SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — It may not have been the outcome the Randall Raiders were looking for against Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy, on Friday at the Alamodome, but the Raiders boys basketball team still made program history.

The Raiders lost their 4A State Semifinal game against Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy, 47-67.
However, the ride to that point for the Raiders was nothing but spectacular.

Randall, coached by Leslie Broadhurst, before Friday had never reached the State Tournament. The school opened it’s doors in 1988, and the man with a whistle hanging from his neck walking the gym sideline back then was…and still is Broadhurst.

That’s right, this state run was 35 years in the making for coach, Broadhurst and the Randall Raiders. In his time with Randall, Broadhurst had come close to the big tournament more than a few times.

In Broadhurst’s time at Randall, he had taken eight teams to the Regional Tournament, and none were able to break through, until this year.

The 2022-2023 Raiders, had a remarkable season, but even with a 28-9 overall record and 12-2 district record they still finished second in their district. That being due to their rivals, Canyon.

The Canyon Eagles seemed to have the Raiders number each time they met in the regular season, downing the Raiders in their first game 59-50. Before, then dismantling them, 62-47 in a game that saw the Eagles jump up to 19-0 start.

However, they Raiders would have their revenge. The Raiders met the Eagles for a third and final matchup in the 4A Regional tournament in a game that would send the winner to the state Tournament, the Regional Final.

The Raiders in that regional final looked like a team that had finally figured it all out. They were already good, but now it seemed as if things were firing on all cylinders.

Randall would open the game on a 7-0 run, and before you know it they were up 16-9, and that was before they burst to 24-4 total run that stretched into the second quarter going up 33-13, before taking a 35-17 lead into halftime. and the rest was history.

Randall went on to win that game, 58-44 and advance to it’s first ever state Tournament, and while the journey ended in the State Semifinal it certainly is one that will be hard to forget about, and something Coach Broadhurst and his team can carry with them forever.