Gauntlet time plan prepared Denton Guyer for the historical first trip to the 6A-II-State semi-final

The basketball team of Denton Guyers Boys Basketball in the first round of playoffs lost last season, but coach Grant Long knew that this year would be different.

Jordan Lowery, who played his newcomer and played with Guyer in the second year, returned to school after his junior season with Winston Salem Christian, a preparatory school in North Carolina.

Lowery, a commit from UT-Arlington, is rated by 247sports in the 2025 class as a 32nd Best Point Guard. He heads the team this season in the classification (16.1), assists (3.6) and steals (1.9).

The big season of the Senior Point Guard for Guyer (32-7), which was classified in 11th place in the state, helped the team for the first time to reach the semi-finals of class 6a Division II. Guyer will play the Woodlands College Park on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Waco Midway.

Guyer is the first team of Denton ISD Boys that has been made to the state semi -finals since Denton Ryan in 2012, and it would be the first to win a state championship title since Ryan.

The team's deepest playoff run was in 2019 when he lost to Duncanville in the regional final.

Long said Lowery changed from Guyer to watch more college offers, but decided to be back to be with his friends for his senior season.

“We somehow knew that he wanted to come back and he is a winner where he goes,” said Long. “And it was a breeze, all of our children wanted him to come back. He goes away from winning and gets along with everyone. “

In his first exercise with the team, Lowery made a lot of shots and Long said that his influence was immediately felt as one of the loud leaders of the team.

“It somehow felt like he had never left, but it was like” Oh my god, this child is really good “moment,” said Long.

Even when Lowery returned, Guyer started the 6: 3 season with losses against the municipality of Episcopal, Allen and Fort Bend Marshall. But for a long time helped build a hard non-distribution plan to prepare the team for a deep playoff run.

His bet in his team helped him win a 5-6a championship of the district and reach the state semi-finals by defeating teams in three out of four games for over 14 points. Guyer has a winning streak with nine games and scored 64 or more points in three of his last four games.

Silas Rodriguez, who scored an average of 15.7 points per game at 43%, said that the losses in the previous season were a turning point for the team.

“When we went to Houston to the McDonald's tournament, we had a hard game for hard game and then we really found that we were made for it,” said Rodriguez. “And we didn't withdraw a game.”

Rodriguez is an average of 2.4 3 points per game and makes 41% of his shots behind the bow. His 3-point shooting of the elite has contributed to spreading the team's great men.

Long said the team is based on the defense to win games. They enable an average of 60 points and allow 49.6 points per game.

DJ Neal and Tyler are both on average below seven points per game, but their effects can be felt on defense.

Neal, which is an average of 6.0 points per game, is the team's top defender. It protects the best player of each team and is an average of 1.2 steals per game.

I would like [his defense] It's contagious because he takes his job so seriously and it only helps the rest of us to join in, “said Rodriguez.

Copes, a GRINEL COMMIT, is an average of 6.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and one block per game. The 6-9 center helps to anchor Guyer's defense and to be a scorer in the color.

“Tyler played a lot more compared to last year and I really have the feeling that he rose,” said Rodriguez. “He has a great year. We are happy and it's great to have another man he can count on. “

If Lowery and Rodriguez are twice together or fight the field, Guyer can lean on Mason White. The 6: 1 senior Guard scored 18 points in the 64:43 win of Guyer against Wolfforth Frenship in the area of ​​division II of class 6a region I.

“The connection of this team and the toughness they bring is something special,” said Long. “I believe that this team is one of the most difficult teams in the state. And we hang our hat on these defense trips. “

Further high school sports reporting can be found in the Dallas Morning News here.

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