ALAMODOME, San Antonio – After jumping out to a 18-14 lead early in the second quarter, Wagner couldn’t get their shots to fall in the second half, as the Thunderbirds fell to Frisco Liberty in the UIL Class 5A State Semifinals at the Alamodome on Thursday night. Senior Sahvani Sancho scored a team-high 28 points in the defeat. Sophomore LA Sneed posted 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The Redhawks took an early 5-0 lead in the first quarter on Jacy Abii’s three-pointer, but Wagner chipped away. Sancho accounted for eight straight Wagner points on a layup and two jumpers, and Nya Williams finished a steal with a lay-in to cap a furious rally that gave the Thunderbirds a 15-14 lead after one quarter of play. Sancho then promptly hit another three-pointer early in the second quarter that gave Wagner their largest lead of the game, 18-14. But Frisco Liberty closed on a 12-3 run and entered halftime with a 26-21 advantage. Wagner pieced together a couple runs in the second half, but were ultimately unable to get over the hump.
Play was momentarily suspended midway through the fourth quarter due to a flash hail storm. Small chunks of ice slipped through the Alamodome roof and fell onto the court, forcing workers to clear the ice so the game could continue. Patricia Muzquiz Cantor, Director of Convention & Sports Facilities for the City of San Antonio released a statement after the incident:
“Shortly after 8 p.m., a fast-moving severe thunderstorm over downtown San Antonio produced strong wind gusts that drove small hail and rain sideways through the exhaust fan vents on the Alamodome roof. The falling precipitation caused a brief delay in the UIL Girls State Basketball Tournament. Play was able to continue after crews cleaned and dried the playing surface. The Alamodome roof will be evaluated for any hail damage Friday morning.”
Wagner ends their historic season with a 28-5 overall record.