Kennedale holds off Chapel Hill in regional semifinals

Published 1:32 am Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Chapel Hill’s Marquise Collins II (3) prepares to inbound the basketball to teammate KJ Anderson (2) as Kennedale’s Jacoby Lovings (12) defends during Tuesday’s playoff at Forney High School. (Phil Hicks/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

FORNEY – Chapel Hill had the lead and the momentum heading into the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s regional basketball semifinal at Jackrabbit Gym.

However, Kennedale snatched it back from the Bulldogs in the final period to score a 63-56 win in the Class 4A Division II playoff game.

The Wildcats (30-5) advance to the Region II final to face Dallas Carter (28-6) later this week. Kennedale is the defending state champion. Carter won over Athens 68-26 in Kaufman in the other semifinal.

The Bulldogs saw their 15-game winning streak snapped. They had not lost since Jan. 2 against Pine Tree in Longview. Chapel Hill’s standout season ends at 32-3.

Kennedale led 34-28 at halftime but the Bulldogs came out after halftime on fire, eventually tying the game at 43-43 on a drive to the bucket by KJ Anderson with 2:05 on the clock.

Marquis Collins II gave the Bulldogs their first lead since the first quarter when the senior completed an old-fashioned three-point play for a 46-43 advantage.

Jacoby Lovings added a bucket for the Wildcats to bring his team within 46-45 heading into the final period.

Kennedale scored the first five points (2 by Bryson Nickerson, 3 by Mason Forbes) of the fourth quarter to take a 50-46 lead.

After a free throw from Malik Gee and a bucket by Anthony Smith within 50-49, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get.

Isaiah Mayfield had a double double for CHHS with 14 points and 18 rebounds.

Anderson added 14 points with six steals, three rebounds and two blocks. Collins was also in double figures with 13 points. He added four boards and drew two charges.

Also contributing were A’mare Kennedy (7 points, 5 rebounds), Malik Gee (6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals), Anthony Smith (2 points, 3 rebounds), Ryder Steels (6 rebounds) and Maliek Brown (5 rebounds).

Trey Smith, who was MVP of the state championship game last year, led the Wildcats with 20 points.

Others scoring for Kennedale were Nickerson (14), Forbes (11), Lovings (8), AJ Brown (5), Keysean Williams (3) and Aidan Atlas (2).

Jayden Miller, Nickerson and Williams each had five rebounds with Lovings getting five steals.

Chapel Hill was 3 of 22 from 3-point (Collins made all three) and 7 of 18 from the free throw line.

Kennedale was 7 of 19 from long distance (Smith, 3; Forbes, 3; Brown, 1) and 16 of 25 at the charity stripe.

Rounding out the Bulldogs’ team were Jacob March, Jeremy Harper, Jaylon Ford, Ke’Rion Green, Marklon Brooks, George Cameron and Ka’mayrion Green.

Akimba “AJ” Johnson is head coach with assistants Shane Akin and Kendall Holmes. Athletic trainers are Steven Offield, Cormac Henderson, Christina VanHook and Delettra Mayfield. Managers are Bryson Dean, Derek Johnson, Quantel Waggoner and Cody Edmonson.