North Texas didn’t just show up to the 2026 UIL state basketball tournament — it showed out. When the final buzzer sounded Saturday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio, schools from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and surrounding North Texas communities had claimed a staggering 13 of the 24 available state titles across both boys and girls classifications.
That’s more than half the hardware, all headed north on I-35. The tournament ran from Thursday, March 12 through Saturday, March 14, with the Alamodome serving as the backdrop for what turned into something of a North Texas coronation. Eight boys championships and five girls championships went to the region — a dominant performance that underscores just how deep the talent pool has grown in the Metroplex and its surrounding counties.
Boys Bracket: DFW Schools Made It Look Easy
In the biggest classification on the boys side, North Crowley captured the 6A Division I crown with a 65-52 victory over Northside Brennan, while Little Elm took 6A Division II in decisive fashion, knocking off Austin Westlake 57-35. Yes, that Westlake — the program that’s become synonymous with Texas high school football dominance. Basketball, it turns out, is a different story.
Frisco Heritage won 5A Division I and Mansfield Summit claimed 5A Division II, continuing the trend of Tarrant and Collin County schools flexing on the state stage. Down in 4A, it was a Dallas sweep. Dallas Kimball handled Fort Bend Crawford 62-42 in D1, and Dallas Carter — a program with deep historical roots — dismantled LaMarque 67-41 in D2. That Carter margin wasn’t a game. It was a statement.
The smaller classifications told equally compelling stories. Dallas Madison edged Orangefield 70-59 in a hard-fought 3A Division I final, and Paradise took 3A Division II. Turkey Valley won the 1A D1 title 66-48 over Fayetteville, and Jayton rolled past Kennard 78-45 in 1A D2, as noted in tournament coverage from the opening day of play.
Girls Side: A Different Kind of Dominance
Five girls championships went to North Texas programs, and the list reads like a who’s who of consistent Texas prep basketball. Lancaster won 6A Division II, Denton Ryan took 5A D1, and Argyle claimed 5A D2 — three programs that have become perennial contenders. Decatur won 4A D1 and Dallas Lincoln captured 4A D2, adding to what was already a remarkable weekend for the region, as documented by tournament coverage out of Austin.
Still, the full girls picture stretches beyond North Texas. Programs from across the state competed hard, and several classifications were decided by teams outside the Metroplex footprint — a reminder that Texas high school basketball remains genuinely statewide in its depth, even if the trophies didn’t always reflect that this year.
Lipan’s Rare Double
Here’s the story that deserves its own paragraph — maybe its own wall plaque. Lipan, a small community in Hood County west of Fort Worth, pulled off something remarkably rare: a boys-girls sweep in 2A Division II. The boys won 47-34 over Martin’s Mill. The girls won 42-35 over Martin’s Mill. Same opponent. Both titles. One town.
Winning one state championship in a season is the kind of thing a school talks about for a generation. Winning two — on the same weekend, against the same program — is the kind of thing that becomes local legend. The UIL’s own records confirm both championship results for the Lipan Falcons, and the final tallies across all boys classifications paint a picture of just how thoroughly North Texas dominated the bracket.
The Bigger Picture
What does it mean when one region wins more than half of a state’s championships in a single sport, in a single season? It could mean population density — the Metroplex simply produces more players, more depth, more competition at the practice level. It could mean coaching. It almost certainly means resources. But whatever the cause, 13 titles out of 24 is not a fluke. It’s a pattern.
The UIL tournament’s move to the Alamodome has long made San Antonio the neutral ground where Texas decides its best. This year, North Texas arrived, dominated, and left with the hardware — leaving the rest of the state to wonder whether next March will look any different. Don’t bet on it.
