Plano East senior Hailey Reed, pictured in previous action, scored 14 points in a 55-48 home win over Allen on Friday. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media
By Art Stricklin
Plano East used its battle-tested offense and tough defense to hang on for a 55-48 District 6-6A girls basketball win last Friday night at McAfee Gymnasium.
The matchup featured the district’s first- and second-place teams, both state-ranked and clearly the class of the field. Allen got off to a fast start and built an 11-point lead in the first quarter, but the Lady Panthers — as they have done most of the season — did not panic and slowly worked their way back, leading for much of the second half.
Plano East improved to a perfect 8-0 in district play and 20-7 overall and is ranked No. 20 in the state among Class 6A schools.
Allen took its only lead of the second half, 46-44, on a four-point play with 2:36 remaining, but Plano East quickly answered. The Lady Panthers got a three-point play from star guard Arianna Robinson with 2:03 left to regain the lead, 47-46, then sealed the victory moments later on a long crosscourt pass to a streaking Hailey Reed for an easy basket and a 49-46 advantage they never relinquished.
Robinson led all scorers with 29 points, coming three days after she set a school record with 40 points in a win over District 6-6A rival McKinney. Reed added 14 points in the tight victory.