Powerhouse Kimball Eliminates Longhorns

W.T. White’s fourth try this season against perennial power Kimball finished with the same result, this time ending the postseason run for the Longhorns.

The Knights had too much firepower on Tuesday, gradually pulling away in the second half for a 67-52 win in the Class 5A Region II boys basketball quarterfinals.

The margin was the slimmest of the four meetings this season between the two District 11-5A rivals. Kimball won the first three — at a holiday tournament in December plus two district clashes — by an average margin of 28.3 points.

That’s of little consolation to the Longhorns (17-13), however, who used a late-season surge to secure a second-place tie with South Oak Cliff in the district standings. They defeated West Mesquite and Frisco in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Johnathan Price and Steven Cruz led WTW on Tuesday with 12 points apiece, while Khadim Diongue added 11.

T’Johnn Brown and DaCannon Wickware combined for 46 points for the Knights (29-3), who extended their winning streak to 24 games. Kimball reached the 5A state semifinals a year ago.

PHOTOS: Chris McGathey