All teams dream to dance in March Madness! These East Texas teams will turn that dream into a reality due to surviving and advancing their way to the Sweet 16 of the UIL Boys High School Playoffs.  Now they set their eyes on the prize of a trip down to San Antonio.  bEASTx has plenty of teams in the Regional tournament.  Let's take a look at those teams and the paths that got them to this point.

1A #6 Brookeland vs #14 Rocksprings

The Wildcats of Brookeland defeated Apple Springs (86-57), Abbott (70-32), and Laneville (65-60) to reach the 1A region IV tournament.  They will now take the trip down to Austin and face off with a 27-4 Rocksprings team in the semi-finals.  With a win on Friday, not only will it give the Wildcats their 30th win of the season, but it will also place them one game away from the State Tournament!

                                                   Ricky Moon (Facebook)                                                                                                                             www.cloudycourtsidechat.com

2A #3 Beckville vs #1 Martins Mill

Two of the top 3 2A teams in the state for the majority of the year have been on a crash course all season to face off in this highly anticipated matchup.  Showcasing two of the best guards in the region in J'Koby Williams ('24 Beckville) and Jack Kinder ('25 Martin's Mill) Neither the Bearcats, nor the Mustangs are strangers to playing in Athens, TX at the Regional Tournament.  This is Beckville's 3rd trip in a row while Martin's Mill has been 2 of the last 3 years.  The Mustangs defeated the Bearcats last year in the state semifinal game and will be looking to repeat that performance, while Beckville will have revenge on their minds.  This game will be all that and some, so show up early to Athens and catch this one Friday night at 6:00. 

@Beckville_Sport (X)                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

2A #13 Shelbyville vs LaPoyner

Led by Coach Wager, DJ Barnes, Ja'Davian Mathis & Company have led the Dragons back to the Regional tournament for the first time since the departure of Lamar guard Jay Buckley (2020). They will face a team who can almost call this  a home game playing in Athens in the LaPoyner Flyers. The old saying, "In order to be the best, you have to beat the best", is what Shelbyville will have to embody as the Flyers have played in this regional final 3 years in a row, winning it the last 2 years. If the Dragons want a chance at San Antonio, it will start with the defending back to back regional champions Friday night at 8:00, but something tells us that the Flyers will not make it easy. 

@Shelbyville_ATH (X)                                                                                                                                                                                         www.cloudycourtsidechat.com

3A #9 Kountze vs #15 Westwood

If you want an up and down game with ELITE guard play then look no further than this matchup right here.  Freshman Kavian Bryant has been killing whoever steps in front of him all year and the Regional quarterfinals was no exception as he exploded for 33 points on Palmer.  On the other side, you have a plethora of guards for the Kountze Lions led by Zac Sells who has dropped 30+ on multiple occasions as well this season.  Waco Midway HS is the place to be for this premiere matchup at 7:30 pm on Friday night. Get your popcorn ready!

                                                           Kountze_bball (X)                                                                                                                               Kadrian Bryant (Facebook)

3A #17 Tatum vs #16 Paradise

The Eagles are rolling and back in a position they know all too well, the Regional tournament.  JaCorie Bradley has been stellar all year for the Eagles and the team defensive pressure they assert can rattle anybody. If anybody knows what it takes to win these two games in two days and clinch a spot at the State tournament, it's Coach Carr. They will travel to Prosper on Friday night and face off with #16 Paradise at 6 PM for a opportunity to play Saturday afternoon in the Regional finals. We know Eagle Nation all #Believe.

                                          Audrey Blaschke (Facebook)                                                                                                                           www.cloudycourtsidechat.com

3A #4 Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill vs #6 Ponder

Coach Schmitt and the Red Devils pulled out a overtime thriller to advance to the regional tournament.  After taking out the #5 team in the state for the second time this season, they now will face off with a 34 win Ponder team who's coming off a blowout win over perennial power, Dallas Madison.  This game very well may come down to who can score 45 first as both teams are hard-nosed and get after it defensively. 

                                                      Ashley Barron Eaves (Facebook)                                                                                                       www.cloudycourtsidechat.com

5A #17 Longview vs #9 The Colony

32 YEARS!!!  That is how long it has been since Longview has made it to the basketball Regional tournament.  How did they get here? Down 1 with under :01 left and Longview's Robert Blandburg makes the 2 biggest free throws of his career to keep Longview's historic season alive! They now have their eyes set on a state tournament appearance and The Colony is the first obstacle that stands in the way. They will square off Friday in Garland at 6 PM.

                                                                 @MrProsserLISD (X)                                                                                                                www.cloudycourtsidechat.com

4A #15 Chapel Hill vs #5 Houston Washington

Chapel Hill defeated Bullard (65-61), Hargrave (57-55) and district foe Spring Hill (88-60) to reach regionals. The Bulldogs showed no trace of hangover from their 20-point 4th quarter comeback in the area round and handled the Cinderella Spring Hill Panthers. They are back in the Regional tournament for the first time since 2020 and this time, they look to take it a step further, and punch their ticket to the Alamodome in San Antonio. This group is full of passion!