George scored 33 points, shooting 11-for-19 (and 7-for-10 from 3). He got Los Angeles off to a scorching start, notching 16 points in the first quarter and totaling 26 points in the first half in what looked like it would be a Clippers blowout.
James Harden also tallied 33 points for Los Angeles, but was crucial at the end with 15 points in the fourth quarter on 6-for-8 shooting. Overall, he shot 12-for-17 from the field and 4-for-5 on 3-pointers.
“We had no other choice but to hit back”
The Dallas Mavericks almost overcame a massive deficit and suspect officiating to clutch victory from the jaws of defeat. It wasn’t to be, though. James Harden poured in repeated clutch buckets to help the Los Angeles Clippers crush the Mavericks’ dreams of a 3-1 series lead heading back to Los Angeles.
Despite the loss, the afternoon proved thrilling for Dallas fans who attended the game and watched at home. Here’s what the players and coaches had to say after the game.
Luka Doncic
(On his knee and how it affected him on the defensive end…)
“It’s hurting, obviously, but I shouldn’t make excuses. We came out a little sloppy so have to do way better than that.”
(On if his defensive struggles and if his knee has affected his ability to move laterally…)
“I mean, yeah, I was in foul trouble. We said to try to limit [James] Harden’s 3s. I was just trying not to give him 3s. Obviously, it wasn’t good, especially me.”
Irving practically carried the Mavericks in their comeback effort, providing the only consistent scoring threat while nearly all of his teammates struggled. The 13-year veteran scored 40 points while hitting shots from all over the court (including 6-for-12 on 3’s). That tied the third-highest postseason scoring total of his career.
Kyrie Irving believes his team can carry some positive momentum into a pivotal Game 5 on Wednesday.
Coach Samples Wins Historic Victory For his 1st State Championship. They say the 3rd time is the charm, and same goes for the Duncanville head coach in the 2022 Div I 6A State Title Game last weekend. With more than 300 victories on his resume’ none are more dear to coach “Reggie” than this past weekend when his Duncanville Panthers defeated arch nemesis Galena Park North Shore with a 28-21 victory at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. (Panthers / Mustangs III)
In a rare historical feat this year both Duncanville and DeSoto, of the 11-6A district, are only the second district mates ever to win Texas state championships in the same season. Only LaMarque and Texas City, achieved this feat only a few years ago in 2019.
RB Caden Durham rushed for three touchdowns and the Panthers held off the Mustangs 28-21 in the Class 6A Division 1 state championship. Durham was named offensive MVP of the game and was overcome with emotion at the end the states Championship weekend!
RB Caden Durham was overcame with emotion at the end of the game. He will forever be a Texas High School Football State Champion Photo: Stan Martin
Texas Sports Monthly teams up each Holiday season with our friends at TexasHSFootball.com to compose their annual State Championship Book. This year Duncanville was honored as the State Champion team.
Three of the four state championships between Duncanville and North Shore have now been decided by just one possession.
Since Colt McCoy injured his right shoulder in the first quarter of the 2009 national championship game in Pasadena, the Longhorns have been searching for their next great quarterback.
McCoy, who followed the legendary Vince Young, was succeeded by Garrett Gilbert, then brother Case McCoy, then David Ash. Then came Tyrone Swoopes, Jerrod Heard, Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger, who took Texas to the Sugar Bowl win in 2018 before famously proclaiming that the Longhorns were “back.”
It was a bit premature, as Texas slumped to a combined record of 15-8 in its next two season under Ehlinger before Hudson Card and Casey Thompson took the reins in 2021 in Steve Sarkisian’s first year at the helm — a season that yielded an underwhelming 5-7 record and more questions than answers.
The outlook was already beginning to look brighter with the return of Southlake Carroll product Quinn Ewers, but the biggest moment in modern Texas recruiting history came on June 23 when Arch Manning — the No. 1 2023 QB prospect in the country — chose to verbally commit to the 40 Acres.
Manning is the son of Cooper Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning, as well as a nephew to both Peyton and Eli Manning, who have won a combined four Super Bowls between the two of them.
Arch was the most sought-after signal caller in the nation this offseason, and he spurned both Alabama and Georgia while ultimately picking Texas. The 6-foot-4 senior, who attends Newman High School in New Orleans, has made headlines for years as teams lined up at his door for a shot to sign the potential star with impeccable lineage.
The Longhorns nabbed their target in preparation for the 2022 season, which is set to feature a QB battle between Ewers and Card. Manning, the heir apparent, will soon continue a family tradition by playing in the Southeastern Conference, as Texas is set to make the move from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2025 along with rival Oklahoma.
Sarkisian’s history of working with high-profile QBs like Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Matt Leinart were surely part of his sales pitch to Manning, and Sarkisian’s stint as offensive coordinator of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons didn’t hurt, either.
So are the glory days officially back in Austin? As Lee Corso would say, not so fast, my friend. But for one weekday in June at least, the Longhorns were back on top of the college football world — and the main topic of nationwide conversation.
Texas fans are hoping the hype will eventually lead to another Heisman candidate, as well as the type of consistency that they got accustomed to during the tenures of both Young and McCoy.
Chaps completed their 3-pete, but will start off the year without Todd Dodge in 2022. Photo Stan Martin
1. Austin Westlake (6A)
2. Galena Park North Shore (6A)
3. Duncanville (6A)
4. Southlake Carroll (6A)
5. Katy (6A)
6. Allen (6A)
7. Denton Guyer (6A)
8. Lake Travis (6A)
9. South Oak Cliff (5A)
10. College Station (5A)
By Tucker Stephenson
The summer has only just begun, but the eyes of Texas high school football fans are already glancing ahead to the dog days — and more importantly, two-a-days — of August. In a state packed with heavyweight programs that are loaded with NCAA Division I talent and top-tier coaching alike, it’s always tough to try and predict what will happen, but here’s a look at Texas Sports Monthly’s preseason top 10 list for the upcoming 2022 high school football season.
— The three-time defending state champion Westlake Chaparrals come in at No. 1 despite losing QB Cade Klubnik and legendary coach Todd Dodge. Even with those holes to fill, the Chaps look like a full-fledged football factory at this point. Junior Paxton Land will look to fill in at signal caller, and he’ll have reliable targets in senior WRs Jaden Greathouse and Keaton Kubecka. On defense, 6-foot-6 DE Colton Vasek is a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen.
Northshore will look to make it back to Jerry-world in 2022 and I’m sure Nemesis Duncanville will be waiting. Photo: Stan Martin
— At No. 2 is reigning UIL Class 6A Division I state champion Galena Park North Shore, which is bringing back a ton of talent. Sophomore QB Kaleb Bailey returns after an outstanding freshman season, and top wide receiver David Amador is also due back. The Mustangs will look to revamp the defensive side of the ball, but North Shore has plenty of athleticism.
— Duncanville is at No. 3 after losing a tight 17-10 battle to North Shore in last season’s 6A-DI title game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The Panthers need to replace RB Malachi Medlock, who graduated, but Duncanville’s defense will likely be stout again thanks to players like LB Vernon Grant.
— Southlake Carroll clocks in at No. 4 after suffering a 26-point loss to Duncanville in last year’s playoffs. The Dragons welcome back senior QB Kaden Anderson after he threw for 3,036 yards and 34 TDs a year ago. Running back Owen Allen is also set to return after he ran for 2,145 yards and 32 scores in 2021.
— No. 5 Katy will bring back senior Caleb Koger at QB, as well as the rushing tandem of senior RBs Seth Davis and Dallas Glass, who combined for over 3,600 yards and 48 TDs on the ground last year.
— At No. 6 is the school that boasts the largest enrollment in the Lone Star State, the Allen Eagles. Quarterback Mike Hawkins, who racked up nearly 3,500 yards of offense and 29 total TDs, is set to come back for his junior year.
Allen did not survive South Lake in 2021 but will definitely be back in full force as the states largest school. Photo: Pat Carrigan
— No. 7 Denton Guyer fell to Westlake 40-21 in the 2021 6A-DII state championship game and is reloading in 2022 behind senior QB Jackson Arnold and a solid defense.
— Austin’s other hometown powerhouse, Lake Travis, begins at No. 8 and is hoping that senior QB Bo Edmundson makes the leap to ignite the Cavaliers’ offense. Lake Travis will look to rebuild its receiving corps, although there are plenty of options.
Lake Travis were the 2021 Quarter finals Champs & QB Bo Edmundson (Michigan State commit) will look to finish his Cavs career strong his Senior. Year. Photo Credit Jenna Friedrich
— No. 9 South Oak Cliff, the defending Class 5A Division II state champion, is absolutely loaded coming into 2022 and has the potential to pass several 6A schools in the rankings once games begin. The Bears come into the preseason with 20 players on their roster that have received at least one NCAA Division I scholarship offer.
— College Station comes in at No. 10 despite falling 27-24 to Katy Paetow in overtime of last season’s Class 5A Division I state title contest. The reason for the Cougars’ elevated ranking is simple — senior RB Marquise Collins, who rushed for 2,826 yards and 39 TDs as a junior.
As the Texas baseball team tries to fight its way back to Omaha, Longhorn football fans might feel a little like Yogi Berra as they count down the days until the 2022 season opener on Sept. 3. With another quarterback battle underway and a litany of questions still lingering following Steve Sarksian’s first year at the helm, it certainly feels like deja vu all over again on the 40 Acres.
Texas got off to a solid start in 2021 with a 38-18 thrashing of Louisiana-Lafayette, but a 40-21 drubbing at the hands of Arkansas quickly brought the Longhorns back to Earth. Following wins against in-state opponents Rice, Texas Tech and TCU, though, Sarkisian’s team gave away an early 21-point lead during a crushing 55-48 loss to Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.Texas never recovered and lost five more games in a row, including an embarrassing 57-56 overtime setback at home to Kansas, before grinding out a 22-17 win against Kansas State in its season finale to finish with an uninspiring overall record of 5-7.
The Longhorns will have to show much more mental toughness versus a demanding Big 12 schedule in 2022, as well as strengthen both sides of the line of scrimmage. Texas had just one All-Big 12 selection along the offensive or defensive line in 2021, and that was OT Derek Kerstetter, who is now with the Buffalo Bills.At least while QBs Hudson Card — the hometown kid — and Quinn Ewers — the prodigal son — battle it out for starting reps, the Horns can rest easy knowing that all-conference running back Bijan Robinson is due back for his junior year after breaking out for 1,127 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in addition to 26 catches out of the backfield for 295 yards and another four scores.
Texas is also set to bring back sophomore wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who hauled in 62 passes for 981 yards and 12 TDs last season to lead the team in all three of those categories. In doing so, Worthy became the first Longhorn since Colt McCoy in 2006 to be named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.Senior running back Roschon Johnson is also set to return and can help take some of the carries off Robinson’s crowded plate, especially in short-yardage situations.
On defense, senior DT Keondre Coburn is expected to anchor the D-line, and versatile senior LB DeMarvion Overshown will be back on the weak side.In the secondary, the program once known as “DBU” will look to rebuild with CBs D’Shawn Jamison, Terrance Brooks and Ohio State transfer Ryan Watts. The safety roles will have to be occupied by newcomers, as Texas graduated three experienced performers last season.
The Longhorns are hoping the addition of former TCU defensive guru Gary Patterson will help their defense return to the form it showed when Texas was chasing national championships instead of Alamo Bowl berths.On special teams, the Longhorns will also need to find a new placekicker, although hopes of immediately finding the next Cameron Dicker or Justin Tucker are probably too optimistic. The clock is officially ticking down until kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 3 when the Longhorns welcome Louisiana-Monroe to Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for their 2022 season debut.
It didn’t take long for Austin FC to establish itself as a legitimate threat within Major League Soccer. Founded in October of 2018, Austin FC’s inaugural 2021 season finished with an overall record of 9-21-4, but the team has surged to fourth place in the Western Conference this year with a mark of 7-4-3 as of Monday, June 6. Thanks to the progress made by Austin FC, head coach Josh Wolff has already had his contract extended through the end of the 2025 campaign. “I’m very grateful to Anthony (Precourt), the Austin FC ownership group and Claudio for their continued faith and confidence,” Wolff said in mid-May. “This is still a young, growing Club but seeing our vision for Austin FC come to life on and off the field has been one of the great honors of my career.
My staff and I will keep working every day to represent the city, and to develop our team both competitively and as human beings. The best is yet to come.”North Austin’s Q2 Stadium has become a rowdy home for the club, which has been embraced by Texas’ Capital City. The venue has also hosted FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, international friendlies and even CONCACAF Gold Cup contests.The leading goal scorer for Austin FC thus far during 2022 is forward Sebastian Driussi. The striker from Buenos Aires, Argentina has put in eight tallies in 14 games played.
Fellow Argentinian forward Maximiliano Urruti has added four goals for Austin FC, while midfielder Diego Fagundez of Uruguay leads the club in assists with seven. Goalkeeper Brad Stuver has started 12 matches for Austin FC and holds a goals against average of 1.35 while sporting a 7-2-3 record. Defenders Julio Cascante, Ruben Gabrielsen, Alexander Ring and Daniel Pereira have helped their keeper with solid work along the back line. Austin FC has an international friendly scheduled for June 11 against Mexican professional squad C.F. Pachuca and will look to bounce back from a 4-1 setback to the LA Galaxy when it resumes its MLS schedule on June 18 in Montreal.
From there, a busy summer continues with MLS matches against Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New York, San Jose, Kansas City, Colorado, Charlotte and LA. If Austin FC can navigate that tough slate — as well as a brutal Texas summer — then it can perhaps make a push for the MLS Cup Playoffs, which are set to begin in October of 2022.There’s no doubt that it’s an exciting time to be a soccer fan in Austin, where the financial and emotional investments appear to already be paying dividends.
Believe it or not, there was a time in the NBA when teams were built from the inside-out.And it actually wasn’t that long ago.But ever since the Golden State Warriors’ super team comprised of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant proved that fast-paced offense and focusing on the 3-point shot can lead to NBA glory, the league has undergone a shift in philosophy that has seen teams hoist up more attempts from downtown that ever before.
Even Gregg Popovich and the Spurs — who are known for two of the greatest big men in the history of the league in David Robinson and Tim Duncan — have adapted their style in recent years.A big assist in the current 3-point trend are the rules changes that allow less physicality on the defensive end of the floor. Defenders often have to give their opponent more space in order to avoid a quick pull-up or lethal pump-fake that could lead to easy points from the free-throw line.
Analytics have also shown that a more up-tempo, free-flowing game allows offenses to pile on points in record numbers through the efficiency of not turning down open 3s. As teams began to embrace the 3-point shot, they began to utilize more of the floor through wider spacing rather than packing players into the paint.Thus, the era of the long-range bomber was born.
Now, that’s not to say that big men have been rendered obsolete. Instead, they’re asked to expand their games, as back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic and 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid are both known for their ability to knock down deep perimeter jumpers in addition to their rebounding and passing skills.The current NBA Finals matchup shows just how much the league has changed since Duncan and Shaq ruled the paint in the Western Conference.
Neither Golden State or Boston has an active top-tier center or power forward, as the Warriors’ James Wiseman is still recovering from a knee injury. The Celtics’ top big has been Al Horford, but he’s made his name from beyond the arc with clutch 3-point shots that have helped propel a young Boston roster to the brink of a world championship.Both teams, however, are loaded with wing talent. Curry, Thompson and Jordan Poole do most of the damage for the Warriors, while Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Derrick White are the players that not only get their teammates involved, but also create their own looks off the dribble.
That type of wing-heavy attack seems to be the blueprint for most teams looking to build from the ground up these days — and the 3-point revolution likely won’t change anytime soon. Since the NBA added the 3-point shot back in the 1979-80 season, the number of attempts have reached an all-time high, and since the 1997-98 season — Duncan’s rookie year — the number of 3-point field goal attempts has been on a steady rise. During the 1979-80 season, teams averaged only 2.9 3-point shots per game. By 2017-18, that number had ballooned to 29 attempts per contest.
This past season saw teams average 35 3s per game — the highest in league history. With young players like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell vying for Curry’s crown as the top marksman in the league, expect even more 3s in the coming seasons.
The Spurs’ season may have been over for quite a while, but former San Antonio point guard Derrick White is preparing for the biggest series of his basketball life.
The current Boston Celtics reserve guard was traded from San Antonio in February for a package of players and picks. While White’s offensive stats have been nothing special during his time with the Celtics, his perimeter defense has strengthened Boston — and will no doubt be of the utmost importance as his team tries to contend with guards Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole and small forward Klay Thompson in the NBA Finals.
White’s journey to the biggest stage in the NBA was an improbable one. Born in Parker, Colorado — a suburb of Denver — White signed with the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS) out of high school as a 6-foot combo guard. Everything changed when he shot up five inches by the time he reached the NCAA Division II school, and he set new program records for most points and assists in a career during his three seasons with UCCS.
White then transferred to the main campus in Boulder and enjoyed a stellar 2016-17 campaign with the Pac 12’s Buffaloes that included first team all-conference honors.
The Spurs, as they’ve done numerous times over the years, identified White’s potential and targeted him with the 29th overall selection of the 2017 NBA Draft. He immediately went to the G League, where he played for the Austin Spurs and quickly earned a reputation as a cool customer and a lethal 3-point shooter.
White saw some time with San Antonio during his rookie year, but was used sparingly as he made the transition to the NBA game. He was expected to be utilized in a reserve role in his second season, but once again an unforeseen circumstance thrust him into the spotlight from relative obscurity.
This time, White’s big break came in the form of a season-ending injury to another fledgling star — Dejounte Murray. When the point guard tore his ACL in the preseason leading up to the 2018-19 season, many Spurs fans wondered aloud who would be able to replace his defensive prowess in addition to running the offense smoothly from the point guard spot.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
White was tabbed as the replacement, but his own foot injury sidelined him until November of 2018 against the Miami Heat. Once he entered the lineup, San Antonio’s perimeter defense was noticeably better, while its offense ran more efficiently than before.
White suffered an injury to his other foot in February of 2019, and some pundits wondered if it would derail the Spurs’ playoff hopes. White answered by leading the Spurs into a matchup with his hometown Denver Nuggets, although San Antonio fell in seven games.
White never again found that same rhythm with the Spurs, and general manager Brian Wright swapped him for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford and a first-round pick in this year’s draft in mid-February.
The move paid instant dividends for Boston, as White’s defense and ability to draw offensive fouls made the Celtics an even more difficult team to score against. Now, the kid from Colorado will look to help one of the NBA’s most storied dynasties capture title No. 18 against a revamped Golden State squad led by former Spur Steve Kerr.
Texas Sports Monthly is in the Process of Composing our 7th Annual 2022 Kickoff Season Magazine.This year’s Fall Book is a preview of Texas teams that are looking to get back on top of grid-iron glory and make a deep run in the playoffs. Also profiles the Texas Longhorns and the future of Westlake Chaps as coach Todd Dodge made out like a bandit retiring into Texas high School Football glory after a Three-Pete run as State Champs.
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Round Rock, TX; Lake Travis Cavaliers wide receiver Chernet Estes (10) unable catch the pass as North Shore Mustangs defensive back Jacoby Davis (5) defends during the second quarter at the Class 6A Division 1 state semifinal playoff on Saturday, Dec 11 2021, at Kelly Reeves Athletic Center.
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Within the borders of the Lone Star State, the amount of reverence for the name Dave Campbell long ago reached mythical proportions.
How else did his annual summer publication get dubbed “the bible of Texas football” without a trace of sarcasm or hyperbole?
The legendary sportswriter and editor died at age 96 on Friday, Dec. 11 in his Waco home and left behind a legacy as rich and detailed as the magazines he was famous for producing. Campbell, who began piecing together his Texas Football publication from his kitchen table in Waco in 1960, saw it become the go-to guide for all things gridiron-related with regard to his home state.
Greg Tepper, who took over as the managing editor of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football in 2011, said the founder left an indelible mark not only on the sport of football, but the state itself.
“He was a visionary and a pioneer,” Tepper said on Friday. “He was a wizard with a typewriter — an unbelievable writer and editor and a true icon of Texas journalism. All of that is true, but the reason why there’s a hole in our heart today is not because we lost a great editor or a great writer. It’s because we lost Dave.”
A Waco native, Campbell graduated from La Vega High School before enrolling at Baylor University. After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950, Campbell served as the sports editor of the Waco Tribune from 1953 to 1993.
Prior to that, Campbell served the United States Army in the 14th Armored Division that fought in France and Germany during World War II.
Campbell’s first issue of Texas Football was published in 1960 and featured the Longhorns’ Jack Collins on the cover. Over time, the magazine grew from its humble beginnings to include every college and high school team in Texas — and offered an unprecedented deep dive into the roster of each squad.
Current Westlake head coach Todd Dodge remembered being in the 1980 summer edition of Texas Football as a senior quarterback for Jefferson High School in Port Arthur. Dodge said he got to meet Campbell when he began coaching in the 1990s at Cameron Yoe.
“I think back to the first time I got to meet him and he was such a genuine kind man,” Dodge said. “It was a real thrill for me. As the years progressed, I always made sure to come see him at coaching school and shake his hand and see how he was doing.”
Although Campbell sold the rights to Texas Football in 1985, his name continues to grace the cover of every publication and he still served as the editor-in-chief until his recent passing. Campbell was also an instrumental part of moving the Texas Sports Hall of Fame from Grand Prairie to Waco in order to revive it as well as give it a stronger foothold.
Campbell’s fame grew to a national level as his work earned him respect from coast to coast. He also spent time as the president of the Football Writers Association of America and even took on a role that oversaw the process of Heisman Trophy voting.
But Campbell was a true Texan, in every sense of the word. His gentle smile and willingness to chat about all things football — including his beloved Southwest Conference — will endure as long as student-athletes flock to grocery stores and corner shops to grab a magazine bearing his name.
