Laneville Begins Quest For State Title Friday Night Against Miller Grove in 1A D-II Semifinal

UIL Boys State Basketball Tournament

Class A Division II State Semifinal

Laneville (32-6) vs. Miller Grove (27-9)

• When: 7 p.m. Friday
• Where: Frank Erwin Center, Austin

Road to Austin

Laneville

• Area: def. Round Top-Carmine, 100-48
• Regional quarterfinal: def. Calvert, 69-55
• Regional semifinal: def. Moulton, 67-40
• Regional championship: def. Oakwood, 77-69

Miller Grove

• Area: def. Ladonia Fannindel, 51-33
• Regional quarterfinal: def. Bellevue, 69-61
• Regional semifinal: def. Huckabay, 58-56
• Regional championship: def. Roxton, 59-55

Players to watch

Laneville

• Donta Harris, G, Sr., 5-8 -- 19.3 ppg., 5.9 rpg., 3.5 apg., 3.9 spg.
• Kendrick Anderson, G/F, Jr., 6-2 -- 14.6 ppg., 9.1 rpg., 5.5 apg., 2.6 spg.
• Ty Johnson, F, Jr., 6-5 -- 11.6 ppg., 9.6 rpg., 2.5 apg., 2.5 spg.

Miller Grove

• Patrick Covington, F, Sr., 6-4 -- 16.8 ppg., 8.0 rpg., 1.1 apg., 0.3 spg.
• Aaron Smith, G, Jr., 6-0 -- 13.4 ppg., 2.9 rpg., 1.9 apg., 0.7 spg.
• Logan Miller, G, Jr., 6-0 -- 12.1 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 3.7 apg., 1.9 spg.

What to expect: Oddly enough, this is not the first meeting of the season between Laneville and Miller Grove. Laneville scored a 68-61 victory way back at the beginning of the season. None of that may mean much anymore, but there is at least some recent history each coaching staff can draw from. Laneville likes to push the tempo, and any number of players on the roster are capable of putting up 20-plus points in a game. Johnson doesn't always score in double figures, but his defensive presence underneath the basket can cause havoc with opponents. The 'Jackets guards are quick and very athletic, and if they get into a rhythm, can be too much to handle. Miller Grove has been living dangerously in the playoffs. It needed a last-second shot to defeat Huckabay in the regional semifinals, and had to erase a double-digit deficit to take out defending state champion Roxton in the regional finals.