![\"Teammates](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773401107_867_FTW_NorthCrowleyvsDuncanvillehbbk28.JPG\" "\\"FTW_NorthCrowleyvsDuncanvillehbbk28.JPG\\"")
Teammates lift North Crowley guard Tyler Hastings (15) after he made the winning basket, defeating Duncanville in a UIL Class 6A Division I boys semifinal basketball game at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I came in, everybody was dapping me up,\u201d Hastings said. \u201cEveryone said, \u2018What\u2019s up?\u2019 or \u2018Hey, number 15, great shot.\u2019 They were making jokes, calling me the city savior.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hastings said he prefers that his teammate Isaak Hayes carry that title. As a rotational player who might get a couple of minutes a game, he isn\u2019t used to everyone knowing his name or putting his phone on do not disturb to silence Instagram notifications.<\/p>\n
But he certainly left a mark with his shot, one that gave North Crowley its first state title berth since 2008 and Fort Worth its first appearance since 2018.<\/p>\n
![\"North](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773205515_541_FTW_NorthCrowleyvsDuncanvillehbbk25.JPG\" "\\"FTW_NorthCrowleyvsDuncanvillehbbk25.JPG\\"")
North Crowley players celebrated their win against Duncanville with fans and the football team in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram <\/p>\n
He was a very unlikely savior of the Panthers\u2019 season. Hastings averages only 1.85 points per game and has made 20 field goals.<\/p>\n
But when North Crowley head coach Tommy Brakel was required to pick a free-throw shooter for the injured Kameron Price, he had the utmost confidence in him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe young man is in the gym all the time,\u201d Brakel said. \u201cAnd you watch his demeanor, you watch just the work that he puts in. \u2026 We all have a lot of faith in Tyler and his ability to shoot the basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Hastings missed the first two free throws, Brakel said he couldn\u2019t help but think of the worst-case scenario. North Crowley was on the cusp of another heartbreaking elimination.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis kid\u2019s about to have to live with this for the rest of his life,\u201d Brakel said. \u201cAnd eight seconds later, now this kid gets to live with it for the rest of his life. He gets to stick his chest out and say, \u2018You know what, we went to that state championship game \u2026 and I got us there. I helped get us there.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Media, teammates and students swarmed Hastings, who raised the golden state semifinal trophy \u2014 the bottom broke off, but he slyly put it back. He said it was the best moment of his life.<\/p>\n
And although he isn\u2019t used to the attention, he definitely appreciates it. The shot was the culmination of a journey that wasn\u2019t always easy.<\/p>\n
Hastings started playing basketball at 10 years old. He comes from a basketball family. His father, Chris Hastings, serves as North Crowley\u2019s associate head coach and has been in the high school scene for 12 seasons.<\/p>\n
Tyler didn\u2019t start playing seriously until he was a freshman. His first three years playing, he struggled with confidence.<\/p>\n
At first it was a challenge, as some thought he was only playing because his dad was a coach. The duo struggled to find a balance between home and the court, but eventually figured it out.<\/p>\n
As a senior at North Crowley surrounded by talented teammates, he found himself in a position to be himself and contribute in his own way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis environment was a great place for me to grow and push myself to the fullest,\u201d Tyler Hastings said. \u201cI feel like this year, I was like, \u2018This is the year where I can actually help my team.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, Chris Hastings said coaching his son has been one of the best experiences. He was hard on him, but that helped him get to where he is today.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce I\u2019d established myself as a good basketball player for the team, he let off the gas a little bit and just let me prove myself to my teammates,\u201d Tyler Hastings said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s safe to say he\u2019s done that. Chris Hastings said watching his son have the \u201cmoment of a lifetime\u201d was a crazy roller coaster and that he is incredibly proud.<\/p>\n
North Crowley hit the whistle in record time after the buzzer. They were ready to celebrate the first state title appearance since 2008. pic.twitter.com\/C2Y4RSGaAf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Charles Baggarly (@swaggarly) March 11, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Tyler Hastings may not stuff the stat sheet, but he has a role to play within the North Crowley powerhouse: Wait patiently and be ready when your number is called. He understands that and plays it perfectly.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to do my best every day,\u201d Tyler Hastings said. \u201cFor the rest of the practices we have to make my teammates better. And try to play the right game so we can win a state championship.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Life off the court<\/p>\n When he\u2019s not making season-saving shots, Hastings works as a valet in Fort Worth. It\u2019s a good way for a high school kid to make money, with an hourly wage and tips. He does take a small step back during the season, though.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be able to work whenever I want in my life, but this is a one-time opportunity,\u201d Hastings said. \u201cWhen we didn\u2019t have practice on Sundays, I would definitely go work and then just go work out later in the day.\u201d<\/p>\n For fun, Hastings likes to play basketball or watch anime. He also pays attention to his studies and is a standout student.<\/p>\n \u201cTyler has always been a smart kid,\u201d Chris Hastings said. \u201cHe\u2019s in the top 10% of the senior class. National Honor Society. Part of the campus peer mediation group. He\u2019s just a good kid who looks to take care of others.\u201d<\/p>\n Although he isn\u2019t quite sure where he\u2019ll go, he has a scholarship worth more than $100,000 to attend LSU.<\/p>\n But before all that, he\u2019ll travel with his teammates to San Antonio, where he\u2019ll help in any way he can. And despite his newfound status, he said he\u2019ll stick to the same \u201clow-key\u201d personality he\u2019s always had.<\/p>\n \u201cI always like to keep myself humble,\u201d Tyler Hastings said. \u201cStill one more game to go.\u201d<\/p>\n