Stony Point and Thrall carry Austin-area’s banner

Stony Point's path to a state basketball championship will include two powerhouse opponents in San Antonio.

The Tigers (37-1), making their first appearance at the UIL state tournament in the Alamodome, will face Beaumont United (34-3) in a Class 6A semifinal Friday night at the Alamodome. If they win, the state's No. 2 team will play the winner of top-ranked Plano East (38-0) and Mansfield Lake Ridge (32-6).

A possible Stony Point-Plano East final would be significant for the Tigers. Their lone loss of the season was a 5550 decision to the Panthers on Dec. 30. Plano East has rolled over five playoff opponents by an average of 23.5 points.

Stony Point can't afford to look ahead to the finals because Beaumont United presents a tough challenge, too. The Timberwolves, who lost to Lake Highlands in the Class 6A championship game last year, are a combined 70-7 the past two years.

Stony Point has been almost unbeatable, too, going 69-3 over the past two years. The Tigers are led by Villanovabound

senior forward Josiah Moseley, who scored 63 points in regional victories over San Antonio Brennan and San Antonio O'Connor over the weekend.

Thrall, meanwhile, also earned a trip to state by beating Santa Maria 66-45 in a Region IV-2A regional championship game Saturday in Buda. The Tigers took a 26-14 lead after one quarter and were never seriously threatened after that.

Thrall (30-5) will open state with a Class 2A semifinal against Shelbyville (28-7) on Friday morning. The winner will play the winner of Friday's other semifinal between Lipan (34-4) and New Home (31-7).

Thrall earned a trip to state just one year after going 11-14. The Tigers have outscored their five playoff opponents by an average of 13.6 points a game.

UIL state tournament

Thursday-Saturday, Alamodome in San Antonio

Thursday's semifinals: Class 1A — Benjamin (23-1) vs. Gordon (21-6), 8:30 a.m.; Jayton (36-3) vs. Fayetteville (32-5), 10 a.m.; Class 3A — Holliday (34-2) vs. Ponder (36-6), 1:30 p.m.; Hitchcock (32-3) vs. San Antonio Cole (32-9), 3 p.m.; Class 5A — San Antonio Veterans Memorial (40-1) vs. Killeen Ellison (34-5), 7 p.m.; Amarillo (34-4) vs. Dallas Lancaster (28-5), 8:30 p.m.

Friday's semifinals: Class 2A — Lipan (34-4) vs. New Home (31-7), 8:30 a.m.; Thrall (30-5) vs. Shelbyville (28-7), 10 a.m.; Class 4A — Canyon Randall (34-3) vs. Silsbee (28-9), 1:30 p.m.; Stafford (35-6) vs. Oak Cliff Faith Family (23-11), 3 p.m.; Class 6A — Plano East (38-0) vs. Mansfield Lake Ridge (32-6), 7 p.m.; Stony Point (37-1) vs. Beaumont United (34-3), 8:30 p.m.

Saturday's finals: Class 1A, 8:30 a.m.; Class 3A, 10 a.m.; Class 2A, 1:30 p.m.; Class 5A, 3 p.m.; Class 4A, 7 p.m.; Class 6A, 8:30 p.m.

RICK CANTU/AMERICAN-STATESMAN Stony Point players Junior Goodlet, Uzziah Buntyn and Josiah Moseley along with head coach Antoine Thompson celebrate the Tigers' Region IV-6A championship Saturday over San Antonio O'Connor. The Tigers along with Class 2A Thrall will represent the Austin area at this week's UIL state tournament.