Fort Worth Southwest guard Orion Sylvestre (0) goes up for 2 of his game-high 21 points against Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis guard Anthony Elizondo (3) in a District 8-4A game on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at Southwest High School in Fort Worth, Texas.
Julian Duckery
Leightvision Productions/Courtesy to the Star-Telegram
Ahead of the season, the Fort Worth Southwest boys basketball team laid out three goals.
The first was to reach 20 wins, and the second was to become the first Southwest team since 1971 to repeat as undefeated district champs. They accomplished both.
Now, ahead of a UIL Texas high school basketball Class 4A Division 1 area-round matchup against Stephenville on Friday, the Raiders have a shot to complete their third goal: reach the regional semifinals for the first time since 2008, when they reached the 4A state chamipionship game. Tip off is at 7 p.m. at Aledo High School.
“We talk about it a lot,” Clayborn said. “Trying to bring back the pride of Fort Worth basketball, period. But especially at Southwest High School.”
Southwest isn’t just one of the best teams in the Fort Worth area, but it is a premier program in Texas. The Runnin’ Raiders (26-7, 12-0 District 8-4A) are ranked No.13 by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
The Raiders, on a 16-game winning streak, have the potential to bring Fort Worth ISD basketball to a place it hasn’t been in over a decade. Fort Worth ISD’s last regional semifinal win came from Fort Worth Dunbar in 2016.
The reign of the legendary Flying Wildcats feels distant. Yet at the same time, programs are taking small steps toward getting back to that point. Dunbar, the second-place district finisher behind Southwest, also won a bi-district game.
It can be a long, hard process.
Fort Worth ISD teams lost five of seven bi-district games and were outscored 495-374, which puts a stigma on the district. At the end of the day, the athletes can’t do anything about a reputation.
They can only focus on what’s in their control, which is one of Clayborn’s main philosophies.
“Just always do your best, and give your all, no matter what,” Clayborn said. “Because some people are afraid to give their all, because what if their all is not good enough? And sometimes that may happen. But you can always try your best and try your hardest. Just compete.”
What makes Southwest stand out?
Despite the Raiders’ unparalleled success in Class 4A Fort Worth basketball, the team is relatively young. Two sophomores have key roles: Forward King Taylor and guard BJ Baker.
According to Clayborn, they were “thrown into the fire” as freshmen with three experienced seniors surrounding them. That set them up to succeed as sophomores, and also suggests Southwest basketball has ample room to grow.
Taylor is averaging 12.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals, while Baker is averaging 11.6 points and 1.7 steals.
The GASO Player Rankings are out for the Class of 2028, and two of your Runnin’ Raiders made the list!
Congratulations to BJ Baker and King Taylor on earning this recognition.
🏇DFW | FAMILY🏇 pic.twitter.com/H2HJZKGFH1
— Runnin’ Raiders (@Southwest_Bball) February 26, 2026
“Now, you have to still be able to produce with people having you at the top of their scouting report,” Clayborn said. “And they made that adjustment, and you can see that in our wins, and their stats. They both have gotten tremendously better.”
Providing senior leadership is guard Chandin Davis, who leads the team with 12.1 points per contest.
But beyond all the talent, what makes the team stand out to Clayborn is the work ethic.
“They’re just a true definition of gym rats,” Clayborn said. “I have to kick them out of the gym to make them go home and rest.”
The team also takes coaching well and takes advice to heart, according to Clayborn. That helps them combine talent with discipline and preparation.
“They pay attention to what we’re trying to do on both ends of the floor,” Clayborn said. “And they pay attention to detail, and they really just lock in on whatever the game plan is.”
Against Stephenville, Clayborn emphasized that controlling three aspects of the game will put the team in a good position: Taking care of the basketball, winning the rebounding battle and making free throws.
“It’s the little things,” Clayborn said. “And so those are three important things that some teams may overlook. And we just need to stay together.”
With Baker, Tayler and Davis all hovering around 12 points per game, there is no standout top performer on the squad. It’s a true team effort, and that brings them together as one unit.
A great example of the unity came in the bi-district round against Eagle Mountain. Down 8 points at the half, the Raiders faced a deficit but chose to attack it.
“It’s like a heavyweight fight,” Clayborn said. “Those aren’t always won in the first and second round. You know, we’re going to give blows. We’re going to take blows. But eventually I feel like we can stay together and come out on top.”
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 2:38 PM.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.