School started with a band instead of books at DeSoto High School on Thursday, as the Basketball Lady Eagles were sent off the to state tournament with a pep rally.
"To know we have the whole city behind us supporting us, it means a lot," senior Ayanna Thompson said. "So we really lock in to do what we have to do for our people."
The team is ranked first in the state of Texas and a favorite to win. The team is dubbing this the 'Legacy Tour'. Last year the Lady Eagles took home the state championship title. This year they are hoping for a repeat performance.
"It just motivates us to know that we've done it before," Thompson said. "We can do it again."
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For the seven senior players, the 'Legacy Tour' has been years in the making. They grew up playing basketball together.
"Kids that you've played with since you were so little, in middle school, that now you're playing with them in high school," senior Sa'Myah Smith said. "It's pretty great!"
"They're a fun team," Lady Eagles Basketball Coach Andrea Robinson said. "They're understanding how that when you get this opportunity, which is really hard, that you seize it and you take care of what you need to take care of."
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All seven graduating seniors have plans to go on to play Division I college basketball.
"It's very exciting to know we're all going our different ways. We're all going to D-1 schools," Thompson said. "We're all going to make our own story after DeSoto."
The Girls Basketball State Tournament is at the Alamodome. The Lady Eagles play their semi-final game against San Antonio's Northside Clark High School on Friday at 8:30 p.m.
