In the first broadcast of the basketball season, two state powers go head-to-head in district play
PLANO, Texas — As we turn the calendar to 2025 and put the football season in the rearview, it’s time to turn our attention to the local hardwood.
And what better way to start our basketball broadcast season than with the team coming off a historic state championship campaign in 2024.
Defending 6A state champion Plano East, who finished off an iconic 40-0 season last spring, plays host to the Allen Eagles on Friday night. You can watch the game live on our streaming platform WFAA+, which is available on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. You can also watch the game right here on WFAA.com, or our WFAA YouTube channel.
Allen comes in as the #2 ranked team in the state in 6A, according to the official TABC Poll. The Eagles are 19-1 on the year, and 5-0 in District 9-6A. They’ve had a remarkable start to the season that has landed them in several national rankings, including the MaxPreps rankings which place them #13 in the country.
Plano East is ranked 10th in the state, and 16-3 on the year. The Panthers are 4-1 in District 9-6A, with their lone loss coming in a narrow 57-55 defeat at the hands of fellow state-ranked team Prosper.
Allen is led by Antoine Shannon, DeAndre Thomas, and Trent Pane, who all score in double-figures for the Eagles. Shannon’s twin brother Antonio is also an impact player for the Eagles.
Plano East big man DJ Hall leads the way for the Panthers, averaging 17.3 points per game on the year. The senior standout was a key facet of East’s championship team and is back to run the show this season. Izan Qazi also scores in double-figures for the Panthers.
WFAA’s Friday Night Hoops pregame show will begin at approximately 6:50 p.m. CT, with the tip to follow at 7:00 p.m. Join Mike Leslie and Hek’ma Harrison on the call for our inaugural basketball broadcast of 2025.