Wolves advance to state final four with win over Burkburnett

The dream season for the West Plains Wolves keeps rolling, and now officially within reach of the biggest stage in Texas high school basketball.

On Friday night, the Wolves proved they belong among the state’s elite. After a tightly contested first half in the Region I-4A Division I final, West Plains slammed the door on Burkburnett Bulldogs with a dominant second half to secure a 63-40 victory. The win pushes the Wolves to an impressive 31-4 record and sends the fourth-year program to the state semifinals for the first time in school history.

Standing between West Plains and a trip to the championship game is defending state champion Dallas Kimball Knights. The teams will meet Tuesday night at Wichita Falls Legacy High School with a shot at the state title game on the line.

What separated the Wolves from Burkburnett wasn’t flashy offense or a barrage of three-pointers. It was defense — relentless, physical, disciplined defense that has become the identity of this West Plains team.

The first half played out like a classic playoff battle. Neither team could build much separation as both defenses forced tough shots and contested nearly every possession. West Plains led 12-9 after the first quarter and carried a slim 25-23 advantage into halftime.

Senior guard Reid Macon helped steady the Wolves early, scoring six first-quarter points and setting the tone offensively. The four-year football quarterback has been through plenty of big moments, and that experience showed as he finished with a game-high 20 points.

Inside the paint, Ethan Gilliam established himself as a constant problem for the Bulldogs. Gilliam scored 12 points in the first half and finished the night with 17, repeatedly converting strong post moves and capitalizing when Burkburnett’s defense collapsed.

But the turning point came after halftime.

Burkburnett briefly threatened early in the third quarter, using outside shooting to grab momentum. That momentum didn’t last long. West Plains tightened its defensive pressure and began forcing uncomfortable possessions, rushed shots and empty trips.

The Bulldogs, who had knocked down five three-pointers in the first half, suddenly went ice cold from beyond the arc. The Wolves’ length and physicality made every look difficult.

Meanwhile, the West Plains offense found its rhythm.

Bench spark Nikko Larra delivered one of the biggest sequences of the night late in the third quarter. Larra drilled back-to-back three-pointers that pushed the Wolves’ lead to 47-32 and completely shifted the energy in the building.

From there, West Plains never looked back.

The Wolves continued to grind defensively, limiting Burkburnett’s scoring options and controlling the tempo. By the fourth quarter, the outcome felt inevitable. Burkburnett struggled to generate offense, with only one player scoring in the final period as the Wolves methodically closed out the win.

Kaden Hooker chipped in 10 points for West Plains, helping provide balance to an offense that didn’t rely heavily on the three-point shot but instead focused on efficiency, spacing and getting to the free-throw line.

Now the Wolves stand just two wins away from a state championship — an incredible milestone for such a young program.

What’s even more impressive is how familiar many of these players are with big-game pressure. Several key contributors, including Macon, Hooker and Boston Ladd, also played major roles in West Plains’ football run to the state semifinals. That experience has helped create a confident, disciplined group that thrives in postseason moments.

And the journey isn’t over yet.

History is already within reach for West Plains. But with a trip to the state championship game on the line Tuesday night, the Wolves are chasing something even bigger.