Friday, August 31, 2012

Region 1 plot thickens behind 2014 players

Terriel Bradley

Cedar Hill and Duncanville might be the front runners however don't count some others out just yet, read more

San Antonio's talent still shining



Hoyas Amalya Lewinson #20



San Antonio Finest head coach and director Ray Caldwell tweeted "Its hard to believe that the most heralded class in SA history are college juniors. The 2010 class was a special group of Ballers." 


Like that E.F. Hutton commercial, well never mind, but when he speaks I listen, tweeting counts  also and the abundance of talented players hasn't stopped, not only from his program which has double digit D1 prospects, including his daughter Recee who is a Top 100 nationally ranked player, I told you first, not to mention DFW T-Jack's Mackenzie Calvert, also Top 100 who committed to Baylor before she put on her high school uniform, but other programs as well such as the Rohawks and South Texas Hoyas.

The Hoyas have come out of nowhere and provided me several entertaining players I hadn't seen over the years and they will be back at the BigTyme Fall Finish to provide me even more, stay tuned

Texas 2014 coming up real soon

Troi Swain, Ann Nwosah, Ketara Chapel

Several young ladies helped themselves from the 2014 Texas class this summer, Texas Preps Elite's Ann Nwosah, sandwiched between Austin Elite's Troi Swain and Ketara Chapel, was one and Swain was another but let me sort of go out a limb here. Wait,  I did that a couple of years ago when I called 2014 a monster class that could possibly surpass 2012, which I said would mirror 2005, well never mind all of that. The 2014 class will be huge, I mean HUGE and the front page will be changing soon, story coming up after these messages :)

Arkansas absolutely awesome


As I became deep into this evaluation stuff, I started to try and venture out a little farther than my comfort zone here in Texas so instead of just going to events and watching local and state talent, I expanded my views and thoughts. This was many years ago, my own daughter was just entering high school but when you open your mind it's amazing what you can see, even if it's already been there in front of you

Over the past few seasons, I've really had a chance to focus on teams and players from other states and let me tell you there are players everywhere which is why I've always told parents who just attend their daughters games in their specific districts and come back with various thoughts and views on players who are "the real deal", my suggestion has usually been "you need to get out more"

That may sound rude however you can't give honest assessments if you don't know and to truly know you have to be able to do certain things like go out, observe and comprehend what you observed. Sometimes those things are not done but if you only remember one thing, please remember this "it's not what you do, it's who you do it against"

With that being said I always knew Arkansas had talent and when New Life took T-Jack to the wire last year behind Erin Peoples and Taylor Lewis, well they didn't win but they competed against the best club team around and the last quote in the previous paragraph says it all.

This season 2013 players Jessica Jackson and Roshunda Johnson were consensus Top 100 picks and will do very well wherever they choose to play at the next level but it isn't over for their state which is still loaded with talent as I had a chance to witness first hand for myself at both the Big State Flava Jam and Basketball on the Bayou the abundance of talented players remaining from the Razorback State like Jordan Danberry, Olivia McWilliams and Kianna Speight to name a few from Arkansas Mavericks 2014 or 2013 Arnisha Johnson from AM-Love, not to mention many up and comers at Prime Time Nationals

Guess what, Arkansas will be represented at the Big Tyme Fall Finish September 29-30, the Mavericks are returning with their 2014 and 2016 teams along with the Arkansas Lady Hawks just to name a couple of squads I remember off hand. I'm expecting to see even more talented players from not only Arkansas but some other states as well, more to come on that. Don't forget GPR is the official media partner and to hop on that early bird special, click on the link below, deadline is September 14th

Big Tyme Fall Finish

College coaches don't forget about your GPR discount

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Healthy Rodriguez good news for La Porte


Expect for La Porte to make some noise in district this season since Elise Rodriguez will be at full force. As a middle schooler, I saw the next level potential in the young lady who has matured and continued to blossom over the past two seasons. Even at less that 100%  over the summer, Rodriguez showed heart while guiding her club team to an impressive finish, including winning the whole thing in Las Vegas

How far will La Porte will go not only depends on Rodriguez but she's the point and a mighty good one who is definitely one of the 2014 players that's "UTR"

Hoops Rodriguez

GPR Official Media Partner for Big Tyme Fall Finish



In less than one month, I'll be covering the Big Tyme Fall Finish hosted by DFW Elite and one thing is certainly for sure, I won't get a lot of sleep because the talent will be there and that will have my adrenaline flowing. Back track to last seasons write-ups from the event

FALL FINISH

This year you can expect more, much more because these youngsters coming u;p are bringing it "old school"

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Big Tyme Fall Finish Early Bird Special


Don't look back and say you didn't make it to the Big Tyme Fall Finish just because. Not only will it be loaded with two things you want, talented players to go up against and college coaches to look at you. To top that off, I am the official media partner which means this event is GPR CERTIFIED so expect to get EXPOSURE!!!!!

Take advantage of the early bird special by clicking link below

BIG TYME FALL FINISH

Mustangs magic not gone yet

KAYLA MACK

Last season I told you that 2015 Adriiana Jackson was going to step right into the starting line-up at point guard. Not only did she do just that, but the young lady handled the pressure at the most important position in basketball and she did against some of the top players from across the country. Yes she had the luxury of playing with one of the top players in the country, Courtney Williams and another who was one of the tops in the state, Mo Bedford, but she got the job done. Now Williams and Bedford have moved on and just like when Lauren Flores left as well as those before her, it doesn't matter because North Shore will be hungry and with the talented youth coming up, well who knows


LOGAN CARGER

Two of those younger players will pay dividends almost immediately from the 2015 class, Kayla Mack and Logan Carger. Carger is simply an athlete, a multi-sport player who is one of the top volleyball players around, I know nothing about volleyball although several people who do know have told me this. Mack stepped into the starting line-up after Bedford went down with a knee injury and although she was sometimes the fourth or fifth option, that valuable time she did spend on the floor trickled down to the summer where her game has expanded into next level status. Throw that in with Jaylann Robinson who can light it up from bta, not to mention another player I haven't seen, wait, don't let me forget about those PHENOMS, anyway, fall leagues are not far away, neither are the Mustangs.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Hot news coming


Prime Time Nationals gave me a chance to get some better looks at certain players and my 2014, 2015 and 2016 lists for Texas lists have been changed or in the process of changing right before my very eyes. Several players jumped on the list, many moved among the early leaders of the pack however before it's all said and done, each of those classes have the potential to produce double digit Top 100 players and remember what I told you, just because you are not listed on someones Top 100 list doesn't mean you aren't. One of those players landed big, that story coming up in 60 seconds

2014 Alabama Twisters growing up fast


Hard work is what it's all about and one thing I can say about the Alabama Twisters is their players have always put in the work. I had a chance to talk with head coach Teresa Tanner about her kids and she said the were coming along nicely, well that's somewhat of an understatement as the young ladies played up some of July and for a 2014 to go out, compete and have some success doing that, well that's something to be build from. This talented group of players have many next level players in what is turning out to be a bonanza of talent for the 2014 class across the board nationwide. Some of the players that stood out are Ciera Smith, Takyla Blackburn, Eulacia Edwards, Katelyn Kostelc, Valencia Johnson and Aaliyah Holmes. I'm looking forward to seeing them in the not so distant future


Monday, August 27, 2012

Dillingham ready to deliver at next level


Dominique Dillingham is known by a few names like Double D and D square but her initials as far as I'm concerned have always stood for something else and that's determined and driven. She falls into several categories, like another 10 year old I've watched grow up before my eyes and go on to play at the next level, her next stop will be Mississippi State.

I asked her mother Barbara about Dominique's decision and she said "After visiting this past weekend Dominique felt that Mississippi State was the right fit for her and the way she plays. She looks forward to playing at the next level with a great group of coaches and being pushed to excel on the basketball court as well as the classroom. She appreciates the programs that recruited her and the people that have supported her."

The Klein Collins star has always been underrated and under the radar however pound for pound and inch for inch, she is definitely one of the toughest young ladies to come out of the area that could also play

Hayden has road trips planned


Brianna Hayden is one of those players you just knew that would evolve into a something special on the court. Having a superstar sister probably added fuel to the fire but then again maybe not as this kid never settled, worked on weaknesses and now has become a hot commodity on the circuit being on the short list of many top schools.

I got word from her dad that four road trips have been scheduled. She'll be heading to Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Florida State for official visits, the fifth school is yet to be determined.

Big Tyme Fall Finish Showcase September 29th-30th



I remember last season when I went to the Big Tyme Fall Finish Showcase, formerly DFW Fall Finish, I was talking with my good friends, DFW Elite coaches Daryl Horton and Irving Butler, about this kid doing some amazing things at the camp and they both replied, that's Tana Driver, she can go.

Well go she did as in what she did on the floor and where she stands in her class, like going up the ladder, this young lady was a pleasant surprise. I also had a chance to see a couple of Top 100 can't miss players from San Antonio, Amber Ramirez and Desiree Caldwell not to mention countless other next level players from not only Texas, but the surrounding states as well

Needless to say, I'll be back again in full force and here is the link to register

BigTyme Fall Finish

GPR Subscribers please contact me for additional info

Colson and White one more time



Tyra White was a junior playing for a Kansas City team when I first saw her at Basketball on the Bayou and I was impressed by the many ways she could put that ball in the basket. She and Sydney Colson both put on quite an offensive exhibition and in fact became friends afterwards. This is where it started however the similarities between their careers have been, well .... Tyra White initially signed to play at LSU while LSU was one of the finalists for Colson who signed with A&M. White decided to attend A&M and was granted a release however she tore her ACL during her freshman season, Colson shortly after. Colson got a lot of her assists by getting the ball to White throughout her career and they combined on two of the biggest baskets in Texas A&M's championship season, well their WBB history, first against Stanford and then Notre Dame. The duo will reunite in Poland in a few weeks to play together one more time

Texas State Lands Top Prospects

Carrie Kirchner

The Texas State Bobcats put on one of the best offensive performances I saw at last seasons Southland Conference Tournament and made great strides during head coach Zenarae Antoine's first season. This year the Bobcats will be playing in the WAC however I will still be able to see them at least two times as they come to town to play the University of Houston and Houston Baptist and as they prepare for a different look with some exciting freshmen coming in, they also received commitments from a couple of outstanding players from the 2013 class. One is a GPR Texas Top 100 player, 6'4 Carrie Kirchner from Rouse High School in Leander while the other, 6'0 forward Correy Moyer, is one of the top prospects from Oklahoma

Correy Moyer

Friday, August 24, 2012

DFW Elite players have trips scheduled

Claire Metoyer

Technical issues have me behind schedule so I'll be playing catch-up over the next few days.

DFW Elite Marques Jackson


Claire Metoyer, point guard who attends Canterbury Episcopal has some official visits scheduled to Texas State and Seattle

Wilma Afungo, forward who attends Plano High School has trips scheduled to McNeese State and Seattle University

DFW T-Jack

Roshunda Johnson, Top 100 point guard from Little Rock and attends Little Rock Parkview has Florida State, Arkansas and Oklahoma State scheduled

2015 Higgs makes early decision


In what seems like an eternity ago, I recall speaking with former DFW-Washington Coach George Washington about a middle school phenom from the Bahamas that was heading to Houston that was unbelievable. The first time I saw her play, she had arrived from the airport less than an hour earlier to participate in a camp, and although she was dominant, the signs were there.

The signs were in full view during the club season last year as she showed that she was one of, if not the best player on the floor each time she stepped on it and this translated to just saying she's a Top 100 player isn't enough.

Earlier today and 10 years to day Nekia Jones, Higgs teammate from TexasPreps Elite, made her announcement she would be atttending the University of Texas, Higgs follows suit according to Texas Preps Elite head coach Ben Perkins.

Higgs will make her presence known for the Longhorns as soon as she steps on the floor, of course that's a few years away. Ironically I did a story on Tuesday about another player who was an unknown star , Carla Cortigo from Puerto Rico, and took the city by storm before heading to Texas as well.

Higgs has a legitimate shot at being a MDAA among other things before she suits up in Austin and the amazing part about the picture is she's actuially the one that's usually the blur on the floor

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Shockers Piles em up

Rachel Piles

Sometimes things just fall into place and after seeing the North Texas Shockers 2013 National team multiple times during the summer, they have players galore from top to bottom. After taking notes throughout July, it's interesting that this young lady., Rachel Piles, last name gave me the perfect title. Piles is an exceptional player and at 6'3, a hot commodity however the thing that probably impressed e even more was something that sometimes appears to be a lost art for posts and that was the fact that she ran the floor every time, sometimes beating everyone down after igniting the fast break.

Kindell Texada


I wrote one word down for Kindell Texada, beasting. Well it's not actually a word however if you've ever watched the TNT show Perception, you'll understand two things. I have my own way of  doing things in evaluating talent and I'm usually right and this young lady showed she could dominate when she had to,

Caldwell sisters remix of Sister Act 2


I've seen some really good sister acts from Texas like Stephanie and Brianna Gilbreath and I've seen one really great one from Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike. All were over 6'2. all were MDAA's and all played together not only in high school but also in college.

The next potential great sister act might come from Recee and Desiree Caldwell but other than being sisters with a chance to both be named MDAA, the similarities I mentioned from the above group end there.

First of all, I don't think either one will be 6'2 nor play together in high school or college but nevertheless they could become another set of sisters to do big things from Texas, one of which I already called was Top 100 after watching Desiree play last year, read more

Recee was a can't miss the moment I saw her play however I sort of expected her to be really good after meeting her and her dad after an A&M game years ago. Recee had a certain swagger about herself and seemed more mature than her years, while also analyzing certain things about the game she just watched better than a lot of adults who have parents believing they are basketball geniuses right now

Desiree was a different story, she seemed shy and sweet and at times a little timid until I found out she was a 2018. I still saw those same characteristics last season, that is until she stepped on the court and the only analogy I think would fit would be comparing this innocent young lady to a "silent assassin" ready to show the big girls "I am not scared of you"

Recee is a MDAA lock, no debate there please . I haven't seen everyone in Desiree's class but I know she's Top 100 caliber and after watching several of the so called top players from her class this summer, like the Jeffersons, "she's moving on up"

Oh yeah, all the acts are better than Whoopi's sequel!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Blast from the past Tuesday


Before Top 100 AJ Alix almost took Bellaire to state, dominating from the position the game starts at there was another player who back in 2003 turned that program completely around. Sure they had made the playoffs four or five years in a row but it was usually one and done but with this young lady arrived from Puerto Rico named Carla Cortigo, all bets were off as the Cardinals became a majot player in area basketball and haven't looked back since

Carla took the city and fans by storm and later starred at Texas

I guess Hegwood was right, I have over 10,000 pics with stories, wait multiple stories on most of them that just pop in my head

2015 Lambert doesn't wait it out


The first time I saw Kyra Lambert was at the Ganon Baker camp held in College Station a few years ago and Ray Caldwell, didn't I just mention him yesterday, told me about a middle school player I had to see. Needless to say, I've kept my eyes on this young lady who was ahead of the game even back then and her work ethic has kept her there. Playing with Sophia Young Elite this season, I saw Lambert go against some of the top players in the country who were two to three years and her poise showed me she probably could put in some productive minutes at the next level right now. No matter how poised she is now, she will be ready for prime time after committing to Texas A&M a couple of weeks ago.

Temple Star Jones rides high in GPR Texas 100





When I spoke about people I know I can trust when giving me info on a player yesterday, two of my oldest and dearest friends that I've had the pleasure of knowing since right after the turn of the century, Fonzell Martin and Tommy Gregg come to mind as well. 

The duo runs that well tuned Austin Elite program and always keep me in the loop on the what's going on in the Central Texas area. I remember a couple of years ago, Gregg asked me had I seen this player from Temple with blazing speed named Alyssa Jones and I told him no. His response was, "well you probably did, she's that fast"

Okay maybe I'm embellishing the story a little bit however she was and is that fast and not only does she have that going for her, the kid can play. I'll keep repeating this over and over and over but the thing I look for when evaluating players is how much they progress and she has gone from being a little too fast at times for everyone else however she has turned out to be a very good ball player and is one of the top guards in the state on my service

Monday, August 20, 2012

2012 South Houston star Davis helps open new program


When you hear coaches talking about liking players that never take a play off, Dominique Davis is one of those players who automatically pop in my head. After weighing her option, Davis wasn't sure she wanted to play ball but when you have the type of passion she shows on the court, it was inevitable. This is good news both for her and Northwood University who is starting their program from scratch and with a player who has the work ethic Davis has, I'm sure both will be successful.

Texas Top 100 solid as a rock







I've been adjusting my 2013 list after going through my notes because I want to try and be as thorough as possible and if I do something I want to make sure it's legit. I also don't listen to a lot of people when they try and push players because a lot of times our views might be different or worse, there's a hidden agenda behind it .

That's why it's only a select few that I actually listen too because they've given me the scoop on can't misses who didn't even play with their organization. If Corey Hegwood or Ray Caldwell hits me up  and tells me it's a kid that I have to see, that's good enough for me and the same could be said for a few others but for the most part I've lived and I've learned

Kelsey Lang (2013) is sandwiched between Brianna Turner (2014) and Jordan Hosey (2015), Turner and Hosey are national locks for Top 100, and although Lang isn't a Top 100 player nationally, a case could be made for her as well. I wouldn't have said this prior to seeing her this summer with Texas Preps Elite because of her frame but she bulked up and expanded her game.

Brianna Taylor is another player who probably would have made it however injuries among other things played a huge part on her not being there,but she'll do well at the next level as several major D1 schools have shown interest since she was in "middle school"*

Again being on a national Top 100 list is cool and everything but I doubt seriously if Lili Thompson or her parents care one way or another as she committed to Stanford, who I believe has gone to the Final Four at least four consecutive seasons, a big part of that due to a couple of Texans.

I get so pumped up behind this stuff, maybe a bit too much, but it's refreshing to have watched many of these kids over the years while seeing their games progress right before my eyes and what's even more exciting is that the next three classes, 2014-2016, are completely loaded.






Sunday, August 19, 2012

Team Fort Worth still exciting



Coach Cynthia Guillory and I go way back, my hair was all black and they were calling Sim slim but although some things have changed, one thing hasn't and that's the fact she still runs Team Fort Worth like a fine tuned machine filled with next level players.

 I wrote on day one that I was sold on point guard Aundra Stovall, one of the states top prospects from the 2014 class but Stovall was only a piece to their puzzle as that team was loaded with gifted players who will play at the next level and the heat that Travanti Downes, Dwanisha Tate, Vatoria Patterson and the rest of the team brought kept me on the edge of my seat during opening day at the Big State Flava Jam


Saturday, August 18, 2012

Coming up, lot's of stuff including





There has been a barrage of Texas players that have committed including Brentney Branch, Jasmine Caston and Diamond Lockhart, all listed on my GPR Top Texas 100, I see ya Ro!

Several players remain and as we are getting closer to that official visit time, I think I'll shift gears and take a look at a few I've had a chance to SEE this season


 One of those players will definitely be Brianna Hayden who kept working and improving landing her on several major D1 short lists

Angels lose Di'Mond but manage to Proffitt


I recall seeing Di'Mond Jackson in what seems like a few light years ago at Colleges Station when I covered the first Ganon Baker Camp there. I also remember someone asking me why I never mentioned Louisiana players and although some keep files, I keep file cabinets and with the magic of the internet, viola and Jackson was one of the younger players that caught my eye. She showed great leadership even back then and also appeared to have mental toughness which is something a point guard needs to succeed. That toughness was shown even more as she played in the state championship game without even knowing it


I also had a chance to see Paige Hall with her St Thomas More team back in December, so even though Jackson wasn't able to play, knowing that the Angels had Hall, along with the reputation the team has built over the years told me ahead of time that this team had to be on my short list, read more on the GPR website


Do rankings matter?

Diamond Lockhart

Yes, no, maybe and sometimes are all answers that could be given but to be honest with you, it's all about why you are doing this and you have to be honest about your daughters ability. I have several humorous stories from the years but I recall one parent attempting to get smart with me while talking about her daughter playing at the next level.

She told me her daughter wanted to go to either LSU or North Carolina, mind you the kid was a good player but didn't make all district or even start on a team that didn't make the playoffs. I asked her "to play basketball?" and she she responded "what do you think". There have been many others that come close but I'll always cherish the way she insulted me

Anyway here's my take on the whole rankings stuff, read more on the GPR website

Still coming plus a bonus


Yeah I know, the rankings thing, why does it matter, does it matter, who cares, that story is actually coming this weekend but as an added bonus, and this has nothing to do with my bloodline, well maybe, a story on one of the best teams you may not have heard of but here's a hint, don't let the halo fool you

Loaded Region 1 needs no crystal ball

Jada Terry

Another title I've come up that's an understatement however since R1 has produced the past two state champs and from what I've seen so far this summer, the front runner has to be, drum roll please, well maybe not. Since I started my playful predictions, I've received calls and emails on schools with move ins or transfer, thank you very much, keeping me in the loop is a good thing. Already loaded Manvel may have just elevated themselves over the hump but one thing I've found out over the years is that no matter what formula you have, that chemistry has got to work

Candace Adams


Cedar Hill is ready to step up to the plate and with two of their star studded players that came into high school among the top players in the country, it may be their time as you can see how focused Terry and Adams are in the above pics, read  more on the GPR website

Friday, August 17, 2012

Australian star answers Page


My daughter was talking about this young lady she met while doing workouts with Byron Smith, former U of H star and an assistant coach at Texas A&M where he was instrumental in recruiting DeAndre Jordan among others during his tenure at College Station. He's also one of a handful of trainers I would give a thumbs up to train my daughter in the area, it is what it is and I'm only keeping it real.

My daughter asked me had I seen Soraya Page play. I knew the name sounded familiar but when she said she was from Australia it clicked. Page stands 6'0 plays the three and can do multiple things on the floor, I saw this first hand during DFW Elite's event




Can the 2013 star play at the next level? There is no question about it, she's versatile and has the ability to play multiple positions so there you have it, Soraya Page!!!!!

Coming up later!!!!!

Recee Caldwell


I did R2 and R3 as far as the area teams that I believe will be in the hunt, I don't know much about R4 so I'll wait and steal some info from my good friend Ray Caldwell, since that seems to be the trend, check out his blog. I called his daughter a can't miss when she was in the 7th grade and like Recee, I haven't missed yet

I do know a little about R1 and this one will go on the GPR website but before any of that, HG posted it's final Top 100 and it looks pretty good to me although some kids Texas may have positioned themselves right out of it in spite of any circuit but stay tuned

Also as an added bonus, like one of my favorite groups from a day most of you nothing about. Men At Work, I'm "working" on a story about a young lady from the land down under

Thursday, August 16, 2012

2012 Cydney Hicks has change of heart


Cydney Hicks had decided that maybe she just wanted to be a student instead of a student athlete so she turned down several offers so she could do just that. Here's the problem, one thing I can say for this 6'2 young lady is she's passionate about whatever she believes and she believed that maybe she jumped the gun. That turned out to be great news for Coach Scott Hyland at Hill College as well as for Hicks because two things come into play, she has a college ready body and her best basketball is ahead of her. With her size and work ethic, expect to here more about Ms Hicks.

Misconceptions on letters and being recruited



Over the years I've had a chance to observe and truly understand point blank how most of this stuff works. As you can see I'm still writing articles so that means I didn't hit the Powerball last night but I played even though the odds were against me. The same thing can be said about receiving a scholarship and since I've had my blog, I've posted statistics showing high school seniors that play girls basketball have a 2%-5% chance of receiving a SCHOLARSHIP to play at the next level.

The Houston area usually has a better success rate and if you play club ball, those numbers increase but it's not that easy unless you are one of the top players and even sometimes that isn't enough. I've been receiving several calls from parents asking advice on certain things and the question many ask is "If my daughter received a letter is she being recruited" and the answer I give is not necessarily. The reason I give that answer is simple, although you may have been seen at an event and impressed a scout, that still doesn't mean you are being recruited in fact I received a letter last season telling me how well I played in tournament

There are a lot of recruiting services out there that claim they can do this or that, I have no idea if they can or can't however Girlz Prep Report helped over a dozen kids last season alone get in school and I'm talking about kids who had nothing on the table. There were others who were helped by receiving more options but this is something I have been doing for years and not only do I have the statistics but the testimonials as well.

Here's a link to my CONSULTING page and feel free to contact me if you need help


It's almost that time to be predicting 2 as in Region

Davis and Preston

Dekaney was simply the best team in the area last season, after all they knocked off the top contenders and made it to the state championship final where they ran into a "can't be stopped" Duncanville team so the big question will be how are they going to replace Alexis Durley and Shunta Nevitt, both D1 signees but importantly Durley was the one and we all should know where the game starts by now

Several next level players remain for Dekaney such as Brianna Taylor, Jaleesa Chapel, Amber Driver and the younger Nevitt, Kayla and this is only the core group, they have several others on that squad.

Klein Forest might breakout this season, I expected them to make a legitimate run last season but this may be it and it might boil down to two of their lesser known players. Ekiyah Gray, Regina Scott and Ebony Parker all played major roles in turning the program around as freshmen but Desiree Davis and Jeliah Preston could be the wild cards as to how far this team will go

Peters

Bernesha Peters might be smiling because the two Brittanys, Perkins and Smith are eligible for varsity this season at Spring. Peters went through some growing pains last season as a freshman but with the added help, Spring might make the playoffs for the first time since to went to state back in 2006.

Nevertheless, three teams will be fighting for two spots and expect Kylah Jones and Diamond Ford to make every effort to go out in style at Westfield while Dominique Dillingham and Jasmine Nash will try to pick up the missing offense with the graduation of Veja Hamilton at Klein Collins

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Sharde Collins crosses border


Sharde Collins played on the same high school team with one of the top players in the country and the same club team with several of the top players in the country. Even though that was the case, you would never know it as she fit right in both places, read more

After putting up numbers in high school and doing the same thing with DFW T-Jack, Collins has decided that the University of Arkansas-Little Rock will be her next stop after she graduates from Liberty Eylau. After visiting several schools, her dad Mike Collins said she chose UALR because it was close to home

Collins left a lasting impression and even made one of the tip sheets I did for Fullcourt.com

Moten shows status near height


Kevione Moten stands around 6'4 and she showed how valuable every inch was during the Prime Time National Championship held a few weeks ago. Moten suited up for the Monroe Lady Tarheels and put on an outstanding individual performance which helped her team make a run. I was told she played for a local team earlier in year so I guess I'm lucky she moved back to a team from her home state otherwise I wouldn't have seen her. Moten's performance left a pretty good impression as I also commented on her skills in my Prime Time Tip Sheet

It's almost that time to be predicting

Lira, Latham, McCarty


School will be starting shortly, then fall leagues, practices and the first part of the season, the preseason which will have just about everyone showing their cards by that time. The second part of the season, district play, will let teams position themselves for the all important, which is also the most important part, the playoffs.

Roher


Back to back R3 Final Fours have Clear Springs in the drivers seat once again with their star studded line-up of Jo Lira, Courtney Latham, Brooke McCarty and Kaylin Roher but the big question will be how do they replace on of the most athletic players to ever play in the area, Aaliyah Brown.



Turner

Another legitimate F4 candidate would have to be Manvel led by the dynamic duo of Brianna Turner and Jordan Hosey.After also making consecutive trips to the F4 in 4A, a coaching change and a move to 5A might test the young team early but when it's all said and done, I doubt seriously if they won't be a factor

Hosey

Woodlands Burke putting in the work


Once I see a player with potential, especially early in their careers I sort of have a tendency to follow their progression. Katie Burke is one of the 2015 players that caught my eye during the school season at The Woodlands and also during the summer. With The Woodlands looking to regroup after losing so many players last season, it would be safe to assume that Burke has a bright future her remaining three years. PassThaBall put together the video mix on this young lady you will be hearing a lot about