CEDAR PARK 45, FRISCO MEMORIAL 40 (2 OT)
Gisella Maul, who has gained the attention of multiple Power five schools including Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor, showed why she was one of the best players in the state.
The junior guard was clutch from the free throw line in the final moments of double overtime to help Cedar Park defend their state title, 45-40, to cap the undefeated season.
“I remember that same moment this time last year with the same time left,” Maul said. “I was at the free throw line towards the end of the game. I feel like that I prepared for this moment my entire life. I’m constantly shooting free throws. It wins game to me. They’re very important. I felt very confident at the free throw line.”
This is the first time ever in girls basketball history that an Austin-area team complete the season with a perfect record and shows that basketball in Austin is growing as a whole.
“This is probably one of the greatest teams that has come through,” Cedar Park head coach Donny Ott said. “I know that I’ve been on that bench for 62 straight wins, 37 straight wins this year, and back-to-back titles. I’m proud of these kids because to be that consistent for that long takes a lot. They’ve done a lot. In my opinion, they should go down as one of the best teams in girls basketball.”
Frisco Memorial’s Jasmyn Lott, who has signed to play at UNLV, fouled out in the latter stages of the first overtime period, taking out a key piece of the Lady Warrior offense.
“At first, I had to calm myself down,” Lott said, who finished with a team high 21 points and collected six rebounds, “I wasn’t feeling it until I calmed myself down a bit. I told them [the team] to calm down and whatever happens, just do what you’ve been doing. You guys got this.”
“We’ve told them it’s about who wanted it the most, who can out-execute in the last four minutes,” Frisco Memorial head coach Rochelle Vaughn said. “I thought we did for the most part. We had it where we wanted it and Jas fouled out changed our momentum. I thought we played pretty well those four minutes.”
Cedar Park has to rotate Angie Sacco and Shelby Hayes early in the game, with Hayes picking up two quick fouls in the opening frame.
“I knew that with Shelby out, I had to put more points on the board,” Maul said. “I feel like what won us that game was our defense. I didn’t try to do too much on offense and let the game come to me. With Shelby out, I’m so proud of how we defended Memorial.”
GRUVER 50, STAMFORD 38
Bailey Maupin went out on a bang.
The senior guard who signed to Texas Tech showed out in her final game as a Gruver Lady Hound, scoring 16 points and collecting 14 rebounds in a 50-38 victory over Stamford, who made their first appearance in the state title game.
The win, caps an undefeated season for the Lady Hounds.
“With the schedule we played this year, undefeated was never even in the formula,” Gruver head coach Trent Lankford said. “We’ve played a stretch of a week of games without Brenna [Butler] against Nazareth, Canyon and Brownfield.
“To come out of those games, it speaks volumes about the kids and the grittiness that they showed throughout the year. They just kept going forward.”
Stamford had the lead twice with the help of Tylee Jo Bevel in the early going but Gruver made their defense known with a big defense stance in the second, only allowing three points.
