The Plano East girls basketball team had no trouble in the regional quarterfinals in beating Arlington Martin 50-40. 

Martin, who had two talented Division 1 future college players in Autumn Smith and Mariah Roberts, couldn’t handle the pace and defensive intensity of the Lady Panthers’ defense and shot-making. Plano East was able to jump out to an 18-8 lead after the first quarter. 

Plano East’s aggression on the defensive side of the ball dominated the game. They created multiple turnovers in the first half, and when they were over aggressive and called for fouls, Martin was unable to convert from the free-throw line. After taking a 16 point lead into the halftime break, Plano East’s lead got as big as 18 after three quarters before Martin’s comeback bid in the final frame fell short. The Lady Panthers advance in the postseason and extend their win streak to 18 games in a row. 

Leading the way for the Lady Panthers was Donavia Hall, who led the team with 18 points, and Tiana Amos, who added 10 points of her own. In total eight different Lady Panthers were able to score in the game. 

Martin’s season ends with the team having a 20-4 record. The 40 points scored against Plano East was the second-lowest they’ve scored all season. 

Plano East now advances to the regional semifinals, where they will play the winner between Southlake Carroll and Timber Creek, who play tomorrow night.

By Kyle Grondin • [email protected]