WTW Rally Falls Short in Playoff Defeat

Mere seconds separated W.T. White from advancing to the Class 5A Region II tournament on Tuesday.

Instead, missed free throws ended a valiant comeback by the Longhorns during a thrilling 61-59 loss to The Colony in Plano, eliminating WTW in the third round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

The resilient Longhorns (25-7) trailed for almost the entire game. They trimmed a 13-point deficit to one in the fourth quarter, then later had the chance to stun the Cougars (30-5) just before the buzzer. But it was not to be.

Johnathan Price scored 16 points and Jamison Thrower added 11 for WTW. Both are juniors who are eligible to return next season.

The Longhorns, who won the District 11-5A title during the regular season, topped North Mesquite and Prosper Walnut Grove in the first two rounds of postseason play.

Standout sophomores Dakari Spear and Bryce Dixon combined for 41 points to pace the Cougars, who were the second seed from 9-5A.