The No. 1-ranked Zwolle Hawks aim for the school’s 16th boys’ basketball state championship when they face second-seeded Anacoco Friday at 8 p.m. in Lake Charles at Burton Coliseum.
The Hawks (33-2) won their semifinal game in double overtime, 81-72 over Gibsland-Coleman Monday evening. Anacoco (37-5) beat Fairview 63-49 in the other semifinal.
Monday night, Kenneth Montgomery hit an 18-foot jumper at the buzzer for Zwolle to force overtime. In the waning seconds of the first overtime, Alex Williams drained a 3-pointer to tie the game and push it to a second OT period. The Hawks took control down the stretch.
The Hawks are shooting for their first state title since 2017 and the seventh this century, also winning it in 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007 and 2006.
Zwolle lost in the state finals last year, and five more times this century: 2019, 2018, 2016, 2008 and 2002.
The Hawks opened the 2023 playoffs with an 86-61 second-round romp over Quitman, then topped Choudrant 58-46 in the quarterfinals.
Anacoco has won two of the three meetings this season with Zwolle, with all three coming down to the wire.
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