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BULLARD – A standing room only crowd was on hand when seventh-ranked Hawkins faced LaPoynor during Monday night’s UIL 2A Division I Region III semifinal at Bullard Brook Hill School’s gym, but its early double-digit lead didn’t last in a disappointing season-ending 68-64 overtime defeat.

The Lady Hawks finished their 2024-2025 season with a 33-2 record.

The Lady Flyers, meanwhile, will bring an improved 25-11 mark to their UIL 2A Division I Region III championship matchup against Leon at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Slocum.

“We missed defensive assignments in the half-court setting [during Monday’s second half],” Hawkins girls basketball head coach Quiana Conde said after her team’s defeat. “We rely on our defense a lot. That’s what we normally hang our hat on.”

Hawkins jumped out to a quick 14-2 lead, and eventually owned a 16-9 advantage by the end of the first quarter because of Londyn Wilson’s six points, Taetum Smith’s four points, and two points from Jentri Evans, Alaya Scoggins and Haylee Skipworth.

Smith eventually led Hawkins with 23 points, and Scoggins and Wilson added 10 in the loss.

Hawkins started the second quarter on a 10-2 run to build up a 26-11 advantage with 47 seconds remaining in the first half. Evans knocked down a three-ball, Wilson, Scoggins and Karsyn Johnson contributed two points, and Smith split a pair of free throw attempts.

But, LaPoynor scored the final four first half points to cut Hawkins’ lead to 26-15 by halftime.

The Lady Flyers continued to soar after the mid-game break because they added a 12-2 start to the second half to cut Hawkins’ lead to 28-27 by the 4:28 mark of the third quarter. They received four points from Savannah Reynolds and Brooklyn Bristow and two points from Adriana Estrada and Kendall Garcia during the stretch.

Reynolds eventually guided LaPoynor to victory with 26 points, Garcia generated 17, and Bre Howard earned 10.

Hawkins finished the third period with a 12-10 stretch to earn a 40-37 advantage before the fourth and final frame.

LaPoynor continued to surge during an 18-13 run to finally jump ahead 55-53 with 49.6 seconds remaining in regulation. The Lady Flyers benefitted from Garcia’s eight points, three points from Reynolds and Bristow, and two points from Howard and Estrada.

But, Hawkins received two more Scoggins points to force overtime with a 55-55 score.

The Lady Hawks then received three points from Smith and two points from Wilson during a 5-2 start to the extra session to set up a 60-57 lead by the 2:26 mark.

But, LaPoynor scored 11 of the game’s final 15 points to finish off its come-from-behind victory. 10 of those came from Reynolds, and Garcia split a pair of free throw attempts.