Anything can happen in the playoffs and the most least predicted outcome manifested on Tuesday night as both FAB 50 No. 3 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) and No. 4 Allen (Texas) took losses in the UIL Class 6A D1 state semifinals in dramatic games.
FAB 50 bubble club Duncanville (Texas) defeated Allen in a thriller that came down to the wire and Bellaire (Houston, Texas) surpassed Brennan. Before I start on my Saturday championship game preview, I do remember having the conversation with FAB 50 editor Ronnie Flores about how open this season will be in regards to the minimal discrepancy from No. 1 to No. 3 and it clearly showed as we are nearing the end of the 2024-25 scholastic season. Anything can happen!
Now let’s get to the meat and potatoes.
PREVIEW: Duncanville vs. Allen(Saturday, 8 pm, Alamodome)
The Coaches
I talked about the weapons Duncanville possesses HERE, but one I didn’t mention was head coach David Peavy. Peavy, in the hunt for his fourth UIL state title in seven seasons, has created a damn near unbreakable culture with a foundation on toughness and defense. Experience plays a large part when you enter these playoff games (especially title ones) and he knows how to prepare and adjust in high pressure environments.
For Bellaire, Bruce Glover has been the head coach for the Cardinals since 2002 and this is the first time in program history they have reached a title game. Glover has coached players that have reached the NBA ranks, most notably Emeka Okafor and John Lucas III, and his teams in the past have made it a couple rounds deep. Albeit never reaching this far, his experience was shown when Brennan tried to storm back from a 18-point deficit; he kept his boys composed and withstood the comeback.
The Players
What is mainly getting talked about in Bellaire’s semifinal win is Shelton Henderson’s 26-point, 20-rebound performance (rightfully so), but 2025 forward Anthony Andrews played a large role in its win as well. He accumulated 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks. With a Texas Southern scholarship offer, Andrews showed off his inside-out scoring prowess, and because he was a threat from the perimeter, he created driving lanes for Bellaire’s guards and wings.
Versus Duncanville, I believe Shelton will be Shelton. He will generate a lot of attention due to his combination of size, athleticism, finishing abilities and knack for getting to the rim. He’s a high school matchup nightmare. Andrews will need to produce the same way he did in the semis and will have a size advantage versus the Panthers’ frontline.
Bellaire will need to contain the high powered Duncanville offense and limit transition opportunities, but also utilize the size advantage it has and have a shot diet mainly consisting of attempts at the rim. The Cardinals attempted a mere six 3-pointers versus Brennan.
For Duncanville, Kayden Edwards is always a threat to score 30 plus points in a game, but Beckham Black’s second half scoring surge was huge for the Panthers and presented them with a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter vs. Allen. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Black go on a 3-point scoring tear, as he did the same thing his freshman year at Thanksgiving Hoopfest vs. FAB 50 power Montverde Academy. The sophomore (2027) is very capable of coming up in the big moments.
For Duncanville, if it can limit the amount of clean looks Bellaire gets at the rim and make this game a track meet, then the Panthers have a great chance of winning. Bellaire did cough up the ball 31 times in the semis and that was mainly due to the increased pressure Brennan applied in the second half.
Ultimately, for me, the deciding factor will be the pace of the game. If this game is a track meet, it’ll play into Duncanville’s hands. If this is a grind it out, half court affair, then Bellaire will have a good chance at securing its first ever state title.
See you guys in San Antonio!
