Duncanville Star Basketball Star Looks To Future As Texas Top Team Misses Playoffs With Coach Violation

DUNCANVILLE, Texas. Kailynn Kemp’s basketball season ended abruptly on Tuesday night, and no one seems to know why.

The game was canceled due to a new district investigation into her coach, which has already been put on hold.

The 16-year-old star plays quarterback for the Duncanville women’s basketball team, a team made up of all-stars ranked #1 in Texas and #11 nationally.

However, this team will not be in contention for the state championship next week when the playoffs begin.

“Whoever wins the state, know they didn’t get to us. If they did, they probably wouldn’t have gone that far,” Kemp said. “No one in Texas can beat us.”

In October 2022, the team was banned from the playoffs. The program was placed on a three-year probation after UIL officials suspended head coach LaGianna Howard for breaking the rules.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “tryouts were arranged for Duncanville students not yet on the team” about two months before training could take place. DISD is an open enrollment. The team also posted information about the samples to Star-Telegram on social media.

The team had to forfeit its final regular season game against the Skyline Tuesday night after the county announced it was investigating whether Howard violated her suspension and county guidelines.

Howard and the coaching staff are currently on paid leave pending an investigation. No other information was provided to parents or players.

Unlike Kemp, a sophomore, the seniors squandered their chance to give it their all.

The team finished 26-5 overall and 13-1 in their district, winning the district championship over DeSoto.

“I’m speechless when I think about it,” said Kemp’s mother, Crystal Blackmon.

“All these girls are family. They are sisters. I just hate that they were denied the opportunity to be better than people already know.”

Kemp is growing rapidly and will no doubt play college basketball. WFAA introduced her when she was 10 years old, she trained tirelessly after placing 4th in the country in her age group.

She hopes to be in the WNBA someday.

“Basketball is very important to me; it’s what I’ve always wanted to do when I’m older,” Kemp said.

“These practices are getting longer, harder, faster and faster.”

Kemp told the WFAA that what happened to the team this season is beyond her control, but her mother believes the girls should not be penalized.

“We hear a lot of people all the time saying, ‘It’s all about the kids. Is it true? Well, that’s the way it should be,” Blackmon said. “Ego and politics got in the way. I hate that it’s gotten to this point because it wasn’t meant to be.”

When it comes to her future, Kemp’s biggest recruiting year will be next season when she is a junior.

That’s all she’s focused on and says this season’s playoff “banishment” only adds fuel to her drive.

“It gives me fuel. My teammates and I feel like all of this will get us going next season,” Kemp said.

“We must make a statement, and a statement will be made. I just want everyone to be ready for it.”