Xavier Miller (10) rocks the rim in one of Plano East’s two playoff wins last week. The Panthers’ opened this week with a record of 35-0, needing three wins in the regional bracket to secure a spot in the state tournament. Roosevelt Joubert/Murphy Monitor

COPPELL – A 29-point playoff victory makes things appear easy, but it was far from it Friday night.

The No. 1 Plano East Panthers overcame a slow start in the area round against Highland Park, winning 74-45. The win propelled the Panthers to 35-0 on the year, just five wins away from a perfect season.

East advances to the regional quarterfinals, where they will face No. 10 Allen. The two sides, who played back on the season’s first game – a 10-point Plano East win- will tip-off at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland. The winner advances to the regional final in Fort Worth over the weekend.

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