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WEB EXCLUSIVE: The Return: Randle's comeback fuels Prestonwood's latest state title run
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@starlocalnews.com
MANSFIELD -- The night of Feb. 15 was as welcome a sight as any for the Prestonwood Christian Academy boys basketball team.
In front of a standing room-only crowd for the team's home finale against Bishop Lynch, the Lions not only paid tribute for the program's Senior Night, but welcomed back one of the nation's most highly-touted seniors: forward Julius Randle.
It took just 15 minutes for Randle, who had been sidelined by a foot injury since Nov. 25 in the Lions' second game of the season, to remind the Prestonwood faithful of what they had missed the previous three months.
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"[Randle] came into practice right away and his energy was just crazy," said Marquan Botley, Prestonwood senior. "He was ready to go and everyone fed off that energy. Him coming back really motivated us to step up to his level."
Just seeing Randle on the court was a revelation for the Lions.
Mayberry said he previously thought Randle's injury could prove severe enough to end his season and a number of media outlets reported as such.
Randle, the nation's No. 2 recruit according to Rivals, faced the dilemma of whether he'd be best suited to come back at all.
As it turns out, the decision wasn't that tough.
"If I knew I could get out there and play, I was going to do that," Randle said. "I didn't want to end my high school career like that. I felt like I owed it to my team, so I just wanted to come back and fight hard with them."
Randle's senior year had previously been reduced to sitting on the bench and watching his teammates -- a squad clad in underclassmen and varsity newcomers outside of Botley and senior Chas Taylor -- putter through a national non-district schedule and trudge through TAPPS I-5A play to a sub-.500 record.
The moment Randle set foot back on the court, it reintroduced Prestonwood as a favorite to repeat as TAPPS 5A Champions -- 5-7 district record or no.
That reality hit the rest of the state square across the jaw during the postseason.
The Lions, who entered the playoffs with an 11-18 record, toppled Houston St. Thomas (67-56) and Lynch (86-57) to arrive back in Mansfield for the TAPPS State Tournament for the fifth consecutive year.
It was there that Randle assured his comeback wouldn't be for naught.
Randle averaged 37 points and 17.5 rebounds in Prestonwood's two biggest games of the season. The forward began by dropping in 40 points Friday in the state semis, converting 18 field goals to power Prestonwood past a John Paul II squad that recorded 16 makes as a team. The following day, Randle scored 21 of his game-high 34 points in the fourth quarter and overtime of the Lions' state championship win over Fort Worth Nolan. He accounted for 21 of Prestonwood's final 26 points, including a pressure-packed 9-of-10 makes from the free throw line down the stretch.
"Julius is a really high-character kid," said Chris Mayberry, Prestonwood head coach. "He stayed patient all year and God gave him the opportunity to come back at the end. I'm really proud of him for doing that."
Like the Lions would have anticipated any less.
During his first three years with the program, Randle helped the Lions amass an 87-12 record, three district titles and two state championships. With the 6-foot-9 forward in tow this season, Prestonwood went 6-0 and added a third TAPPS State Title to the trophy case.
All in all, a fitting end to one of the Lions' most prolific athletics careers.
"Looking at my game and how I've grown as a person, it's day and night from when I first started playing at Prestonwood my freshman year," Randle said. "I couldn't ask for a better school or better friends.
"It's been amazing."
For continued news and coverage on the local sports scene, follow @MWelchSCN on Twitter.
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