SAN ANTONIO — Under state championship pressure in front of a large crowd at the Alamodome, the Wall Lady Hawks called on an old friend to help them defeat Nacogdoches Central Heights 49-34 for the Class 3A Division II title on Friday. 

Their buddy: half-court defense — the same defense that limited 20 of their last 25 opponents to 40 points or less. It was again the key to a Wall win, holding Central Heights to a dismal 11-of-51 tally (21.6 percent) from the floor. That’s the same Central Heights team that defeated newly crowned 3A DI state champion Hitchcock (51-50) earlier this year.

Jewels Johnson had nine points and 10 rebounds and McKenzie Lopez had 11 points and four boards to lead Wall (37-3), which never trailed from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Johnson earned game MVP honors, adding three assists and three steals to her stat line. 

Central Heights finished at 32-6, led by Peaches Gallien with 15 points. 

“We preached (defense) all year,” Wall coach Silas Crisler said. “We preach it, preach and preach it. Because we know that offense won’t travel with you every single time.

“We want to be the toughest team in Texas and we showed that today.” 

COMANCHE — Throughout the playoffs and much of the season, the Wall Lady Hawks have been able to put the opposition away with big runs, spurred on by its defense. And in Tuesday’s Class 3A DII state semifinal against Paradise, that seemed to be the case when Wall built a 12-point lead by the 6:31 mark of the fourth quarter. 

There was just one problem: Paradise didn’t get the memo. And by the 3:11 mark had cut the gap to 1 in what eventually became a nail-biting 54-51 Wall win at the Comanche ISD Special Event Center. 

Jewels Johnson scored a game-high 23 points and Kennedi Graves tossed in 15 more to lead Wall (36-3), which now advances to face Nacogdoches Central Heights (32-5) in the state championship game at 1 p.m. on Friday in the Alamodome in San Antonio.  

Paradise (33-5) was led by sisters Jayci and Hartley Barnes with 14 points apiece.  

“I told the girls that I’m speechless,” Wall coach Silas Crisler said. “Paradise is a great basketball team and (PHS coach Mike) Barnes does an excellent job. 
“They really fought. We had them down by 12 and then we had then down by seven with two minutes to go, but they kept fighting and throwing punches.” 

SNYDER — It may not have been the prettiest brand of basketball ever displayed. But Tuesday’s 35-25 win by the Wall Lady Hawks over Idalou in a Region I-3A DII semifinal, was in its own way, noteworthy. 

Using a crushing halfcourt defense which all but stymied the third-ranked Lady Cats, top-ranked Wall limited Idalou to six points or less in each of the first three quarters, all the while gradually building a nine-point lead to carry into the final period.

The cushion was more than enough for a Wall defense which had allowed a grand total of just five field goals through the first three quarters.

McKenzie Lopez had a game-high 19 points and Jewels Johnson added seven more to lead Wall (34-3), which advances to play Coahoma (34-1) for the regional title on Friday at 6 p.m. at Howard College.  Karsyn Lutrick finished with 14 points for Idalou, which closed its season at 30-5.

“We preach defense every single day,” Wall coach Silas Crisler said. “And when the challenge is at its highest and at its biggest moment, our kids continue to show up over and over again.”