Kimball of Dallas (38-3) defeated La Marque of Galveston (33-5) in a battle of Class 4A powers early Saturday evening at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.
Kimball of Dallas Handles La Marque 78-64 to Capture Texas Class 4A State Championship
Kimball raced to a 13-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game and never relinquished the lead.
Julien Lewis, a 6-foot-4 senior guard committed to Texas, and La Marque’s marquee player poured in 26 points and six boards, but struggled from long distance going only 2/12.
Tournament MVP Shannon Lilly went 5-6 from downtown to lead Kimball with 23 points.
Jalen Jones hit 13 of 14 at the free-throw line en route to 19 points and nine rebounds. The senior has signed with Southern Methodist to continue his playing career.
New Mexico State football recruit Austin Franklin had 15 as well in the winning effort.
La Marque’s frenetic style of play led to some questionable shots, as evidenced by their 5/25 performance from three-point range.
Kimball’s efficiency led to 8/12 from three-point range which accounted for the point differential.
Other statistics including rebounds (35-35), steals (13-12 Kimball) and free throw attempts (28-24 Kimball) all point to a more competitive contest than the final score would indicate.
For La Marque of Galveston, the state finals appearance was the school’s first.
Kimball of Dallas entered the game as the top seed in Class 4A. The state title is the school’s fourth, but first since 1997.
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