It didn’t take long for Wagner boys basketball coach Clifton Ellis to form at least one opinion about the Thunderbirds’ opponent in the state tournament when he started putting together a scouting report.
Garland Lakeview Centennial, Ellis observed, is strikingly similar to Wagner.
“The picture we’re seeing is a mirror image of us,” Ellis said Monday. “They have the same type players, and they play an up-tempo game and press. They’re a good team.”
That pretty much describes the Thunderbirds, who are in the state tournament for the second consecutive year since playing their first varsity season in 2006-07.
Wagner (38-1) plays Garland Lakeview Centennial (32-3) in the Class 5A semifinals at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Erwin Center in Austin.
Lewisville Marcus (37-2) meets Fort Bend Bush (33-4) in the other 5A semifinal at 8:30 p.m. Friday.
The winners clash for the state championship at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Erwin Center, where the University Interscholastic League state tournament starts Thursday.
The T-birds shot around for a few minutes after school Monday before going over their scouting report on Lakeview Centennial, which advanced to the state tournament for the first time with a 54-45 victory over Temple in the Region II final.
Wagner has won 30 consecutive games since losing to Laredo United in the semifinals of the Lone Star Invitational on Dec. 5. The T-birds avenged their only defeat with a 56-51 victory in the Region IV semifinals Friday night, and beat Judson 50-43 to punch their ticket to Austin the next afternoon.
Because Lakeview Centennial plays a similar style as Laredo United, Ellis had his players watch a video of the regional semifinal against the Longhorns.
“They do some of the things Laredo does,” senior point guard James Buchanan said of the Patriots. “They’re a run-and-gun team like us.”
The T-birds didn’t return to the court after watching the video, taking the rest of the afternoon off to recover from a tough regional tournament.
“We’re a lot more beat up than last year before we went to state,” Ellis said. “We had a few more obstacles to overcome, but I think this group is more focused. Last year, I think our kids went up to Austin just happy to be in the state tournament. We were on spring break and everybody was excited.
“I like our attitude this year. We’re in school and following our same routine. I think having been there last year will help us.”
Cedar Hill hit a 3-pointer in the waning seconds to beat Wagner 61-58 in last year’s state semifinals.
Senior guard Jordan Clarkson, the T-birds’ top scorer, is still nursing a sprained left ankle, but he said Monday he will be ready to play.
Ditto for senior forward Andre Roberson, who tweaked his right ankle a few minutes before Clarkson rolled his ankle in the second half of Saturday’s regional final.
While Clarkson and Roberson have been in the spotlight the past two years, Buchanan has quietly contributed to the team’s success as a senior starter this season.
“It’s a blessing to play with those guys, but there’s also a shadow,” Buchanan said. “But we’re not bothered by it because they’re great players. I understand my role on this team.”
Buchanan averages only 2.4 points a game, but he leads the team in assists with 159 and is third in steals with 67.
“He does a good job of running the offense for us,” Ellis said. “He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes.”
Only 5-foot-8, Buchanan compensates for his lack of height with tenacity and good court awareness.
“My role is to be the leader of the team on the floor and stay cool and calm,” Buchanan said. “I have to make sure people are going where they need to go and then find who’s open.”
Buchanan said that he and backup point guard Jewon Fisher get a lot of personal attention from Ellis, who was an outstanding high school and college point guard.
“He’s hard on us because that was his position and he knows what needs to be done,” Buchanan said.
Born in Ohio, Buchanan moved to San Antonio with his family when he was 3.
“He’s a character,” Roberson said. “He’s one of the leaders of our team. He helps guys get to their spots on offense.”
Clarkson said the team wouldn’t be the same without Buchanan.
“He’s a great teammate,” Clarkson said. “He has a lot of leadership on the floor. He does a good job of running the offense and rarely makes mistakes.”
Buchanan expressed confidence the T-birds will play well in the state tournament.
“We’ve been through a lot this season,” he said. “We’re used to the playoff atmosphere. We’re prepared.”
Being ready never has been a problem for Buchanan.
