Tivy and Waxahachie are set for a 4 p.m. Saturday showdown in the girls Class 4A state championship game at the Frank Erwin Center after posting semifinal victories Thursday night. For both schools, it's a shot at winning a first-ever state championship.

The Lady Antlers and Waxahachie are both playing in their second state tournament. The 2003-04 Tivy girls lost to Plainview in the semifinals in the school's initial appearance, while Waxahachie fell to Panhandle power Canyon 74-54 in the 2000 Class 4A title game in its first trip to Austin.

With the motivating factor being the same come 4 p.m. Saturday — two teams in quest of their first-ever title — the determining elements become what happens on the floor. For the 31-4 Lady Antlers, that starts with defense.

Having averaged 42 points allowed in its playoff run victories over Cedar Park Vista Ridge, Marble Falls, Beeville Jones and Pflugerville Connally, Tivy found a way to turn up its defensive intensity another notch Thursday. The Lady Antlers clamped down on Lumberton in impressive fashion, limiting the Lady Raiders to single-digit scoring in all four quarters of their 49-33 semifinal victory.

Tivy followed its season-long script to perfection Thursday, forcing 21 turnovers, led by senior Natalie Thomas' seven thefts. Kayla Norris, Bryla Renfro and Chandler Collins — the four remaining Lady Antlers from the 2004 state team — combined for nine more steals in the stifling effort on Lumberton, which also saw Tivy control the boards by a 30-22 margin.

Now the defensive focus shifts to the Lady Indians, who rallied in the final 3:29 of play to upset defending state champion and 37-1 Fort Worth Dunbar Thursday night.

Waxahachie (31-6) downed a Dallas Lincoln team seeking a sixth-straight trip to Austin in the Region II finals, proving its battle-readiness. The Lady Indians feature a sizable inside game in sisters Niqky (6-foot) and Destini Hughes (5-10), and 6-foot forward Laura Lewis. Center Kelsey Benford, the sixth player and only reserve to see action Thursday night, checks in at 6-foot as well.

Don't be surprised to see Waxahachie pack that height in on the 6-2 Thomas, who as a four-year starter for the Lady Antlers will finish her illustrious Tivy career by playing for a state title.

As Tivy has shown all season, however, there's more to its game than going through Thomas. Juniors Nikki Kordzik and Adelaide Collins showed well in their first state game Thursday, combining to go 4-of-8 from the field and 6-of-10 from the free throw line for 15 points.

Kordzik has been especially effective from the outside the last three playoff games, hitting two 3-pointers and one long jumper in each contest. The Lady Antlers' unselfish passing will help set up Chandler Collins and Norris inside as well, and create outside opportunities for Renfro, Adelaide Collins and Kordzik.

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