Cedar Park holds off Frisco Liberty to win first-ever state title

Photo Credit: Scott W. Coleman

SAN ANTONIO — Cedar Park head coach Donny Ott fell to his knees moments before the final buzzer sounded.

Four years of hard work had built up to the ultimate prize: state champions.

Cedar Park won the state title for the first time in school history on Wednesday night, holding off a late charge from defending state champion Frisco Liberty to earn a 46-39 win to cap off an unforgettable season.

“What makes this feel so good is that I know we earned it,” Ott said. “We had to do it with some of the craziest circumstances and obstacles. We had to stay ready. I’ve been in coaching for 21 years, and this is the greatest feeling I’ve had in my life outside of marrying my wife and having my two kids.”

The Redhawks cut the lead to one point with under three minutes to play, but sophomore Gisella Maul and junior Shelby Hays combined for six points and two rebounds over the next minute to reestablish the Timberwolves’ lead for good.

“I think at that point, we all had the same mentality of, ‘I don’t care what we have to do, but we’re not going to lose,” senior Sarai Estupinan said. “We trusted our teammates, and we trusted our coaches in that moment, and it was a team effort to grind out those last two minutes.”

Maul was named MVP, scoring 15 points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.

Hayes scored 10 points and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds, Estupinan scored nine points with four assists and senior Alisa Knight had four points and four rebounds.

“We have worked so hard for this moment, and we knew coming in that it was going to be the toughest game of our season,” Maul said. “We stayed locked in and patient the whole time. I’m just feeling so good right now.”

Not only is it the first state title in Cedar Park basketball history, but it’s also the first basketball title for any Leander ISD school.

Cedar Park started a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor, with assists on all three buckets. King finished off an and-1 with five minutes left in the first quarter to jump out a 7-0 lead.

The Timberwolves didn’t score a field goal until midway through the second quarter. After Ott shouted across the floor to push the tempo and not fall into the slow pace the Redhawks like to play, Cedar Park ended the half with a 9-2 run, capped off with a 3-pointer by Ly.

Liberty head coach Ross Reedy said the third quarter was key, and the Redhawks started the period on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to five points. The Timberwolves didn’t score for more than two minutes.

Things continued to ebb and flow as the Timberwolves once again answered when Knight drove to the hoop and finished strong, followed by an offensive rebound and put-back layup by Hayes.

Liberty went on a 9-2 run in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to just a point, but Ott took a timeout to kill the momentum. Maul and Shelby Hayes had some big points and rebounds to clinch the win for the Timberwolves.

“Coach Ott sets us up with the right game plan and has us ready,” Hayes said. “We came into this game not cocky but confident. We know we have everything we need. He gave us all the pieces, we just had to go execute.”

Since their only loss of the season to Cibolo Steele in the third game of the season, the Timberwolves rattled off 23 straight wins to end the year, including their fourth straight undefeated district title.

Cedar Park has won many different ways this postseason.

They shared the ball like crazy in a lopsided win against San Antonio Highlands, pulled away in the second half after a closer-than-expected game against New Braunfels Canyon and put on a defensive masterclass against Georgetown.

Wednesday was the kind of win that makes this group of Cedar Park athletes iconic, but that’s for Ott to focus on after celebrating on the bus ride home.

“We've watched kids come through this program that didn't get this moment,” Ott said. “These three seniors slowly learned a little bit each year what it took, and they took prep to another level this season. It’s the reason why they’re sitting here now.”

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Originally published at https://www.hillcountrynews.com/stories/cedar-park-holds-off-frisco-liberty-to-win-first-ever-state-title,84771