ESPN

This summer, ESPNHS will sit down with some of the nation's elite players to break down their game, talk about the inevitable comparisons to college and pro players and get their take on who they pattern their game after.

Player: Matt Jones
School: DeSoto (Texas)
Position: Shooting Guard
Height/Weight: 6-4/180
ESPN 60: No. 22

Who is Matt Jones?
Rated the No. 9 shooting guard in the Class of 2013, Jones is a stone-cold assassin. His 3-point shot is already developed at an NCAA level, and he's capable of exploding at any moment. As a junior, he led DeSoto to the regional finals of the Class 5A state tournament, averaging 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Jones has been just as good during the summer season. Going against some of the most talented AAU teams in the country during Nike Elite Youth Basketball League play, Jones is averaging 17.7 points per game and hitting 48 percent of his 3-point attempts. Jones has committed to Duke, and he seems destined to continue the Blue Devils' tradition of lights-out shooting guards (Trajan Langdon, J.J. Redick, Jon Scheyer, Austin Rivers).

Scouting Report
According to ESPN RecruitingNation, Jones has the prototypical build for a shooting guard. He's athletic enough to make plays in the open floor and around the rim, but his calling card is his sweet jumper. Jones might be the purest shooter in the country, with consistent catch-and-shoot range out to 20 feet.

"He's an extremely respected shooter," says Scott Pospichal, his AAU coach with the Texas Titans. "Teams know not to leave him. We run him off screens, and he's good at the pull-up, too. He can really shoot the ball."

Most frequent comparisons: Ray Allen, J.J. Redick

ESPNHS Comparison: Gordon Hayward
Jones' range and size make observers think of classic snipers like Ray Allen and J.J. Redick, but we see his game resembling that of up-and-coming Utah Jazz star Gordon Hayward. There is a size difference, as Hayward is one of the NBA's taller shooting guards at 6-foot-8, but everything else lines up. While Allen and Redick rely on deft footwork to curl around screens and pop long jumpers, Jones (like Hayward) is more of a spot-up shooter with less elevation on his release.

Jones also has enough length, athleticism and quickness to occasionally jump into passing lanes and disrupt things defensively. Gordon makes a living by deflecting passes, sneaking in for offensive putbacks and drilling 3-pointers (38.6 percent for his career), and we can see Jones evolving into the same type of player.

"I like to do a little bit of everything," says Jones. "I take pride in my defense. I can shoot off the dribble, and I have a quick first step. I try to contribute any way I can."

Matt’s Comparison: Ray Allen
Jones has been hearing the Ray Allen comparisons for a long time, and he takes it as a compliment.

"A lot of people like to compare me to Ray Allen or J.J. Redick," he says. "I just feel blessed and grateful to be compared to great shooters like that. Ray Allen is one of the greatest of all-time, so that's an honor to be mentioned with him."

Jones says he is trying to get stronger over the summer, and he's also working on his ball handling. Allen was an underrated slasher in his prime, so Jones will need to continue tightening his handle if he wants to be the next "Jesus Shuttlesworth."

Mike Grimala covers high school sports for ESPNHS. Be sure to follow him on Twitter (@MGrimalaESPN).

DeSoto and Lancaster swept away the competition over the weekend at the UIL state track and field championships in Austin.

DeSoto won both team titles in Class 5A, and Lancaster doubled up on Class 4A team championships.

Plano East's Jennifer Madu was the star of the meet, winning individual gold medals in four events, the 100- and 200-meter dashes, the long jump and the triple jump, single-handedly lifting the Lady Panthers to fourth place in the Class 5A team standings.

North Texas schools had a strong overall showing.

In the Class 4A girls competition, Carrollton Newman Smith (third), Carrollton Creekview (fourth), and Little Elm (fifth) joined Lancaster with top-five finishes.

For Class 4A boys, Lancaster was joined Fort Worth Southwest (second) and Mansfield Summit (fourth) among the top five.

Metroplex girls teams took the top four spots in Class 5A, with Garland (second), Mansfield Timberview (third) and Plano East (fourth) coming in behind DeSoto.

Mansfield Timberview (third) and South Grand Prairie (fourth) joined DeSoto with top-five finishes in the Class 5A boys competition.

Here are the area athletes and relay teams who earned top-three event finishes in Class 4A and 5A:

CLASS 5A BOYS

• 3,200: 2. Troy Taylor, Justin Northwest; 3. Kevyn Hoyos, Hebron
• 4x100 relay: 1. Desoto; Mansfield Timberview
• 800: 3. William Stovall, DeSoto
• 110 hurdles: None
• 100: 1. Abraham Hall, South Grand Prairie; 3. Tremayne Acy, DeSoto
• 4x200 relay: 2. DeSoto
• 400: 1. Aldrich Bailey, Mansfield Timberview
• 300 hurdles: None
• 200: 1. Abraham Hall, South Grand Prairie
• 1,600: 3. Troy Taylor, Justin Northwest
• 4x400 relay: 1. Duncanville; 3. Mansfield Timberview
• Discus: 3. Jeff Bartlett, Dallas Jesuit
• High jump: None
• Long jump: 3. Justin Wilson, McKinney Boyd
• Pole vault: None
• Shot put: None
• Triple jump: None

CLASS 5A GIRLS

• 3,200: None
• 4x100 relay: 1. Garland; 2. DeSoto
• 800: 2. Kristyn Williams, Mansfield Timberview; 3. LaTrica Brooks, Dallas Skyline
• 100 hurdles: 3. Bianca Jackson, Garland
• 100: 1. Jennifer Madu, Plano East; 2. Mia Pollard, Keller Fossil Ridge; 3. Dephanie Adeyemi, Flower Mound
• 4x200 relay: 1. Garland; 2. Dallas Skyline
• 400: 2. Kristyn Williams, Mansfield Timberview; 3. Travia Jones, Rowlett
• 300 hurdles: 3. Tia' Gamble, DeSoto
• 200: 1. Jennifer Madu, Plano East; 2. Dephanie Adeyemi, Flower Mound
• 1,600: 1. Courtney Kriegshauser, Southlake Carroll
• 4x400 relay: 1. Mansfield Timberview; 2. DeSoto; 3. Duncanville
• Discus: 1. Shelbi Vaughan, Mansfield Legacy
• High jump: None
• Long jump: 1. Jennifer Madu, Plano East; 2. Bre'Yana Wash, Dallas Skyline
• Pole vault: 1. Desiree Freier, Justin Northwest; 3. Zoe McKinley, Grapevine
• Shot put: 1. Shelbi Vaughan, Mansfield Legacy
• Triple jump: 1. Jennifer Madu, Plano East; 2. Paetyn Revell, DeSoto

CLASS 4A BOYS

• 3,200: None
• 4x100 relay: 1. Fort Worth Southwest; 2. Lancaster; 3. Mansfield Summit
• 800: 3. Alec Saucedo, Red Oak
• 110 hurdles: 1. Bryce Grace, Dallas Bryan Adams; 3. Tequille Jackson, Lancaster
• 100: 3. Eldridge Massington, West Mesquite
• 4x200 relay: 1. Lancaster; 2. Fort Worth Southwest
• 400: 3. Gerald Thomas, The Colony
• 300 hurdles: 1. Larron Black, Mansfield Summit; 2. Tequille Jackson, Lancaster
• 200: 1. Robert Rhodes, Fort Worth Southwest; 2. Thaddeus Coleman, Dallas Lincoln
• 1,600: None
• 4x400 relay: 2. Denton Ryan; 3. McKinney North
• Discus: 3. Joas Aguilar, Birdville
• High jump: 3. Quin Crenshaw, Dallas Bryan Adams
• Long jump: 2. Corey Coleman, Richardson Pearce; 3. Adam Grant, McKinney
• Pole vault: None
• Shot put: None
• Triple jump: None

CLASS 4A GIRLS

• 3,200: 2. Natalie Rathjen, Highland Park
• 4x100 relay: 1. Lancaster; 2. Little Elm
• 800: 3. Meghan Shea, McKinney
• 100 hurdles: 2. Kiana Hawn, Forney
• 100: 2. Marika Brown, Little Elm; 3. Eboni Coby, Lancaster
• 4x200 relay: 1. Lancaster; 2. Crowley
• 400: 1. Courtney Okolo, Carrollton Newman Smith
• 300 hurdles: 1. Melissa Gonzalez, Carrollton Creekview; 2. Kiana Hawn, Forney; 3. Taije Jordan, Lancaster
• 200: 1. Courtney Okolo, Carrollton Newman Smith; 3. Marika Brown, Little Elm
• 1,600: 2. Meghan Shea, McKinney
• 4x400 relay: 1. Carrollton Newman Smith; 2. Lancaster; 3. Crowley
• Discus: None
• High jump: None
• Long jump: 1. Brianna Richardson, Rockwall-Heath
• Pole vault: 1. Lakan Taylor, Fort Worth Boswell; 3. Ashley Thompson, Frisco
• Shot put: None
• Triple jump: 1. Brianna Richardson, Rockwall-Heath; 2. Lauren Nwegbo, Mesquite Poteet

It's a big day in the football recruiting world, with the initial ESPN 150 for the Class of 2013 being released.

Texas is well represented on the list of the nation's top recruits, but the Lone Star state's numbers have slipped from last year. There are 19 Texans on the new list, down from 24 on the final ESPN 150 for 2012.

This year's list has eight players from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The final 2012 list had 12 DFW recruits, led by Denton Ryan's Mario Edwards Jr. at No. 1 and Aledo's Johnathan Gray at No. 2.

The top-rated area recruit among next year's seniors is speedy Cedar Hill athlete LaQuvionte Gonzalez, who already has committed to Texas A&M. Gonzalez lined up at running back, receiver, defensive back, punt returner and kick returner last season for coach Joey McGuire.

Right behind Gonzalez at No. 53 is another speedster, DeSoto's Dontre Wilson. The running back, being recruited as an athlete, has a dozen BCS offers but remains uncommitted.

Here are the area players on the list:

50. LaQuvionte Gonzalez, Cedar Hill, Athlete, Texas A&M
53. Dontre Wilson, DeSoto, Athlete, uncommitted
78. Jake Raulerson, Celina, OT, Texas
85. Justin Manning, Dallas Kimball, DT, uncommitted
87. Kent Perkins, Lake Hollands, OT, Texas
101. Joas Aguilar, Birdville, OG, Texas A&M
133. A'Shawn Robinson, Fort Worth Arlington Heights, DT, Texas
138. Mike Mitchell, Plano Prestonwood Christian, OLB, uncommitted

Find the full list here. Loganville (Ga.) Grayson defensive end Robert Nkemdiche, who is uncommitted, is No. 1.

Starting Thursday, the Cowboys can host prospective draft picks with local high school and college ties at the annual Dallas Day workout at Valley Ranch.

DeSoto native and Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray will visit the Cowboys.

Gray, a 5-foot-10, 206-pounder, rushed for 2,178 yards and 24 touchdowns the past two seasons for the Aggies. But a stress fracture in his left shoulder forced him to miss the final two games of A&M's 2011 season and the Senior Bowl.

Gray ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine and did some position work at Texas A&M's pro day.

Here's what Scouts Inc. had to say about Gray, a potential third- or fourth-round pick.

NFL Draft Scout also provides some insight.

The girls McDonald’s All-American game was won by an East team free throw, 79-78, with 0.3 seconds remaining in the game, a disappointing finish for the three Dallas-area players on the West squad.

However, the West wouldn’t have had a chance at the win if it hadn’t been for Dallas-area home school star Moriah Jefferson.

With just under a minute remaining in the game, Jefferson hit a 3-pointer from the corner to bring the West within two. The West would tie it up on two free throws, but wouldn’t be able to fend off the East in the end.

Jefferson, a UConn commit, finished with 10 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal in 19 minutes. She shot 4-for-11 from the field and 2-for-4 from 3-point range.

Irving MacArthur’s Alexis Jones had a decent showing, showcasing her ability as a distributor in her 21 minutes of playing time with three quality assists in transition. Jones, a Duke commit, netted nine points and grabbed three rebounds while going 4-for-16 and 1-for-5 from behind the arc.

DeSoto’s Jordan Jones (Texas A&M) saw 11 minutes of time on the court and scored three points, grabbed one rebound and dished out three assists.

"It still doesn't feel real," Jones said of playing in the game. "A couple of years ago I was just an average player. It'll all probably hit me in a couple of days when I show everybody all my stuff."

Future Baylor Bear Alexis Prince (Orlando, Fla.) took home the game MVP honors with a 15-point, nine-rebound effort in Chicago.

Chris Hansen of ESPN HoopGurlz contributed to this report.

Five area basketball players will be in the national spotlight tonight at the McDonald's All-American games in Chicago.

Flower Mound Marcus' Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State) and Arlington Grace Prep's Isaiah Austin (Baylor) are on the West team of the boys game, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and ESPN3.com.

Three area players are in the West team of the girls game, which starts at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU and ESPN3.com: home-schooler Moriah Jefferson (Connecticut) of Glenn Heights, Irving MacArthur's Alexis Jones (Duke) and DeSoto's Jordan Jones (Texas A&M).

ESPN.com's recruiting and high school experts will be holding a live chat during the game.

DeSoto's Jordan Jones won the skills competition Monday night at the POWERADE Jam Fest in Chicago, part of the McDonald's All-American Game festivities.

Jones, a Texas A&M recruit, didn't just beat out the other girls in the event. She topped the score of the winner of the boys competition.

Find more here about the contest, which also included Irving MacArthur's Alexis Jones.

CLASS 5A REGION II BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

(At Baylor University's Ferrell Special Events Center in Waco)

FRIDAY'S SEMIFINALS

UIL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Boys brackets: 5A »   4A » Girls brackets: 5A »   4A » State tournament: Girls » Boys »

6 p.m.: Garland Naaman Forest vs. The Woodlands College Park

8 p.m.: DeSoto vs. Spring Westfield

SATURDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP

4 p.m.: Semifinal winners

HOW THEY GOT HERE

Naaman Forest (27-7): The District 10-5A champion defeated Richardson Lake Highlands 65-54 in bi-district; Killeen Shoemaker 64-43 in area; College Station A&M Consolidated 60-51 in regional quarterfinals.

College Park (30-7): The District 14-5A champion defeated Klein 63-62 in bi-district; Georgetown 67-51 in area; Kingwood 48-41 in regional quarterfinals.

DeSoto (32-5): The District 11-5A champion defeated Killeen Ellison 64-34 in bi-district; Rowlett 59-53 in area; Berkner 64-55 in regional quarterfinals.

Westfield (26-10): The District 13-5A champion defeated Lufkin 62-26 in bi-district; Austin Anderson 48-37 in area; Spring Dekaney 66-59 in regional semifinals.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Naaman Forest: DeMarcus Holland (6-4, Sr. SG) leads the team with 11.5 points per game and rebounds very well. He is the No. 30 player in Texas in the 2012 class. His counterpart Kent High (6-1, Sr. G) is averaging 11.4 points per game.

College Park: Evan Cooper (6-0, Sr. G) is a pure scorer who gets to the free throw line often, averaging 19.9 points per game. Zach Wright (6-3, Sr. SF) is another guy who can score in bunches, averaging 14.5 points per game.

DeSoto: Matt Jones (6-4, Jr. SG) has proven to be one of the best players in the 2013 class. The Duke commit is long and athletic, and shoots very well. Benquan Petty (5-9, Sr. G) can burn opponents with his quickness.

Westfield: James Harrison (6-2, Jr. G) is streaky, but can explode for points when he gets hot beyond the arc. Wesley Iwundu (6-6, Jr. G) is a lengthy athlete who can create mismatches against smaller guards.

LAST YEAR

Naaman Forest: Lost to Killeen Ellison 66-63 (OT) in the area round.

College Park: Missed the playoffs.

DeSoto: Lost to Lakeview Centennial 54-50 in the regional final.

Westfield: Missed the playoffs.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- When DeSoto guard Benquan Petty's unintended bank shot finds it way into the basket, he says, “It’s a sign I’m hot.’’

And when it happens in the final four minutes of a tight playoff game, as it did Tuesday night, it can mean the difference between a date in the Class 5A Region II tournament in Waco or the end of the season.

UIL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Boys brackets: 5A »   4A » Girls brackets: 5A »   4A » State tournament: Girls » Boys »

Petty’s basket off glass from 17 feet with almost no angle triggered a 10-0 run in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter, helping DeSoto defeat Richardson Berkner, 64-55, in a Class 5A Region II quarterfinal at Amos Turner Gymnasium.

After playing catch-up for almost the entire game to that point, Petty gave DeSoto only its second lead of the night, 52-51, with 3:45 to play

Just as devastating to Berkner was a steal of the ensuing inbounds pass by Petty’s backcourt mate Jabril Durham. When Durham converted from close range after the steal, DeSoto (32-5) had two baskets within five seconds and a three-point lead.

Try as it might, Berkner (27-8) never recovered.

“Those two plays were big,’’ said DeSoto coach Chris Dyer. “I thought Benquan got fouled on his shot, but then again I always think our guy got fouled. Then Jabril’s steal was huge.’’

The win advances DeSoto to a Region II semifinal against Spring Westfield, a 66-59 winner over Spring Dekaney, scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday at Waco Midway.

Berkner and DeSoto followed a similar script from the first meeting of the teams, a 67-64 DeSoto victory Nov. 18 in a tournament in Pasadena. Berkner was outscored in the fourth quarter, 27-16, that day and 22-12 on Tuesday.

“We run so much in practice and work so hard, we’re stronger at the end,’’ said Petty, who finished with 20 points.

Rebound statistics seem to back up Petty’s claim. Out-rebounded 17-8 at halftime, DeSoto controlled the boards 16-9 in the second half.

Matt Jones, a Duke commit rated No. 22 nationally in the 2013 class by ESPNU, led DeSoto with 29 points on 8-of-20 shooting. Two of his four 3-pointers came in a 10-point fourth quarter.

“Our guys just kept playing,’’ said Dyer. “Berkner was too big to play half court, so we had to run.’’

Kendal Harris, a slashing 6-3 junior guard, topped Berkner with 20 points. He and 6-5 junior Soma Edo (10 points) accounted for all five of the Rams’ field goals in the fourth quarter.

The Rams hit 80 percent of their shots in a first period that saw them open a quick 13-point lead. The advantage was seven at halftime and by the start of the fourth period, down to just one.

‘With two really good teams, it comes down to which makes the most big plays,’’ said Berkner coach Rod Wright. “It was definitely a game of runs. As much as we’d like to have taken the floor in Waco, it wasn’t to be. But I’m very proud of this team.’’

Afterward, Dyer said that Berkner is the best team in the state not going to a regional.

“Coming from someone I admire like Coach Dyer, that means a lot,’’ Wright said.

DALLAS -- Matt Jones and the rest of the offensive weapons get all the attention, but DeSoto is advancing in the playoffs because of its defense.

UIL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Boys brackets: 5A »   4A » Girls brackets: 5A »   4A » State tournament: Girls » Boys »

The latest example came against Rowlett on Saturday.

DeSoto shut down Jeffrey Carroll and an offense that averaged more than 63 points per game to take a convincing 63-46 win at the American Airlines Center.

DeSoto (31-5) advances to face Richardson Berkner in the Class 5A Region II quarterfinals.

"You have to work hard against great players," DeSoto head coach Chris Dyer said. "They have a couple guys who are going to be highly, highly, highly recruited. You just try to make them catch the ball where they don't want to and shoot the shots they don't want to."

Rowlett (22-9) led by as many as four in the second quarter before DeSoto pulled away.

After Albert Coleman gave Rowlett a 20-17 lead with a layup, DeSoto went on a 13-3 run in which Jones scored nine points, including a four-point play. DeSoto took a 35-25 lead into halftime.

After holding a 10-point lead for much of the third quarter, DeSoto pulled away for good behind the play of guard Benquan Petty. He scored eight straight points for DeSoto to open the final frame, helping his team extend its lead to 20 by the end of the fourth.

"We just played defense," Dyer said. "Our guys battled inside. It's what we've been trying to do the last couple weeks."

Jones lead all scorers with 21 points while Petty was right behind him with 20. Franklyne Okeke had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Conversely, Carroll never got going against DeSoto's stingy defense, finishing with 10 points. Nathan Hawkins led Rowlett with 19 points while Austin Luke had 11 points and five assists.

CLASS 5A REGION 2 GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

(At Baylor University's Ferrell Special Events Center in Waco)

FRIDAY'S SEMIFINALS

6 p.m.: Sachse vs. The Woodlands

8 p.m.: DeSoto vs. Spring Dekaney

SATURDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP

6 p.m.: Semifinal winners

HOW THEY GOT HERE

UIL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Boys brackets: 5A »   4A » Girls brackets: 5A »   4A » State tournament: Girls » Boys »

Sachse (30-7): The District 10-5A champion defeated Dallas Sunset 49-42 in bi-district; Temple 47-38 (2 OT) in area; Harker Heights 53-46 in regional quarterfinals.

The Woodlands (32-2): The District 14-5A champion defeated Klein Forest 58-48 in bi-district; Round Rock 47-35 in area; Pflugerville 51-43 in regional semifinals.

DeSoto (26-4): The District 11-5A champion defeated Killeen Ellison 43-22 in bi-district; Garland 78-51 in area; Mesquite 58-57 in regional quarterfinals.

Dekaney (37-1): The District 13-5A champion defeated Humble Kingwood 73-34 in bi-district; Georgetown 51-28 in area; Atascocita 65-53 in regional quarterfinals.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sachse: Achel Tac (6-1, Sr. G/F) leads the team in scoring but had just four points in Sachse's area win against Temple. It was only the fifth time this season she finished in single-digit scoring. Candice Followwell (5-9, Sr. G) is scoring 16.6 points per game in the playoffs.

The Woodlands: Anna Strickland (6-1, Sr. F) is on a tear this season, averaging a double-double with 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Kelsey Lang (6-4, Jr. P) is averaging 14.5 points per game.

DeSoto: Jordan Jones (5-6, Sr. G) is averaging a team-high 14.3 points per game. Her counterpart Bryce Owens (5-6, Sr. G) scored the game-winning bucket to beat Mesquite in the regional quarterfinal.

Dekaney: Alexis Durley (5-8, Sr. G) leads the team in scoring, but the Wildcats have five players scoring more than nine points per game. Kayla Nevitt (5-9, So. G) is second on the team with 12.8 points per game.

LAST YEAR

Sachse: Missed the playoffs.

The Woodlands: Lost to Pflugerville 62-47 in the regional quarterfinals.

DeSoto: Lost to Pflugerville 65-63 (OT) in the regional semifinals.

Dekaney: Lost to Pflugerville 65-50 in area round.

The DeSoto girls basketball team will be making its sixth trip to a regional tournament in the last eight seasons thanks to Tuesday’s 58-57 victory over District 11-5A rival Mesquite at Lancaster High.

DeSoto (33-5) will face Spring Dekaney (38-1) in the second of two Region II semifinals at 8 p.m. Friday at Baylor’s Ferrell Special Events Center in Waco.

UIL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS
Boys brackets: 5A »   4A » Girls brackets: 5A »   4A » State tournament: Girls » Boys »

Under Larry Goad, in his 27th year as head coach, DeSoto has reached at least the third round of the playoffs in eight straight seasons. DeSoto was a state finalist in 2008.

College signees Jordan Jones (Texas A&M) and Bryce Owens (New Mexico), a pair of 5-foot-6 senior guards, combined for the dramatic winning basket with 14 seconds remaining against upset-minded Mesquite (22-11).

Jones intercepted an inbound pass with DeSoto trailing 57-56. The steal led to a go-ahead layup for Owens. DeSoto withstood Mesquite’s final possession that ended in a missed 3-pointer.

The victory was the 16th in a row for DeSoto, which ended the regular season ranked No. 4 in ESPN Dallas Class 5A Top 10. Three of its wins in the current streak have come at the expense of Mesquite, including two in district play.

Jones, averaging a team-best 14.3 points a game, led DeSoto with 15 points. Owens, second on the season for the Lady Eagles with a 10.4 average, had 13.

Jones is ranked No. 14 nationally in the Class of 2012 by ESPNU Hoop Gurlz and No. 3 among point guards.

Mesquite’s Briana Caro led all scorers with 26 points, including eight 3-pointers.

The Lady Eagles have gotten solid play from 6-foot senior Summer Melontree, the team’s leading rebounder, and 6-foot junior forward Camesha Davis.

American Airlines Center will host an all-day boys basketball playoff extravaganza Saturday, with four area-round games on the schedule.

Of the eight teams who will be in action, five were ranked in ESPN Dallas' final 4A and 5A area top 10s. Here are the matchups:

• 1 p.m.: 4A No. 2 South Oak Cliff vs. McKinney
• 3 p.m.: 5A No. 5 DeSoto vs. Rowlett
• 5 p.m.: 4A No. 8 Arlington Seguin vs. Fort Worth Arlington Heights
• 7 p.m.: 5A No. 2 South Grand Prairie vs. No. 8 Plano West

Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster for $25 courtside, $15 lower level and $10 upper level. Parking will be available in all American Airlines Center parking lots for $10.

Just a little over a month after bidding farewell to Claude Mathis, the DeSoto ISD school board welcomed his return as football coach at DeSoto High School.

The board passed by a 5-0 vote to accept a rescission of Mathis’ resignation Saturday morning.

Mathis resigned to become running backs coach at the University of Houston in early January. He had a change of heart and spoke to DeSoto officials about a return a little over a week ago.

DeSoto ISD interim superintendent Levatta Levels said at Monday’s regular school board meeting it was her recommendation to halt the hiring process for a new coach, but the board stopped short of a rescission for the 37-year-old Mathis at that time. After meeting in closed session for 30 minutes on the matter, a board member proposed a wait until its next regular meeting Feb. 27 before taking action.

Saturday’s special meeting speeded up that process.

Mathis, 36-14 in four seasons at DeSoto, said the timing was wrong for the career-changing decision that he was forced to make in haste. Family, he said, has to be put first.

He added a college coaching position remains a career goal.

The DeSoto ISD received over 70 applications in a search to replace Mathis and was in the process of screening those last week.

DeSOTO, Texas -- The DeSoto ISD school board tabled action Monday on Claude Mathis' return as head football coach until the next school board meeting Feb. 27.

The request for a two-week delay came from board member Donald Gant following a half-hour executive session.

With Mathis in the audience, DeSoto interim superintendent Levatta Levels said it was her recommendation that the hiring process for a new coach be halted and that Mathis’ appeal to return be accepted. She praised the coach for his contributions to the school district.

“The DeSoto ISD Board has always treated me great and made the correct decisions and I trust them,’’ said Mathis, who guided the Eagles to the playoffs in each of his four seasons, going 36-14. DeSoto was 10-2 in 2011 and lost to Dallas Skyline in the area round of the playoffs.

Mathis left DeSoto High School last month to take an assistant coaching job with the University of Houston. Houston announced Saturday that Mathis was leaving the Cougars less than a month after he was hired to be their running backs coach.

Mathis said he didn’t consider his decision to accept the Houston job a “mistake’’ and that he still wants to someday coach at the college level.

“The timing was wrong,’’ Mathis said. “It wasn’t the right time. The problem was I had just 24 hours to think about it. That’s how fast it happened.’’

Late last week, he said he weighed the pros and cons and made another difficult decision, to leave Houston.

“You’ve got to think about family, you have to put them first,’’ Mathis said.

“I couldn’t have been treated any better by Houston and coach [Tony] Levine.’’

DeSoto ISD had been in the middle of its search to replace Mathis. Applications were accepted until Feb. 3. At the time, DeSoto athletic director Pam DeBorde said the district had received over 70 applications.