter when Wall broke away from a 27-25 halftime lead for a 42-32 lead heading into the final quarter. Johnson knocked down four 3-pointers.

Senior Kennedi Graves added 15 points for Wall.

Paradise was led by junior Jayci Barnes with 16 points and freshman Hartley Barnes with 11. The Lady Panthers are coached by Michael Barnes, who had stints with three Concho Valley schools — Miles, Ballinger and Christoval.

Hartley Barnes' 3-pointer with 27 seconds to play pulled Paradise within 52-51 and made Wall endure a scary finish, but Lopez's free throws with 15 seconds remaining were critical.

Johnson then came up with a block inside to stop Paradise on its final possession, which prevented the Lady Panthers from ever getting a chance at a game-tying 3-pointer.

Wall is heading to the state final for the fifth time in program history. The last time they played for the title in 2016, they beat Brock 24-21, and Maddi Chitsey earned her second state final MVP award.

Chitsey is now the wife of Wall's head coach.

"As a player, I didn't have these special experiences, so to get to watch these kids get to experience that after all the hard work they bought into, it's really special," Crisler said. "My wife was a great basketball player, and getting to go do what she did, trying to go win a state championship in San Antonio, is a really special thing."

Tuesday's state semifinal was actually a rematch between Wall and Paradise after they met at a tournament in Saginaw in December.

Wall won the first game by 18 points, but it was much more difficult this time.

In fact, Paradise led by as many as six points midway through the second quarter at 24-18 before Wall finished strong to take a 27-25 lead into halftime. It was an exciting first half with eight lead changes in the early going.

After Paradise's Brittan Richey hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 30-30 with about 3:30 left in the third quarter, Johnson hit back-to-back 3s to give Wall the lead for good.

Johnson then banked in a shot just before the third-quarter buzzer to give the Lady Hawks a 42-32 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Her two free throws early in the fourth made it 44-32 before Paradise charged back into the contest.

Paradise's season ended with a record of 33-5.

Wall improved to 36-3 with its 15th straight win. The Lady Hawks' only three losses this season were against the top three ranked teams in Class 4A — Decatur, Canyon and Brock — and Wall avenged the loss to Brock.

Next up is the Class 3A Division II state final against a Central Heights team with a record of 32-5. The Blue Devils play in East Texas just north of the town of Nacogdoches.

Wall 54, Paradise 51

Paradise   17   8   7   19 — 51

Wall   18   9   15   12   — 54

PARADISE — Jayci Barnes 16, Hartley Barnes 11, Allie McCormick 9, Brittan Richey 9, Lainey Munden 2, Renlee Longenbaugh 4.

WALL — Kennedi Graves 15, Kathrine Lewis 3, McKenzie Lopez 5, Jewels Johnson 23, Kenzzie Covert 4, Brynlee Graves 4.