Courtesy Photo/Mabank ISD
Mabank Lady Panthers fans cheer on their hometown team at Mesquite Horn High School Feb. 17 as the Lady Panthers defeat the Lake Dallas Lady Falcons in the Class 4A Division I Regional Semifinal basketball game to advance to the Regional Finals Feb. 21, also in Mesquite.

MESQUITE and ROWLETT–Feb. 17, the Mabank Lady Panthers defeated Lake Dallas High School, 45-27, to win the Class 4A Division I Regional Semifinal basketball game at Mesquite Horn High School and advance to face Kennedale in the Regional Finals at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, also at Mesquite Horn.
The winner of the Mabank-Kennedale Regional Final advances to the State Semifinals later this month. After that State Semifinal contest is the Class 4A Division I State Championship game at The Alamodome in San Antonio Feb. 28.
The Lady Panthers (30-6 after the win over Lake Dallas) began their postseason run with a Bi-District victory over Longview Pine Tree Feb. 10, winning 56-32. Feb. 13, Mabank added an Area championship with a 37-22 win over Wills Point in Canton to set up their Regional Semifinal tilt with Lake Dallas.
Meanwhile, the Class 3A Malakoff Lady Tigers were defeated Feb. 17 in their Class 3A Division I Regional Semifinal game at Rowlett, losing to Gunter, 50-35. Malakoff ends their season with a 31-5 record, while Gunter moves to 33-3. After winning the regular-season District 15-3A title, the Lady Tigers won the Bi-District championship Feb. 11 by beating Sabine to start the playoffs, 61-17. The Lady Tigers followed that with an Area title Feb. 14 against Jefferson, 70-40.
The Mabank Panthers boys’ team also made the playoffs, with their first-round Bi-District game against Kilgore scheduled at The University of Texas at Tyler Feb. 18, after this edition’s press deadline. The Malakoff Tigers boys’ team also played Feb. 18 to start the playoffs with Bi-District, playing Sabine High School in Brownsboro.