Arlington Grace Prep’s MJ Boyd (left) looks for an opening against Houston Second Baptist in the TAPPS Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Robinson High School.
Abby Pfaff
TAPPS Media
ROBINSON
Arlington Grace Prep boys basketball coach Josh Duke kept his opening postgame comment simple.
“We just did not play a good game,” he said.
The Lions lost 79-56 to Houston Second Baptist in the TAPPS Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Robinson High School.
Second-ranked Arlington Grace Prep (28-2) was seeking redemption against reigning champion and No. 1-ranked Houston Second Baptist (29-4) after losing last year’s title contest 65-47. The Lions were riding a 27-game winning streak, the longest in program history.
But the much-anticipated matchup turned into a Second Baptist runaway, at least for the last three quarters.
Arlington Grace Prep coach Josh Duke talks to MJ Boyd during the TAPPS Class 5A state championship game against Houston Second Baptist on Saturday at Robinson High School. Abby Pfaff TAPPS Media
“We got off to a good start,” said Duke, whose team held a 15-13 advantage after the first period. “But Second Baptist settled in and found their rhythm.”
Things unraveled for Grace Prep in the second stanza.
Second Baptist exploded for a 9-0 spurt to begin the quarter, part of a 21-5 streak that included a trio of 3-pointers by Navy signee Shia Francis, to take a 32-20 lead. The Lions were outscored 25-10 in the second period, and were down 38-25 at intermission.
“That second quarter was huge,” Duke said. “Their offense just caught fire. And we really struggled to get ours going.”
Arlington Grace Prep accepts runner-up honors after losing to Houston Second Baptist in the TAPPS Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Robinson High School. Abby Pfaff TAPPS Media
Junior Amari Coleman’s two free throws coming out of the break momentarily narrowed the gap to 11, but the Lions could never get the deficit into single digits.
“We did not give up,” Duke said. “Give our guys credit. We were good in a few spots, but not enough of them.”
Duke said Second Baptist did a great job of “attacking the basket, getting layups or kicking out for 3s.” The Eagles connected on nine 3-pointers in the game.
Duke said his team did a good job in containing Second Baptist junior Reese Alston, the No. 2 statewide recruit — and eighth nationally — by 247Sports in the 2027 class, who has drawn interest from top schools, including Houston, Texas Tech, Kentucky and Purdue.
Alston, the son of former NBA player Rafer Alston, registered 19 of his game-high 23 points in the second half, including 13 in the final period.
“I think in the second half he just wore down our defenders,” Duke said. “I could sense that our guys were tired out there chasing him all over the floor.”
Alston, the returning TAPPS 5A boys player of the year, hit a long-range trey early in the third period that he converted into a four-point play, turning a 12-point Grace Prep deficit to 16.
“Backbreaking play,” Duke said.
Alston also dished out eight assists.
Duke also pointed out the huge advantage on the boards and in the paint for the Eagles. Towering Second Baptist 6-foot-10 sophomore Kaiden Smith wreaked havoc in the middle, pulling down 18 rebounds and altering multiple shots.
Standout Grace Prep sophomore MJ Boyd, the No. 8 state prospect in the 2027 class by 247Sports, was limited to eight points.
Arlington Grace Prep’s MJ Boyd dunks against Houston Second Baptist in the TAPPS Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Robinson High School. Abby Pfaff TAPPS Media
Junior Kei Scott led the Lions with 21 points; he was the only Grace Prep player in double figures.
Senior Jaiden Lowe had nine, and Coleman and Tre Green added eight each.
Arlington Grace Prep’s Tre Green battles in the paint against Houston Second Baptist on Saturday. Abby Pfaff TAPPS Media
It was a productive state tournament for Scott, who paced the team with 17 points the night before in a 49-37 semifinal win over Bullard Brook Hill.
Lowe and Boyd joined Scott on the 10-player all-tournament team.
Grace Prep was seeking its sixth TAPPS state title, having won championships in 2022, 2019, 2012, 2011 and 2002.
Houston Second Baptist captured its fifth state crown.