GIRLZ PREP REPORT

Pass Tha Ball Video-MDAA Texas Twang

2012-02-11T11:32:00.004-06:00

Highlights of some of the MDAA players selected for this years game featuring Texans Moriah Jefferson,Alexis Jones, Jordan Jones and Courtney "The Truth" Williams

Wolves Attack Comes Up Short

2012-02-11T03:53:00.004-06:00

JAMIYLA DEBOISE & ALEXIS HILL

One thing I like when I attend a sporting event is to be entertained, either by exciting players, well sometimes fans will work for me also, or teams playing their hearts out from start to finish. It makes little sense for me to waste a couple of hours watching a 50 point blowout, my time is more valuable so over the past 10 seasons, the Westside vs Bellaire games have had both and have given me many memories, both good and bad, that will be forever embedded in my mind. Westside jumped out to an early lead before Raven Burns nailed a three to put the Cardinals on top 7-6 however the Wolves pressure got to Bellaire early and they led 14-9 after one. Westside was even in the bonus the first few seconds of the second quarter but their problem was they had as many turnovers as Bellaire had fouls and the offensive punch of Cardinal players Burns and AJ Alix offset the firepower provided by the Wolves Alexis Hill and Jamiyla Deboise's and Bellaire led 31-24 at the half. Alix was in a zone on both ends all game, finishing with a triple double, story is on GPR

JASMINE KING & ANGEL WILLIAMS

Jasmine King has been a warrior during her three years at Westside battling injury after injury and she made some big plays which complemented other big plays from fellow junior Brianna Luton and freshman Maddisen Turner, two big "and ones", which saw the Wolves close the gap to 47-44 late in the third. Here was another problem, every time Westside cut into the lead, someone stepped up for Bellaire other than Alix. Regina Harris hit a couple of threes to thwart one run while sophomore Angel Williams did the same to stop another and as Bellaire closed the quarter up by 10, they opened the final period on a tear and appeared to be ready to blow this game wide open. No one seemed to let the Wolves know as Hill, Luton and King put together some big buckets to close the gap but the young ladies ran out of gas and time as they lost 68-59

MADDISEN TURNER

This game was good for a couple of reasons, first it's a great tune up for their Monday night match-ups at Coleman Coliseum , Westside vs Katy Taylor at 5:30 pm and Memorial against Bellaire right after and second, I'll be there and once again, I want to be entertained, if I want to see a blowout I can ride around 610. This is the swan song for Hill and Deboise, both have always given their all and will fight until the absolute end. They are also both unsigned and can play at the next level and their void will leave a huge hole for Westside to fill next season. On a brighter note, Turner might just be able to help fill that void as the improvement she has shown from this past summer, to early in the season until now, and once again "it ain't what you do, it's who you do it against" says this 6'0 will continue to grow, on and off the court. She also has a special place in my heart because she was only 6 or 7 when her mother was coaching my baby at Westside, mom was also a star at Montana and she's 6'4.

How about this kid? The story on the young lady known as AJ can be read by clicking THE REAL DEAL

CANE NATION!!!!!

2012-02-10T21:23:00.000-06:00

In a another year of never say never, Hightower has came back and won district again, defeating Bush 47-44 in what appears to have been one of several great games tonight. Tyler Gilbert led the attack with 21 points as they head into the playoffs next week. Earlier in the evening, Clements defeated Elkins 46-37 to earn a trip to the playoffs.

College Action This Weekend

2012-02-10T14:18:00.000-06:00

A good way to judge a players ability is to compare them with others, which also works as a cheat sheet for parents. Over the years I have consistently suggested observing our local college teams to try and get an idea on what it takes to get to that next level, whatever level that may be. Saturday Grambling faces TSU while San Jac hosts Angelina, then on Sunday Tulsa plays Rice. Om Monday, Jackson State comes to town to face TSU.

McNeese St Ready To Defend Southland Tournament Title

2012-02-10T09:15:00.000-06:00

On March 6 at Noon, the Southland Conference will invade the Merrell Center in Katy once again. Right now Central Arkansas has the best record however you can't count second place McNeese State out after their performance last season which got them to the "Big Dance" and you know they have to be tough to go to College Station and lose to the defending National Champions by only 10 points, they were down by 2 at the half so more on the teams and the tournament coming up.

Ozen Hearing Footsteps?

2012-02-10T08:35:00.000-06:00

Undefeated and ranked #1 in the state, not to mention "defending the R3 crown", I'm sure Ozen feels they can knock off any team in the area. After handling several 5A schools, including Clear Springs, this might be the Panthers year to win it all. With one of the top point guards in the area, Asia Booker along with Nekia Jones, who has an assortment of ESPN Sports Center Top 10 plays waiting to happen in her arsenal, it's going to be hard to keep them from Austin but here are the contenders

CAN OZEN BE OVERTHROWN ?

Preseason Fan Poll

2012-02-10T06:35:00.005-06:00

Back in August, I ran a test poll on who I thought would be among the Top 10 teams and asked for people to vote on who they thought would be the top team. Again I'll take the hit on KF, don't know what's up with Taylor but you can't count them out. North Shore and Hightower are still threats, DESPITE losing star players to ACL injuries. Surprisingly what has turned out to be the Top 5 teams actually received the fewest votes and I'm still mesmerized that Dekaney only received 2%, one word, GURU, and this also is why I don't like polls or most of the rankings :)

CLEAR SPRINGS	15 (11%)
CY FALLS	10 (7%)
THE WOODLANDS	11 (8%)
NORTH SHORE	12 (9%)
MANVEL	10 (7%)
HIGHTOWER	22 (16%)
DEKANEY	3 (2%)
ELSIK	27 (20%)
KATY TAYLOR	8 (6%)
KLEIN FOREST	1 (0%)
OTHER	12 (9%)

Heavy Hitters May Stop All Area Final

2012-02-10T06:12:00.001-06:00

Dekaney and The Woodlands are the area's best chance to have two teams in state, that's the bottom line, I'll take the hit on Klein Forest not being in the mix when when your percentages are as high as mine, well. I broke it down just a little to give you an insight on the obstacles those two teams will face on the GPR website and even though Dekaney has won 33 in a row and The Woodlands have lost two games by a total of four points, as easy as it seems for either to reach state, it's also just as hard

Pflugerville is 36-0 however they looked beatable when Itiana Taylor wasn't in the game during the Mansfield Tournament because of foul trouble however she dominated while she was on the court on the inside which could be a problem for The Highlanders. As far as Desoto, well the teams from the Metroplex have something you can't teach and that's "killer instinct" off the top, not when you're down by 5 or 10 and as Duncanville showed our two top area R3 teams in the Texas Invitational, by then it's almost too late. The thing about Dekaney s they too showed Cy Falls and Clear Spring that very same thing however they didn't have it opening day at North Shore. Nevertheless they have it now and that's all that matters. Click on the link for the story

ALL AREA FINAL QUITE POSSIBLE

Last Chance For "The Truth"

2012-02-09T15:23:00.001-06:00

When I give a player a nickname before they hit high school, rest assured they can play. When I give them one before middle school, my crystal ball has said it all and the first time I saw Courtney Williams, it was a no brainer based on her size and strengths at a very young age. Now she's trying to do something that has eluded her and that's make it to state. Sure, she's a legitimate Top 10 player and was just named to both the McDonald's and WBCA All Star teams but this year was going to be the one she and Mo Bedford would ride out into the sunset, aka state, after all they started playing together almost simultaneously and it would have been a fitting end. Problem is last season was the one in which they had the best chance to get out and even though strange things have happened as far as who makes it , even stranger ones seem to happen at the wrong time and with Bedford tearing her ACL back in December, that just about wrapped it up. North Shore opens the playoffs against Dobie on Monday and will have their hands full against the Clear Lake/ Fort Bend Austin winner. Williams has the ability to simply dominate on both ends of the floor, problem is she sometimes is a bit too unselfish which can be a double edged sword. Nevertheless however the season ends, I gave her the nickname and I was right, that's what's important :)

Clear Springs Has Easiest Route To Campbell

2012-02-09T14:52:00.000-06:00

That title in itself says it all and for one of the areas top teams to not make it to the R3-F4 would be mind boggling to say the least. The Chosen One will do her thing, as well as Aaliyah Brown but the thing about Clear Springs is their depth and having scorers coming at you from everywhere is always a good thing. Courtney Latham, Jo Lira and Kaylan Roher can fill it up with the best of them and they all compliment each other quite well, which is why they will be one of the teams to beat again next season since that core group will remain intact. Clear Creek vs Bush/Hightower first round match-up should be a great game, in fact should Hightower actually finish second to Bush in district, it could be a potential rematch from last year when Springs beat them en route to the F4. The plot thickens as we speak, Friday we will know for sure

Eisenhower/Cy Ranch Winner Thinking Upset

2012-02-09T13:53:00.000-06:00

I've seen some good, bad and ugly basketball over the years and this one has consistently shown the same. Eisenhower and Cy Ranch have both been in all of those classes over the past two seasons at one point or another but it appears both may be clicking and to be honest, Eisenhower may play spoiler. I don't know if it was the idea of playing Elsik at home that brought the fire out but they looked like a team that could possibly do some damage and with the draw they have, three rounds is not far fetched. Taylor Overshon is one of the best "unknown" players in the city, don't know where the other guys had her but GPR had her listed as a D1 prospect off the top. She is one of the better open court players in the area and if they stay out of foul trouble, they are going to cause some trouble. Cy Ranch has two of the top 2014 players in the area, Cienna Rivera-Rodriguez and Sydney Coleman and they too could come together and make it to the third round. I'm sure Seven Lakes will be ready for either however close calls against Cinco Ranch, Memorial and a loss to Katy Taylor shows they are vulnerable but then again when you have a player like Christin Inman who I expect to go off for 40 plus before it's all said and done, well ............

Districts 19-5A & 20-5A Monday Doubleheader Set

2012-02-09T10:36:00.000-06:00

Well sort of and should Bellaire actually win district, Westside will play Katy Taylor @ 5:30 while Memorial tangles with Bellaire @ 7:00. If not, flip flop the opposing teams for the HISD schools. The games will be played at Coleman Coliseum and the first game should be one of the better first round games in R3 this season. Katy Taylor is coming off of a victory against Seven Lakes and remember they were only one game away from the F4 last season. The second game might be interesting also as Memorial has been plagued by injuries all season, they too put up a gallant effort against Seven Lakes losing 44-39 and this was without starter Laurel Carrell who tore her ACL a few weeks ago.

Ogwumike's Ready For Their Own Prime Time

2012-02-09T10:03:00.001-06:00

Erica Ogwumike was all smiles after Cy Woods defeated Bellaire last season. This had to be a fun time for the youngest Ogwumike daughter, after all she saw older sister and freshman Olivia help lead her team to a victory over highly touted Bellaire. She also was there to see her two oldest sisters make it to the NCAA Final Four, after watching them go to state numerous times and winning twice at Cy Fair, not the mention the countless club ball events which has helped shape her and Olivia into what they have and will become on the court. I failed to mention that Erica was still in the 8th grade however as a freshman herself, she has came in with a bang as Cy Woods will face Bellaire in the second round, yes I've called it. The younger Ogwumike's are making things happen at Woods and trust me, if they want it, it will happen

CARDINALS

Now this is going to make tomorrows game even more exciting :)

More Friday Night Action-23-5A AIN'T OVER

2012-02-09T04:09:00.001-06:00

FORT BEND AUSTIN'S NICOLE BLASKOWSKY

Fort Bend Austin has had several looks over the past few seasons dating back to when Brittany Hudson was their star player and several times they've played the part of a spoiler or a team that pulled off some huge upsets. Fast forward to now, third place FBA is still doing things you may not have expected, such as defeating Bush on Monday 50-44 and forcing a playoff between Bush and Hightower on Friday @ 7:30 to determine who the district champion is, #canenation is still alive after many thought their season was over. Also up for grabs is that final district playoff spot and that will be determined in the first game of the Friday night doubleheader at Wheeler between Elkins and Clements, that game starts at 6pm

Friday Night Highlight Game

2012-02-08T05:36:00.003-06:00

Westside hasn't won district since my daughter graduated in 2007, disregard what the Chronicle article below says, but they always manage to be in the hunt, primarily because HISD isn't quite what it used to be, that's the real. This season is no different and after the Wolves lost to Bellaire the first time around, 59-51 and after reading the article again, flu, pneumonia or any other weakening illness won't keep me away from the showdown as these teams go head to head one more time in what appears to be a battle in the making. Bellaire wants to send a message that they are going into the playoffs taking no prisoners while Westside also wants to send a message that you can't count them out when healthy. This game should be interesting to say the least.

Cy Falls Ready For Encore

2012-02-08T04:54:00.003-06:00

Well the same can be said for Cy Woods, Hightower, Elsik, North Shore, Bellaire, The Woodlands and host of other teams that will have to regroup once this talented senior class has graduated. Before the game, I knew two things, Cy Falls and Clear Springs were ahead of the pack in Region 3 and The Woodlands and Dekaney are our top area reps for Region 2, I'm only talking 5A folks. The good news is once the playoffs start, none of the "GURU'S" logic, nor calling Mother Love, Robin Givens or any other psychic hotline will matter, it's one and done time and many teams are looking to pull off some upsets. Had it not been for Cy Woods basket having a lid on it for the first 7 minutes of the third quarter, 17-5A may have crowned a new champion but I'm sure that Cy Falls pressure had a lot to do with it as well.

Story on Cy Falls winning district championship

Keep in mind I said many teams will be regrouping and I mentioned Cy Woods as one of them however if I had to regroup, I can't think of too many younger players to start with other than Olivia and Erica Ogwumike, both ranked high on my lists for the 2014 and 2015 classes respectively. They controlled the boards early for Cy Woods and with all of the scouting going on in the building, I'm sure game plans are being put together on how to keep them off the glass. There is a possibility both teams could make it to Campbell Center for the F4 but there are some heavy hitters standing in front of both 17-5A squads and who knows, maybe both will get knocked off. I do know this, the atmosphere at that game is what Houston should be having night in and night out throughout the playoffs however it won't happen.

17-5A Showdown-Cy Woods at Cy Falls

2012-02-07T10:48:00.000-06:00

The biggest player on the court for Cy Falls will have a major impact on how well they do in tonight's game, as well as the playoffs. Carol Willie is another post player that has gradually improves since the first time I saw her and has positioned herself into a major threat and also has the making of a "major" D1 player should that progression continue. You already know what to expect from the four senior starting guards who are all sharpshooters that can fill it up, but Carol is the wild-card. Tonight the Eagles host Cy Woods as both teams are tied for first place in district and however it turns out, it wouldn't be a surprise to see 17-5A represented by two squads in the E8 and beyond. I doubt if I make the game, Guru 's fighting flu, flu so hopefully the tweeters shall be tweeting

Sophus Leading Wildcat Charge

2012-02-03T18:52:00.001-06:00

When I think about the Wheatley Wildcats, several things are synonymous such as 1960's, integration, uptempo, fans and most important championships because on the boy's side, they have been on both ends of the spectrum so many times however the ladies teams have produced it's share of next level players while still keeping the purple rolling past opponents. In fact their support system over the years had so much purple flowing in the stands I had flashbacks of his royal badness "Purple Rain" tours from the 80's.

Moving forward to the new millennium for my fan base, the players are still, well playing and Dimonisha Sophus is an unsigned D1 guard that can do, just about anything you need. When you hear the phrase "don't let the smooth taste fool you", it fit's D, because she has shown she can go off against anyone, anywhere and is one of the leading scorers in the country at 28 ppg, while also dishing out 8 apg, that number will go up a bit after her 39 point performance on Friday against Kashmere. No need to figure it out, that's 44 points she's a part of each game but like most high school teams in the area with top 2012 players, Wheatley will slack off after she graduates. NOT!!!!!

Ariel Taylor, above , 14 ppg, 8 rpg and Meashel Crosby, below, 9 ppg, 5 apg are two sophomores ready to take charge once Dimonisha graduates and I saw these two while still in middle school and I was impressed to say the least about their abilities. They take on Booker T Washington on Monday, a win gives them the district championship outright and off to the playoffs for the Wildcats

Faith Drops 40

2012-02-01T04:54:00.000-06:00

I've seen so many middle school players that were ahead of the game however before I give them the "can't miss" stamp of approval, I always go back and do comparisons during the time my daughter played as she, Kelly Griffin and Stephanie Gilbreath were ahead of the pack and basically stayed on top throughout their careers once they entered high school. Since then, many others have shown that they too are something special at a young age and their mentality is"catch me if you can". One such player is Faith Cook who scored 40 points earlier this week in a 46-38 win over Crosby which reminded me of a game my daughter had against Attucks in the 8th grade, same point total and same final score. Cook and Angela Harris are the top two eight graders I've personally seen however I'm hearing about kids all over the city that are just unreal. No mater what, remember to" keep the faith because she will be cookin in high school", get it?

Cy Creek Sets The Stage

2012-01-31T22:22:00.000-06:00

I guess that would be one way of putting it after their 62-54 victory of Langham Creek. The win gives Cy Creek a two game lead for third place with two games left, ahead of both Cy Ranch and Cy Fair. Like the weather, the game started off sloppy and ugly, in fact it was only 4-2 half way through the first quarter

Cy Creek caught fire and pushed the lead up to as much as 19 however a Rebecca Douglas three pointer cut it to four (48-44) with a little over four minutes left however Ikpeaku Owebi and Jasmin Cruz went to work on the inside to save the victory.

Haley Deakins got the Cougars going early, she finished with 11 while Calandria King was steady at attacking the basket at will for the Lobos. The Lobos were led by the Martin twins, Cayline (12) Corrine (10) while Owebi led all scorers with 18

Is Langham Up The Creek?

2012-01-31T15:42:00.000-06:00

Cy Creek is sitting pretty at the moment in District 17-5A. They are in 3rd place as they host tonight's game against Langham Creek. Cy Creek will have Cy Woods and Cy Ranch remaining as they try to hold on to their one game lead over Cy Fair. Langham and Ranch are both at 5-5, one game behind Cy Fair for that final playoff spot. After tonight, Langham has to face Cy Falls and Cy Fair, while Cy Fair has Falls tonight, so this is going to be interesting, especially since Ranch has Jersey Village tonight, then Cy Ridge and closing with Creek.

17-5A STANDINGS

Mustangs Host Cougars in 19-5A

2012-01-31T07:18:00.000-06:00

Seven Lakes has almost assured itself the district crown however they still have to go to Memorial before facing Katy Taylor in the final game of the season, so tonight's match-up between Katy Taylor and Cinco Ranch is important for a number of reasons but realistically thinking, which sometimes doesn't work, this game is about positioning for the playoffs. Katy Taylor was a few points away from the R3-F4 last season and with the core group back, it appeared that might be a possibility however this team hasn't truly recovered from the loss of Amanda Jungwirth

Cinco on the other hand has performed well of late after a "Friendship Game" finish at Sandra Meadows beating Taylor by a lot and losing to Seven Lakes by a little but in another year of "Jekyl-Hyde" performances by area teams, it all boils down to the most important part of season, "Part 3", the playoffs and both teams are capable of pulling off surprises

Elkins Has Outside Shot

2012-01-30T04:40:00.001-06:00

DYNAY JOHN

Latoya Micheaux inherited a team that had lost over half of it's offense with the graduation of Donnielle Breaux and Breanna Barnett however she did have returnees that could be major factors like high scoring Dynay John, speedy Kaylan Sanders, steady Jasmine Howard and raw but explosive K'vonna Johnson who impressed many after an outstanding freshman season. Making the playoffs would be hard yet doable however an ACL injury to Howard created some doubt

Johnson has continued her improvement and has steadily moved up the list of super sophomores in the area and standing at 6'0, she brings so much to the table. She is also the younger sister of former Elkins star Chelsea Johnson who at times played post against players taller than her sister and more than held her own which also made her more versatile as she also shot it very well and made it to the next level

Speaking of a next level players, Micheaux was a former star at Hightower and helped #canenation go to state not too long after the school opened. She went on to star at Texas A&M where she helped turn a .500 team into a Top 10 program that made it to the "Big Dance" all four years during her playing days, including an Elite 8 finish. She is also the daughter of former Houston Cougar great Larry who was an original member of Phi Slamma Jamma, you may also remember the name "Mr. Mean". Elkins faces district leader Bush tonight and is one game behind Clements and Austin for that final playoff spot. Ironically Bush has to also play Clements and Austin so they have a bulls eye on their back as those three teams are scrambling for positioning while Bush is trying to stay undefeated and win it's first district title.

Hurricanes Have To Feel "What If" Factor

2012-01-29T08:45:00.005-06:00

COURTNEY LATHAM & TAYLOR GILBERT

I have sayings I repeat over and over and sometimes when people hear things enough, they understand it. "The game starts at the one" and "It's not what you do, it's who you do it against" are the ones I use most frequently however although I don't use "There are basketball players and there are those who play basketball" as much, please note that it's equally if not more important than the other two. Let's backtrack to February 2010 when a freshmen named AJ Alix put Bellaire on her back and guided them to a 20 plus point come from behind victory over Elsik. Bellaire went on to play R-3 Final against Hightower and despite a 40 point performance from "The Real Deal", the Hurricanes advanced to state and finished second against Cy Fair. That loss stuck with the Rams "Big Three" of Porter, Ocanas and Elonu and they started and finished with a bang on their way to state last season. They had something to prove and they made their point, the true mark of basketball players

TYLER GILBERT & JASMINE PROPHET

Ironically Hightower found themselves in the same situation this season as they were"UPSET" by Clear Springs in the E-8 last season and like Elsik from the season before, they had proving a point on their minds and with three D1 players over 6'1, Tyler Gilbert, Taylor Gilbert and Jasmine Prophet, the Hurricanes had their sights on having opponents call FEMA but sometimes things just don't happen like they should, especially in sports and it's unfortunate when injuries dictate the outcome. The truly sad part is that 20 years from now, most people won't remember why this or that turned out the way it did. Who am I kidding, 20 days from now many forget however losing Taylor Gilbert to an ACL injury has definitely rearranged my preseason picks as the Hurricanes were supposed to be playing North Shore in the E8 to see who made it to Campbell, North Shore losing Monique Bedford has been equally devastating and it appears that neither team will win district. You hate to see things like this happen but no matter how it turns out, I'll be reaching my prime in 20 years and letting you know what really happened

Coming up

2012-01-28T11:12:00.000-06:00

We'll revisit my preseason ranks which are somewhat different now as former top teams such as Hightower and North Shore have been dealt major blows by losing D1 players to ACL injuries. We'll also look at who the voters though the top teams would be and it's a little ironic that the team with second fewest votes is actually the top squad in the area

Road To Final Four-R3

2012-01-28T08:30:00.002-06:00

Brooke McCarty helped lead Clear Springs to the area final four last season and it appears they are on their way back again as they are once again healthy and ready to make another run at it and to be honest, Campbell Center is more likely than not. The same can be said for Cy Falls and since these are the top two teams in the area, that's probably the way it should be. The only way Cy Falls doesn't make it is if they lose at home February 7th to Cy Woods when they go to the other side and would have a much tougher time facing Bellaire and then Elsik to see who the representative would be, but again they are the top team in R3. The last spot is up for grabs, well actually the last two, North Shore made it last season however losing Monique Bedford in December for the season hit hard and how bad Courtney Williams injury in last nights loss to Channelview will tell the tale. Elsik ,Bellaire and Cy Woods will be a dogfight.

Another Blow For Mustangs

2012-01-27T11:16:00.000-06:00

A trip to the Elite 8 wasn't that far fetched as the season started for Memorial as they started the season off with one point loss to Klein Forest, one of the early favorites to make some noise in the city and another loss by only 5 to the same team while a win in between over Cy Ranch. Most of this was done with leading scorer Ellen Anderson who was busy on the court. Injuries to Anderson, Olivia Podaras and now a major blow as Laurel Carrell ACL injury has ended her high school career. Last season as the 6th , well first sub in the game, Carrell brought fire and instant offense every time I saw her play. This season she excelled as a starter and continued to be among the leaders and her ability to be at the right place at the right time will surely be missed as the Mustangs will probably finish 4th and have to face the Bellaire Cardinals in round one. Tonight they host Katy Taylor who are trying to stay within striking distance of second place.

Area Unsigned Player Pot Starting To Boil

2012-01-26T08:17:00.000-06:00

Relatively unknown Taylor Overshon's brilliant offensive performance in the first half against Elsik in front of numerous college coaches shows the importance of knowing exactly who and where the "players" are and this Eisenhower senior is only one of a number of outstanding players that are still available and can play somewhere at the next level. Need more info, contact me by email, simmie@girlzprepreport.com or you can subscribe online to the GPR Scouting Service

2016 Class More Solid Than Spectacular

2012-01-26T06:46:00.001-06:00

It's funny how time flies and you see these young players grow up right before your eyes year after year. No matter how different the players are each season coming in, one thing that's for sure is because you were among the best in middle school doesn't always mean by the time it's all said and done that will be the case. I've seen outstanding players enter high school and their careers end or detour due to injuries, I've seen players choose another sport entirely, I've seen players freeze up or quit because they were pushed maybe a little too hard by the powers that be but more times than not, this stuff catches up and the strength, speed and understanding of the game has it's own way of evening things out, especially when you don't work on your weaknesses. The Goss twins head into Katy while Kiara Mc Elroy heads to Cy Fair, how good they wind up is truly up to them but right now potential is definitely there as well as for many other players. The three players who are at the top of the heap right now can viewed on the GPR website and the Texas Class of 2016 has can't miss players galore, remember this name, AMBER RAMIREZ from San Antonio!

KIARA MCELROY

Ocanas Shows Game Starts At The One

2012-01-25T07:15:00.003-06:00

If you haven't comprehended my saying over and over that the game starts at the one, then you will never be GURU certified and probably didn't have an SAT score of over 1500 like Jasmine Ocanas. The 2012 class of area basketball players mirrors the 2005 class in a number of ways, both had great kids who were great players and now I'm also seeing quite a number of great students. I saw Jasmine while she was in middle school and playing with the Houston Angels and had they stayed together, they would have been a team that could have competed on the national level. This young lady was completely under the radar as she had moved in from Dallas however 4 three pointers from around the timeline later let me know I needed to keep an eye on her and I have done exactly that

Ocanas is about to finish her star studded career at Elsik where she will have made not only all district four straight seasons, she has also been named Houston Chronicle All Greater Houston along with a couple of All Region Teams however to solidify her ability on the court, she was also one of my original Top 20 in the area for this class and when the "GURU" puts his stamp of approval on a player, he has documentation, well in my head, ready to support just why I say this or that and for this young lady to still be unsigned is a mystery to me. Throw out the all whatever teams, that can sometimes be as misleading as being nominated for this team or that team and that's the truth!

What's also the truth is she is the point guard on the defending Region 3 Champion and let's back track on her mindset. In her sophomore year, Jasmine's season ended in the Elite 8 after Bellaire came back from a 20 plus point deficit to win the game. We talked about it a few times and she assured me that wouldn't happen again. Jasmine isn't the flashiest or fastest point guard around, she knows that and what she also knew was whatever decencies she had in her game, she needed to improve on and that work ethic paid off. Opening day, they build up a 20 plus point lead on Bellaire and expand it as they not only won but sent a message heard around the city, or was it a fluke? After knocking off Cy Woods in the Elite 8, they defeated not only Clear Springs, who had lost only once until that point, but also North Shore for a trip to state

With all that being said, my "it's not what you do it's who you do it against" seems like the perfect closing however I'll end it with this. Yes, she is unsigned but with a 1500 score and a resume that shows she can run a team, that will be a blur before you know it

More on Elsik

Tuesday's "Tighten Up" Action

2012-01-24T06:41:00.002-06:00

Memorial's Olivia Podaras started the season off with a bang before Ellen Anderson's return from volleyball then she suffered a freak injury. After she healed, it took her a little time to get back in the groove however she picked where she left off and started putting up numbers again ironically after Anderson suffered a minor injury. Now both young ladies are healthy which is bad news for 19-5A as they prepare to make a run for 2nd place in district starting tonight against Cinco Ranch, Friday night against Katy Taylor and next Friday against Seven Lakes and all are at home. Their three district losses have been to those three teams on the road, so this is a chance to make the district interesting

Elsik's Big Three of Jasmine Oconas, Akunna Elonu and Crystal Porter have never lost a district game and they can clinch their 4th straight district title tonight as they travel to Eisenhower. Story on Ocanas coming this week, stay tuned

The Woodlands have a chance to clinch district outright as they host Atascocita. Last season the two teams were co-champions and you can click here for more on The Woodlands. After tonight, the only district championships left up in the air will be District 17 which will feature Cy Woods heading to Cy Falls on February 7th and District 20 when Bellaire plays Westside @ Butler Stadium on February 10th and a s/o to Archie Bell and the Drells for the title, 45th anniversary !!!!

Rice Clicking On All Cylinders In Win

2012-01-23T04:04:00.001-06:00

Rice jumped out to a 14-6 lead and a five minute score drought for Southern Mississippi after that found the Owls up 21-8 as they cruised to a 72-43 victory. Brianna Hypolite led the Owls with 14 points while Jessica Kuster added 13. Rice had balanced scoring throughout the game as three players ended the half with 7 points and one with 5 as they went into the half up 30-21

Amenemope McKinney and Jessica Goswitz added 9 each for the Owls. McKinney showed flashes of what I watched her do growing up with several acrobatic moves to the basket. She and Ashley Fontinette put on one of the most memorable exhibitions of head to head action I have ever seen from back in the day as both scored close to 40 a few years back

Jameirra Faulkner (13) and Tanecka Carey (11) led Southern Miss in scoring. Faulkner went into the press table hard after a loose ball and had to sit for around 6 minutes however was visibly shaken when she returned to the game. Saw a lot of impressive freshmen hit the floor for the Owls and as I've said before about the area college teams and their very young talent, the future looks bright in the city.

Speaking of bright in the city, two young stars from two of the top teams were in attendance. Carol Willie from Cy Falls, the #2 team in the area, was checking the action out with her mom and cousin. Willie is one of the top posts in the Class of 2013 and will be a key part in how far the Eagles fly

2015 Adriiana Jackson was also in attendance with her parents. Jackson runs the point for North Shore and has done a more than admirable job. She is also one of the top players in her class and even though she's only 5'0 tall, she's shown that doesn't matter and I'm sure her watching another 5'0 guard, D'Franz Smart, take care of business for the Owls, she knows how far hard work can take you

Castille Comeback Complete

2012-01-22T07:43:00.002-06:00

Let's backtrack just a little to last seasons R3-4A semifinal game at Campbell Center. Manvel was making it's first Final 4 appearance against state ranked Huntsville featuring Texas signee Ronisha Major. The odds were that this game would be a blowout and only a stepping stone for the championship game between Huntsville and Ozen however no one seemed to tell Jade Castille who put on one of the best offensive shows in Campbell Regional 4A history. Manvel actually led for most of the game in their 63-55 loss however a late game injury to Castille took some of the steam from the team. Though banged up, Jade continued to hit shots from just about every imaginable angle to finish the game with 30 points as she limped off the court, well she was limping the last 8 minutes of the game

Those injuries multiplied throughout the summer however Castille continued fighting through them because that's just her character, she loves to play the game and she gives it her all every time she's on the floor. Fast forward to the school season when the pain was just too much to take any longer and she finally had to rest and heal properly which will be a good thing for the Mavericks once the playoffs begin. This season Manvel added Brianna Turner who is either the top or among the top three players in the country depending on who you ask for the 2014 class along with Jordan Hosey, who I don't need to ask anyone else because I know she is one of the top 2015 players in the country. That duo has been a force this season knocking off several 5A teams along the way including last seasons R3 representative Elsik.

The two games that they have lost have been to Dekaney, the top team in the area and Irving MacArthur, last seasons state champion in 5A. Castille played sparingly in those two losses however her offense would have helped take some of the heat off of the "Dynamic Duo". Numbers can be deceiving, Castille is averaging almost 10 points per game despite playing only a few minutes in most of the games early in the season. How much was her offense missed? Well she leads the team in three pointers despite the injuries and limited playing time on her way back and Friday night, she showed she was back on track scoring 16 points and with her near 100%, Manvel may just get out of here. BTW, she is still unsigned!!!!!

Rachel Arthur Commits

2012-01-21T21:45:00.002-06:00

Rachel Arthur has been a key part of Atascocita's success since her sophomore season when the team elevated their status to one of the areas best. Along the way, she was known for her outside shooting but over this past summer her defense caught the eye of many college coaches. When school ball started this season she showed she could run the point as well while Curtyce Knox was recovering from an ACL injury. Arthur has been on a tear since December averaging around 15 ppg and the poise she has shown on the court shows how complete her game has become. I just spoke to her dad William who confirmed she will be attending Houston Baptist University next season. He said " She weighed her options and this was the best fit for her. It's a great school and it's also close to home". I agree and I also expect Rachel to step right in and contribute next season. Congratulations!

Unsigned Trio Ready To Wrap Up Undefeated District Career

2012-01-21T08:53:00.000-06:00

CRYSTAL PORTER JASMINE OCANAS AKUNNA ELONU

They are still the defending R-3 5A champions and at times have looked like they may be able to pull it off again. With all three starters being name to either Pre or Post-season All Greater Houston teams, it's kind of hard to believe that they are still available. All three are next level players and were among my GPR Top 30 so when I say U.T.R., that's guru talk for "under the radar", it certainly applies to these young ladies as they definitely can help some programs at different levels. Tuesday night they travel to Eisenhower to clinch the title.

District Champions Becoming Clearer

2012-01-21T07:12:00.001-06:00

With everything taking form, the playoff brackets on who the number teams from each district can be filled in with ink, well in most districts. Here's s Guru fact that you won't hear about anywhere else. Since 2008, there have been six district winners that lost in the first round to fourth place teams, so nothing is set in stone

2008
Clear Creek lost to Hightower
Eisenhower lost to Lamar
Humble lost to La Porte

2009
Deer Park lost to Baytown Sterling

2010
Clear Creek lost to Elkins

2011
Deer Park lost to Memorial

Weekend Area College Action

2012-01-21T06:53:00.000-06:00

Texas Southern hosts Mississippi Valley today at 2pm while Chicago State invades Houston to play HBU tonight at 7pm. Tomorrow at Tudor, Rice hosts Southern Mississippi at 2pm

Top 100 Inman Shows Why

2012-01-21T05:44:00.000-06:00

There is a difference between being called a Top 100 player and being a legitimate Top 100 player, so many things play into the situation but that's another blog. I said Seven Lakes led by Christen Inman would be in charge of their own destiny this season and their 38-32 victory over Cinco Ranch all but clinched the Spartans first ever district title. Inman scored 23 of the teams 38 points and this is what Top 100 players do, put their teams on their backs when they have to. In the first quarter the Spartans led 10-9, Inman had half of their points and at halftime it was 19 all, Inman with 12. To be honest, I didn't expect the game to be this close as Seven Lakes had more of a team offensive balance in their first two meetings however Cinco Ranch has found out that their showing in the Sandra Meadows Classic is the past and they appear to be riding on momentum from their Katy Taylor victory which may make for some interesting happenings in the playoffs. Angie Moore led Cinco with 14 points

Cougars Cruz To Victory

2012-01-21T05:04:00.002-06:00

Dani Fielder is already one of the the top 2013 players in Houston, the question is how does she fit in against the tops in Texas and if last night was any indication on what to expect over the summer, well stay tuned. I knew Cy Creek would win the game against Jersey Village, that was no brainer however they now have placed themselves in a pretty good position for the playoffs in 17-5A

Fielder led Creek with 16 points however Jazmine Cruz got them going early with an array of baskets around the rim finishing with 13 and her sister brought the house down before the game singing the national anthem. Brynae Thompson led Jersey Village with 11. Okay here's the deal, Cy Falls and Cy Woods remain 8-0, district will be decided on February 7th. Cy Ranch and Cy Creek are now tied for 3rd at 5-3 after Ranch lost again to Cy Fair in district. Ranch has to play both Cy Falls and Cy Woods and face Cy Creek at home the last game of the season which may be for a spot. Langham Creek and Cy Fair both won last night and are a game behind for the final playoff spot at 4-4

17-5A Has Five Fighting For One

2012-01-20T04:45:00.000-06:00

Mark your calendars for February 7, that's when Cy Woods plays Cy Falls for the district championship as both will likely be undefeated in district play. Not only are these the two toughest teams in the district, it's possible both could make the Regional Final 4, after all last seasons second place Woods upset Bellaire in the Sweet 16 and almost pulled a double whammy losing to eventual R-3 winner Elsik 60-54 in the Elite 8. These two teams will be 1 and 2, that's a given however what happens with the next two playoff spots is still, well up in the air

Right now, Cy Ranch is 5-2 and in third place while Cy Creek is right behind them at 4-3. Then you four teams at 3-4, Langham Creek, Cy Fair, Cy Ridge and Cy Springs, all fighting for a playoff spot. Things will change tonight as some of those fighting go head to head like Langham Creek hosting Cy Springs. Another game of interest has Cy Fair on the road against Cy Ranch, the Bobcats defeated Cy Ranch 35-34 the first time around to give them one of their two losses, the other was to Cy Falls

Galveston Ball's Caroline Spagnola Tops Mark

2012-01-19T19:36:00.000-06:00

I enjoy talking basketball with people who know and understand the game and I remember having a conversation with the late Ball High Coach David Jones about a middle school ballplayer that would be attending Ball and how well she could shoot the three. Coach Jones and I agreed that Caroline Spagnola would probably wind up being the all time three point shooter along with setting other marks before she graduated. In case you don't know about Coach Jones, he was an assistant at University of Houston and his daughter, Chandi, was an All American who later played in the WNBA, not to mention she is the Cougars all time leading scorer

Coach Jones never got a chance to coach Spagnola however I still recall the many conversations we had and how a lot of this stuff has played out. Spagnola went over the 1000 career point mark and has made over 170 three pointers, which is even more remarkable since she wasn't moved up to varsity until the second half of district play during her freshman season. I wrote a story on her performance against Wheatley a few weeks ago and even though Ball won't make the playoffs this season, Spagnola has helped them compete.

STORY

Seven Lakes and Inman In Charge of Destiny

2012-01-19T13:52:00.002-06:00

High flying 2013 Top 100 candidate Christen Inman has done some spectacular individual things over her three seasons at Seven Lakes as I mentioned in my GPR story on her from last week. Friday night, there will be another showdown for 1st place in district as Cinco Ranch invades the Spartans home-court. The Cougars are a game behind, losing the first time to Seven Lakes at home 46-34. Inman led the charge with 17 points and their "Big Three" of Inman, Jade Johnson and Sydney Buchel accounted for 42 of the 46 points. That in itself tells you a lot and to count Cinco out after their performance against Katy Taylor would be "BUSH" to say the least

Can Cinco win? Certain things have to happen, Megan Palmer has to go off, the other starters have to be consistent and the bench play has to be as productive as they were against Taylor. Sydney Thomas provided a much needed spark off the bench with some spectacular plays that got her teammates and their fans "crunk" however if the Cougars come out flat, this could get ugly.

The Secret Is Out

2012-01-19T12:51:00.000-06:00

I saw Victoria Kemokai when she was only a 7th grader in a middle school tournament and although the competition wasn't extremely competitive, certain things this young lady could do at that age put her ahead of the curve. I told her dad if she played for me, she would know longer be a secret because she was ready for center stage. Fast forward to her junior year, she is still somewhat under the radar however after her performance during an almost injury free season, she will be one sought after this summer. Two of the sayings I use frequently tie into this young lady and "the game starts at the one" fits her to a tee. Not only can she take a game completely over, she makes players around her better

This is apparent as she has led her team into a position to win their first district title after knocking off Hightower 47-42 on Tuesday night in one of my "Showdown" games. The other saying I love, "it's not what you do, it's who you do it against" fits in perfectly as Bush avenges a 20 point loss to #canenation in the FBISD Tournament. Winning this game against the team with most dominant post in the Texas Class of 2012, Tyler Gilbert, speaks volumes. How far can they go? That remains to be seen as they, like many others in the past and present have shown, only have to be the best team that game!

Fighting The Hawk

2012-01-18T06:33:00.000-06:00

Before I left Houston I checked the weather and I knew it was going t be cold in the Dallas area so I came somewhat prepared for the "Hawk". Arlington Seguin was on the road to play Mansfield Summit and they had to be prepared for a different "HAWK", Maya Hawkins one of the 2013 Texas Top 100 players I'll be interjecting business with road trips to reevaluate for the pre-exposure event rankings for the 2013 class

How valuable is Hawkins to the team? In the first quarter they were down 3-0 before she effortlessly went coast to coast for their first score. She picked up her second foul in the first quarter and sat until the third, so for the 12 minutes she was out, Summit scored 13 points

Ashley Eli helped keep it together while Hawkins was out of the game however the energy on both ends of the court the feisty point guard brings is what makes this club go, I think I heard somewhere the game starts at the one. Hawkins started the third and fourth quarters just like she did in the first and that's with a bucket but her mere presence on the floor is something they will need if they want to be a contender for the 4A State Championship, like they looked defeating The Woodland in the Texas Invitational

Class of 2015 Has A Bit Of Everything

2012-01-16T08:29:00.002-06:00

Without taking the time to watch a lot of JV basketball, it would be hard for anyone to tell me Brittany Scott isn't one of top 5 players in the city playing JV. This Spring freshman isn't starting on varsity due to transfer rules but trust me, she will be making some noise next season

I thought noise would have been made this season at Spring until I found out Scott wasn't on varsity but Bernesha Peters has made the transition from a middle to high school player despite being a shade under 5'0. The lightning quick guard will have not only Scott, but 2015 Brittany Peters as well as I look for the "Killer Bees" to help Spring make a legitimate run at a playoff spot next season

Brynae Thompson has sometimes looked simply sensational however the adjustment at times have hit bumps due to several reasons at Jersey Village. What I do know is she is a next level player who will only grow from this seasons experiences and next season Jersey Village may do some damage

Anacia Wilkinson has been a pleasant surprise for Atascocita and the difference in her play at the Sandra Meadows Classic to last weeks College Park match-up shows this 6'0 is going to be nice. Several times I saw her grab a rebound and finish on the other end for a lay-up, ala "Akeem The Dream". This dream isn't over as "The Taz" feel they are still in the hunt. For my early Fantastic Four, click the link below

More from the Class of 2015

Area Unsigned "Best of the Rest"

2012-01-15T08:23:00.003-06:00

Before Brianna Turner and Jordan Hosey came to Manvel, Jade Castille made a lasting impression as she led the Mavericks to their first area Final 4 last season putting on several offensive shows in the process. Bothered by injuries throughout the summer and the early part of this season, she is back on the attack. She also heads the list of the "Unsigned Best of the Rest" next level players. Coaches for more on who is left and to subscribe to my service, click on the link below

BEST OF THE REST

Tuesday Showdowns

2012-01-15T06:55:00.000-06:00

Hightower is having a solid season when you look at everything they have gone through with injuries. They finished in the Final 4 in one area major while finishing 6th in the MAJOR of majors and now they are on course to win district, that is if they can get by Bush on Tuesday. Both teams are undefeated and this one is for the title

Bellaire has also had it's share of injuries this season and there seniors definitely feel like they can go out with a bang which might be a great word to use since they play Westside to see who will take sole possession of first place in what will probably be a physical match-up

St. Pius holds off St. Agnes

2012-01-14T15:41:00.001-06:00

In a game I almost decided to not go to, I'm glad I actually bit the bullet because this one had everything you wanted. After a sluggish start by both teams, I've been saying that a lot lately, the first quarter ended tied at 9 but things picked up somewhat in the second quarter as Rhea Levy and Brittany Stepanski caught fire for Panthers, which was a good thing since Michelle Nwokedi was near a double-double at the half

Already regarded as one of the top players from the Class of 2014, add top shot blocker in the area and I imagine the area record will fall before it's all said and done, maybe the national record. What the 6'2 Nwokedi can do is score on a variety of ways and her three pointer with a minute remaining in the game cut the St. Pius lead down to two, 39-37. Late heroics by Jewel Angelo who nailed 4 free throws down the stretch sealed the victory 43-39

Nwokedi finished with 17 points and at least 12 blocks for St. Agnes while Stepanski led St. Pius with 15 points followed by Rhea Levy who added 13.St. Pius now has a one game lead in district over St. Agnes but the Panthers have to play them again on the road in February

GPR Unsigned D1 list updated

2012-01-14T11:22:00.000-06:00

Rachel "Queen" Arthur has shown she can score whether she has a cold or not and is among the top unsigned D1 area players left. I've updated the information on 20 players I feel that are capable of playing at a D1 school and on tomorrow, the areas "Best of the Rest" next level players will be updated

GPR SCOUTING SERVICE

Atascocita Too Strong For College Park

2012-01-14T05:21:00.001-06:00

Atascocita's Rachel Arthur has been on a torrid scoring streak over the last month and she continued that shooting exhibition against College Park in which scored 8 of her 15 points in the opening period, this included 2 threes. Curtyce Knox came back from an ACL injury after only 5 months and I thought she was close to 75% in the Sandra Meadows Classic, well now she appears to be a little over 80% as the acrobatics and speed are showing little signs of a letdown.

Knox put on an exhibition of her own mostly in the second half and finished with 20. Lauren Price, the third of "The Taz" Big Three kind of filled in between as she finished the game with close to a double-double while joining Arthur and Knox by hitting a three herself.

What does this mean? Well it depends on how you look at it and as far as district, to be honest I've already given the title to The Woodlands however 6'0 freshman Anacia Wilkinson showed quite a jump from what I saw a month ago.

Using the phrase "you can't teach height" which only applies on the girls' side if you actually utilize your ability, Wilkinson is going to be a player before it's all said and done and for them to even think about having a chance to beat the Highlanders the next time around, this young lady will have to play big against Kelsey Lang, well the "Big Three" will all have to go off as well

Alexia Standish dropped 25 for College Park who have been plagued all season by the loss of Megan Shafer to Rice and the loss of a couple transfers. At times they have looked really good but when your post, Armani Asberry, doesn't start and plays sparingly because of a virus, you have to face reality but nevertheless they put a up a solid fight and never quit. More than likely this was for positions 2 and 3 in the playoffs but I didn't expect The Woodlands to beat Atascocita last year, so.................

Foster's Featheree Makes Big Jump On GPR Scouting Service

2012-01-13T10:47:00.000-06:00

The area unsigned senior list has been updated with 20 potential D1 players remaining along with a host of next level players. Over the weekend, I will re-rank my 2013 players for not only the area but the state as well. Making the biggest jump has been Lexi Featheree of Foster who has solidified her self as not just a next level player but a definite D1 player who will be ready to step right in.

Legends Legacy Safe at La Marque

2012-01-13T09:36:00.001-06:00

There aren't too many kids that separated themselves from others at every level during the transitional years, by that I mean elementary school, middle school and high school. To break it down so you can truly understand what I mean is do you remember seeing kids at young ages doing things that others couldn't do yet faded away after early stardom was placed upon them? More times than not this was due to younger players having better skills or athleticism and more times than not a lot of them panned out or reach their peaks.

I saw greatness in Jesseika Palmer and I knew she had can't miss all over her, simply because she had speed, size, could shoot from anywhere and was not only athletic but acrobatic as well and on the female side, well, you've a whole lot to work with in that package. Two years ago, La Marque made they 4A Regional Final 4 and tonight they face soon to be district champion Manvel who beat them by a lot the first time around

Manvel is only the start and even though the Cougars are only a game behind, they are also a game ahead of Cy Falls and Friendswood, so positioning themselves in the playoffs to make a run is oh so important. Averaging over 20 ppg for the season, the University of Houston signee would be starting there right now, she's that good. After initially committing to UTA, she felt she wanted to stay closer to home and with the class they have recruited, I'm probably a little tickled myself

Kelsey Lang Standing Tall

2012-01-12T17:45:00.001-06:00

There have been times when Kelsey Lang has looked like a legitimate Top 100 player. She has been solid throughout the season and is ready to take The Woodlands deep in the playoffs. Already on many college recruiters short list, the 6'4 has shown she can be dominant in the paint on both ends. If she continues that dominance throughout the playoffs, a state run may be more than an afterthought. I've called the Highlanders all sorts of names this season, such as the Rodney Dangerfield of Texas Girl's Basketball however they may have a little something in common with Jay Z before it's all said and done

GPR

Best of 2014

2012-01-12T12:18:00.001-06:00

Unlike this picture, Brianna Turner is behind no one as she has her sights set on taking Manvel further than last seasons Final 4 appearance. She's also the top area player for the Class of 2014 and I'm sure you won't be surprised by "the one I've chosen" at #2

GPR

GPR Friday Night Game

2012-01-12T05:15:00.000-06:00

Rachel Arthur has been on a tear as Atascocita is still working on their chemistry since the return of Curtyce Knox. The Taz hosts College Park on Friday in a very important match-up because both teams have one loss in district play and want to stay withing striking distance of The Woodlands who are undefeated. Alexia Sanders has put up big numbers in many games for CP so this game should be interesting

Tulane @ Rice

2012-01-12T05:09:00.000-06:00

Rice, coming off a big win against SMU on Sunday. host Tulane tonight. Both teams are 1-1 in C-USA play

Duncanville Coach Reaches Milestone

2012-01-11T17:22:00.002-06:00

I have met so many fine people over the years and Coach Cathy Self-Morgan is right there among those at the top of the list. Last night she won game number 900 and to be honest, this season may also be the one that Duncanville wins another state championship. Congratulations Coach Self Morgan!!!!!!!

STORY

Fort Bend Showdown Approaching

2012-01-11T05:19:00.000-06:00

Social networking has made it so simple to keep up with the action while attending other games. When I saw the tweet from @FtBendSports showing that the Clements vs Bush game was 13-9 at the half, I knew it was a typo. It wasn't and in a shocking turn of events, Bush went to work and finished with 9 threes and a 42-28 victory

This sets the stage for next Tuesday's match-up between Bush and Hightower at Hopson. Both teams are undefeated after Hightower handled Fort Bend Austin with ease, 55-40 after FBA's 40 point victory on Saturday. Tyler Gilbert scored 20 points and continues her dominance in the paint while solidifying her legacy as one of the top posts to ever play in the area

Unsigned Trio Lead Elsik To Victory

2012-01-11T03:52:00.000-06:00

AKUNNA ELONU & JASMINE OCANAS

Houston has several players available capable of playing at the next level and what I've done is compile a list of the unsigned seniors that can do just that. Last night, our defending R3 representative from last season, Elsik, three unsigned seniors led a balanced scoring attack in leading them to victory. Crystal Porter (23), Jasmine Ocanas (20) and Akunna Elonu (19) have never lost a district game in their four years on varsity, that's not going to change and they are definitely sending a message to not underestimate, I see you, in this years quest for a return trip to Austin

CRYSTAL PORTER

Goodwin Goes Off

2012-01-11T03:36:00.000-06:00

Loryn Goodwin has paid huge dividends for Cy Falls this season as they are on course for another 30 plus win season. Sometimes players get in a zone and for her last night was just one of those nights as she erupted for 34 points in less than half the game and help the Eagles move to 24-2 on the season. Their only losses have been by single digits to Duncanville and Dekaney.

Hamilton Breaks 2K Mark

2012-01-10T20:48:00.000-06:00

Veja Hamilton has passed another milestone at Klein Collins. Already their all time leading scorer, she surpassed the 2000 point plateau by scoring 21 in their 52-40 win over Tomball. Now she has, get this, 2012 points for her career. Congratulations!

Klein Oaks Grounds Eagles

2012-01-10T20:36:00.000-06:00

I wrote earlier today that the four losses Klein Forest had on the season had come against teams ranked ahead of them. That has changed as Klein Oak beats them 55-37 at KF. This was one of the games that was loaded with bad shooting and turnovers from both teams however Oak took advantage of the boards and their role players stepped up big.

Ekiyah Gray was the Eagles primary offensive threat as she finished with 20 points, this includes four threes in the first half. Dejanai Vallier and Sasha Cedeno got the Panthers going early and through the first half while Ana Dominguez came on strong the second half.

Big baskets by Alicia Scott and Nicolette Erkman shot daggers through any mini-run the Eagles attempted to start as they scored only 11 points in the second half, 4 in the final period. Vallier and Dominguez led Oak with 13 each

Area Unsigned Senior List and Rankings

2012-01-10T15:56:00.000-06:00

Coming tomorrow, the unsigned senior list and updated player profiles will be out tomorrow, followed by updated rankings for each class throughout week. Coaches, please check your inbox!!!!

Uh Oh-The Future-Nyah Green

2012-01-10T11:53:00.001-06:00

This young lady working out with Moriah Jefferson isn't even in "MIDDLE SCHOOL" yet the proof is in the pudding and expect her to be, well, you tell me!

Don't Snooze On Seven Lakes

2012-01-10T11:41:00.003-06:00

Some people snickered and tried to poke fun at me because Seven Lakes didn't go as far as I predicted when I called them a sleeper last season. Whenever something like that happens, I usually respond in different ways than most would and the analogy I used was their top player was plagued by injuries all season and just imagine how much you wouldn't know if I broke my arms. It may not be the best comparison because my jumping ability diminished quite a few pounds ago but Seven Lakes is healthy and ready to do some damage. Jumping out of the gym is not a problem for Christen Inman, one of the top players in the country, and her supporting cast of Jade Johnson (UTA) and Sydney Buchel have as good of a chance as anyone else to get out of here. How good is Inman? Check out the story

Klein Forest Looks For Breathing Room

2012-01-10T02:33:00.000-06:00

Klein Forest started last season with hope as a group of talented freshmen came on campus. These young ladies helped the Eagles do something they were mot known for, make the playoffs. The nucleus of that squad remains intact however the loss of post Keylantra Taylor to Dillard has apparently been taken care of as they have made the adjustment and have lost only 4 games all season. Ranked #11 in my RCS Pre-season poll, all of their losses have been to teams ranked higher, Cy Falls, Klein Collins and Dekaney twice. Today, they find themselves 2 games behind Dekaney in district as they host Klein Oaks

Fort Bend Austin Faces BIG Challenge Today

2012-01-10T02:18:00.000-06:00

If yesterday's ugly weather and downpour was any indication, FBA might be in trouble today against the Hightower Hurricanes and their twin towers of Tyler Gilbert (Houston) and Jasmine Prophett (McNeese State).

The Bulldogs have had their moments and to be honest, it would not surprise if they make this a game, simply because of Nicole Blaskowsky (Iowa State) who can fill it up at will. FBA is only a game behind Hightower for 1st place and a Hurricane win would give them some breathing room

Ozen On Pace To Repeat

2012-01-10T02:04:00.000-06:00

Historically any 4A team that wanted to have aspirations of winning R3 had to be able to compete with 5A teams and lot's of wins really didn't mean much to me. A perfect example is Yates and all of the hoopla surrounding the girls and boys teams being undefeated a few years ago. The boys were legit, having knocked off many of the top teams in not only the city and state but the country however the girls had not beaten any of the top squads and one more time, it's not what you do it's who you do it against. That was not good journalism however it was a story because both teams were undefeated and you really didn't have to put a lot of thought into it

Beaumont Ozen is undefeated (21-0) and sitting at No. 1 on the TABC Top 25 and the difference in their being defeated is one of those wins has come against Clear Springs, one of the top 5A teams in the state. Ozen is looking to make a return trip to Austin however a couple of area contenders, Manvel and Barbers Hill might have an outside chance to knock them off

Boasting one of the areas top guards, Asia Booker and juniors, Nekia "SHOWTIME" Jones, it will be interesting to see if the Panthers pick-up right where they left off a year ago

MDAA-Houston History

2012-01-09T05:06:00.001-06:00

In due time, we will find out which 24 young ladies from across the country made the McDonald All American team. Courtney Williams is ranked in the Top 10 on everyone's list of relevance and should be a no-brainer.

Several players from Houston have made it over the years however it's not always about being the best player, I know that for a fact and several things play huge parts in the selections. I actually did a story few months ago on percentages

Despite a lot of erroneous information floating around on sites, here's the actual breakdown on who played where to get seen

2002-Nina Norman from Jersey Village was our first, she starred at Texas and played overseas. One of the best guards to ever play in the area

2007-Stephanie Gilbreath (Cinco Ranch) played for West Coast Elite with the Paris twins and initially got on the map prior to her freshman season. She played all of her exposure events with that team and this where she was seen. At USC, she has been plagued by ACL injuries which hindered a promising career

2008-Nneka Ogwumike was still in middle school when I boasted on boards coast to coast she was the best post in the city. She played with Cy Fair Shock her entire career and helped lead Cy Fair to a state title. Now at Stanford, she is a consensus All American who will go no lower than third in this years WNBA draft

Brianna Gilbreath - Also got on the map with West Coast Elite and like her sister, played every exposure event with that program. She's has had a solid career at USC

2009-The year of the BIGS

Brittney Griner (Baylor) left a Houston team to play with DFW Elite which created a lot of buzz. She was already known on Youtube.com for her dunking ability however her major events were played in a DFW uniform where she was seen up close and personal

Kelsey Bone (Texas A&M) Joined Gilbreath's on West Coast Elite where she was ranked either 1 or 2 in the country

2010-Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford) won two state titles with Cy Fair and also played her entire club ball with the Shock. She is one of few players that was named to four All Tournament teams in state.

2011-Amber Orrange (Stanford) transferred from Dulles and helped Westbury Christian win three private school titles. She played her high school ball with Houston Heat, now known as DFW Washington

Cassie Peoples (Texas) transferred from Florida to Cy Fair where she was already ranked as one of the top 20 players in the country before actually joining the Shock. She and Chiney teamed up to win a state title

Here's a little trivia that only a GURU would think of. The 2009 State Final Four had three area MDAA players. Brittney Griner from Nimitz and Chiney Ogwumike and Cassie Peoples from Cy Fair

Rice Edges SMU

2012-01-08T19:21:00.002-06:00

This was by far one of the best college games I've seen this season and the smallest player on the court came up big. 5'0 D'Franz Smart was honored for an assist mark prior to the game, see kids, height isn't a deterrent and she scored a season high 15 points

If you want a breakdown, you're looking at the wrong spot because I went for the action and to see people I hadn't seen in years, but here's a link

Kristin Hernandez starred at Duncanville HS, played with my daughter in a high school all star game and beat her in another when she knocked down a 45 footer at the buzzer. Today, she hit a 35 footer at the buzzer to extend SMU's lead at the half 32-28, one of her two threes. She was one of the original "big guards" that could score at will

Akil Simpson was a freshman at Duncanville and on the same team with Hernandez when we played them for the Sandra Meadows Championship. Always a very sweet young lady, today she dived into the press table for a loss ball and knocked it back on me and took the time to say excuse me

Kristin Askew starred at Mansfield Timberview and is still an energetic point guard that makes things happen. Her dad, Corey, and I go way back and he's the director of the powerhouse DFW Elite program

Samantha Mahnesmith (Kennedale) was one of the best long range shooters to ever play in Texas.

6'3 Heidi Brandenburg is from Garland and transferred from Missouri is one of the best outside shooters at that size I have seen

Mansfield's Alisha Filmore was on fire in the first half, scoring 10 of her 12 points which led SMU

Sophomore sensation Jessica Kuster led Rice with 16 points and like Filmore, 10 of those came in the first half

One future star I won't name do to excessive recruiting by area club coaches along with several other area players were in attendance, including three of the hottest prospects from the Class of 2013

CHRISTIN INMAN (SEVEN LAKES)

COURTNEY LATHAM (CLEAR SPRINGS)

MAYA HAWKINS (MANSFIELD SUMMIT)

District 23-5A Triple-header Answers Some Questions

2012-01-07T22:29:00.002-06:00

Fort Bend Elkins came into their game against Dulles tied with Fort Bend Austin for third place and both having a game lead over contenders Dulles and Clements. Tonight, Elkins finds themselves in a three way tie in the loss column with Austin and Clements, all three behind Hightower and Bush who are undefeated in district. If the phrase "saving the best for last" ever need to be applied, this game was the best of the three as the first two were blowouts

That phrase also applies to the last quarter as Elkins outscored Dulles 16-8 to win the game 50-46. K'Vonna Johnson led Elkins with 14 points followed by Dynay John with 11 and Alicia Cooper with 10. Dulles was led by Brittany Mbamalu's 18 while Sandra Coker added 11

Also, a special s/o to Kiana Ingram who put up numbers in a losing effort, scoring 19 against Bush.

Speaking of Bush, they've already knocked off Austin so can they get Hightower? That remains to be scene if they or anyone else can on GPR

The firepower from Danesha Richardson and Crystal Chidomere to help Victoria Kemokai on offense must be there

Their inside presence must be felt to offset Tyler Gilbert and Jasmine Prophet who are capable of combing for over 50

Not to mention the spark from the bench led by Trachel Phillips and Samaria Kemokai, plus everyone has to be healthy

Sandra Meadows-Bishop Lynch

2012-01-07T05:18:00.000-06:00

Bishop Lynch has been a private school powerhouse over the years having won several state championships. My first look at one of their teams was back in 2006 when my daughters team, Westside, played them in this very tournament. Lynch was led by Maryann Baker who, like my daughter, had signed with Texas A&M . They became roommates, best friends and 4 years later National Champions and you wouldn't have perceived one of those three from that initial match-up

I had seen 6'4 Ashley Hearn walking around with 6'7 Tiara "Big Tee" McCowan, both are 2015's, over the summer however I had never seen her play. Too be honest, I didn't see that much of her in the Sandra Meadows Classic but when you're a "GURU" and the player is 6'4 with minor flaws that can be tweaked, you know before it's all said and done the, sidelines will be filled with colleges recruiting this young lady, she has the ability to do some big things no matter who the competition may be

Fort Bend Tripleheader

2012-01-07T05:00:00.001-06:00

You may remember I've written on occasions that District 23 has historically been one of the toughest in R3 often seeding multiple teams to the E8 and F4 ever since I can remember. Today at Wheeler, I will have a chance to see 4 of the top 5 teams starting off with Bush, featuring Victoria Kemokai who has been on a tear this season, playing against Kempner and Kiana Ingram at 1pm, Bush is tied with Hightower at 3-0 for first place

Fort Bend Austin goes against Travis in game two at 2:30. FBA has Iowa State signee Nicole Blaskowsky and is tied for 3rd with Clements and Elkins at 2-1. That game is followed by Elkins against Dulles at 4pm. Dulles is only a game behind the three with a 1-2 district record

Turner Closes-Opens Year With A Bang

2012-01-06T22:18:00.001-06:00

Brianna Turner, Jordan Hosey and Ashlin Arnold were all named to the Alvin All Tournament team after Manvel won it all. Turner and Hosey combined for 35 points in their win against Friendswood on Tuesday and tonight Turner goes off for 37 against Ridgepoint. I know I always say it's not what you do it's who you do it against but she's the deal and is making a run at best in the city

Cinco Pulls Off Upset

2012-01-06T21:46:00.011-06:00

Cinco Ranch faced Katy Taylor tonight after coming off a big win against Sam Rayburn following a disappointing showing in the Sandra Meadows Classic. Taylor was still ranked in the TABC Top 25 and was tied with Seven Lakes for first place in district. Cinco Ranch was in third place after losing once already to Seven Lakes, a team they have to face again. The game started off physical and sloppy and was marred by turnovers in a very low scoring first quarter capped by a Shayne Ortiz three pointer which gave the Cougars a 9-4 lead after one.

Sydney Thomas came off the bench to score on an amazing drive to the basket finishing with her left hand in traffic to offset a 4-0 run by the Mustangs but at the half the Cougars maintained their 5 point lead 21-16. Logan Johnson and Kendall Covington had 4 points each for the Mustangs while Angie Moore and Christy Williams had 5 and Thomas added 4.

Ortiz opened the third quarter with her second three and that was probably an omen as Cinco started a 14-7 run and ended the quarter leading 40-27. Much off the offensive damage came from Jaylon McClure who had 7 points in the quarter including a three at the buzzer. Katy Taylor has not shot the ball well this season and the ironic part is that have good shooters and even though they scored only 5 points in the final period, I’m still not counting them out as they fall 48-32 and are tied with Cinco for second place. Amira Jenkins led Taylor with 7 points while McClure and Williams each scored 9.

Taylor Lewis Rocking The Rock At Central

2012-01-06T15:33:00.000-06:00

Taylor Lewis caught my eye on the court with her play in the BOB. and blew me away with her intellect off of it. This kid is heavy and I'm not just saying because today's her birthday. This young lady is going to do big things beyond basketball, trust me and her knowledge of her game coupled with her ability on the court has her on path to the next level

Not only was she one of the the key players on New Life's 2012 team, this 2014 player has continued playing outstanding for her high school, Central and was named MVP of the game in their semifinal game in the McDonald's Invitational that was held in Paragould, AR back in early December. This was also their last series of games before the Christmas break

Not only was she MVP in that semifinal game, she also made the All Tournament team. Happy Birthday Taylor!

Mansfield Rotary-Steele This!

2012-01-06T13:55:00.000-06:00

#15 KYRA LAMBERT

Megan Simmons is doing her thing at Tennessee however before she went on center stage, she was doing it for Cibolo Steele. Not only is Simmons not the last great guard, the Lady Knights have one of the best young back-courts in the state with sophomore McKenzie Calvert, who committed to Baylor while she was in middle school, yes middle school and freshman phenom Kyra Lambert

McKENZIE CALVERT

This team is suffering to growing pains however don't be surprised if together a run in the playoffs, you just never know

Mansfield Rotary-North Crowley Overcomes Early Loss

2012-01-06T13:48:00.000-06:00

North Crowley's Chelsea Jennings is a fighter on the court and with a coveted big guard college ready body, 5'10, she should have no problem at Texas A&M. Let me back up a minute, over the summer this young lady was banged around, even played with a broken nose. That mentality will go a long way at the next level just as it did when she helped DFW T-Jack win both the Basketball On The Bayou and Nike Nationals. After losing their first game by a couple of threes, Jennings led North Crowley to the Mansfield Rotary Consolation Championship and was named all-tournament

Mansfield Rotary-Har-ber No Illusions

2012-01-06T12:21:00.002-06:00

TAYLEAH NEAL JESSICA OLSON & ASHLEY GRAY

Four teams came to Texas from Arkansas to play in the area Metroplex tournaments and although the Razorback State may not be as big as the Lone Star State, their squads proved they can play with the big girls.

HAR-BERS SUMMER MORGAN #21

Har-ber finished 8th in the Mansfield Rotary losing to Summit in that game however they took runner-up Mansfield Timberview to the wire losing 53-52. Caroline Eubanks was named to the Mansfield Rotary All Tournament team

CAYLEE WRIGHT #20

Johnson Recovers In Little Rock

2012-01-06T10:15:00.002-06:00

I can't tell you how many new people I met during Texas A&M's championship run because of social networking and it's always good to put a face with a name. One parent in particular told me I needed to check out their squad, New Life, because of the talented players they had. I had already heard about the program after they took T-Jack to the wire in the "Metroplexes" Big Flava Jam, so of course I wanted to see as much and as many as possible

New Life brought down a couple of teams and one player on their 15u team simply caught my eye, Anisha Johnson. Johnson was blowing by people left and right and sporting the knee brace to boot which also let me know there had been some type of injury, that seems to be theme of today's stories. Summer is over and school ball heads into part two, district play. Johnson has helped carry the load at Little Rock Robinson, leading the team in almost every statistic and still showing the knee is healthy

Sandra Meadows-Ingram Becomes Leader On & Off Court

2012-01-06T09:48:00.000-06:00

When I saw Kiana Ingram and Alex Laparoyle play as freshmen at Kempner, I figured this would be the season that would make them legitimate contenders for a playoff spot after watching them play since before they were teenagers and this would be their junior year. When I saw them last season, I noticed Anita Kaduru going completely off and I figured they could not only make the playoffs, but possible come up with a couple of wins. No one was talking about Kaduru however she could play and that's one of the main reasons I started my own service, but again I have an eye for talent. This season has been somewhat of a nightmare, Kaduru late last season tore her ACL and just came back, while Laparoyle moved over to Foster, so much of the load fell upon the soft spoken Ingram, well that is until I saw them play. Kiana has emerged as a vocal leader and a legitimate scoring threat, leading the team in scoring during Sandra Meadows. Will they make playoffs? Probably not, but you just never know.

Sandra Meadows-Westside's King Becomes Queen

2012-01-06T09:35:00.000-06:00

Westside has battled Madison and Bellaire for first place in district for almost 10 seasons, winning it twice and finishing second 6 times, which is somewhat impressive. Coach Troy Gillespie took over the job during my daughters junior year and with those back to back 30 plus wins, he joined an elite crew of coaches who won over 100 games their first four seasons. This was a rebuilding year, especially since losing Tiffany Davis (South Carolina) to Westbury Christian where she is averaging almost half of the teams points. This has placed a big dent in the scoring for the Wolves however Jasmine King has been on tear recently and in the Sandra Meadows Classic, she was teams leading scorer. This hard as nails, never complaining junior has had it rough her first two seasons, only playing sparingly due to injuries. Not knowing if she wanted to even continue playing ball, she has been one of the bright spots for the team and is leading or among the top in several categories. Westside became the first school from the area, well from this part of the state, to win Sandra Meadows back in 2007, Bellaire and Hightower have since followed.

Sandra Meadows-Cinco Ready To Regroup Against Taylor

2012-01-06T08:54:00.000-06:00

SYDNEY TOMAS

I've done so many stories about injuries since I started doing this and the sad part about is that it effects who does what, but hey, that's part of the game. Cinco Ranch hosts Katy Taylor tonight and both teams want a win badly, simply because Seven Lakes is on a mission to win district, something I projected them to do however Top 100 candidate, Kristin Inman was bothered by injuries and, well you see where this is going. Taylor, who won district last season is tied for first place with 7L, while Cinco is a game back of both. Tonight's opponents have both seen their share of injuries and it will be interesting to see how it plays out

MEGAN PALMER

Cinco didn't do well in the Sandra Meadows Classic, going 1-2, however they appear to be ready for battle. Rice signee Megan Palmer averaged almost a double-double while sophomore Sydney Thomas was a shade under 9 ppg for the tournament

Area College Teams Fall

2012-01-06T03:37:00.000-06:00

It's been a tough year for Rice, Houston, HBU and TSU so far this season in trying to put some wins together. The sad part is all have been plagued by injuries to key players on multiple occasions, not to mention all are somewhat rebuilding. HBU was the only team that didn't play last night, the others lost but as the losses continue pile up, the bright spot is that all have talented young players who will only get better

Sandra Meadows-Juniors Erupt In Flower Mound-College Park Battle

2012-01-05T12:34:00.000-06:00

ASHLEY DREARY

I've seen Ashley Dreary's dad around the circuit for a few years, always talked when we had a chance however I had no idea who his daughter was, yes I'm a friendly guy who doesn't run in in parents faces only when I find out they have talented kids and believe me he definitely has one. Dreary went completely off during the first half of their game against College Park as she and the Lady Cavaliers Alexia Sanders, both juniors, led their teams with 15 each as College Park held a narrow 35-34 lead.

Sanders is a scoring machine, she dropped 37 night before last and her athleticism is second to few in this area. Both players scored 10 points in the second half however Dreary did her damage in the final quarter scoring 8 as the Lady Jaguars wound up winning going away 72-56

Dreary had some help in scoring from senior Nicole Smallwood who finished with 18 while Elaine Hurtado added 11 for College Park

Sandra Meadows-Bellaire Hopes To Be Healthy For Run

2012-01-05T10:03:00.000-06:00

BIANCA WINSLOW

Since 2005 Bellaire has seen a lot of their former players move on to the next level, in fact they have more next level players than any other school in the area during that span. With 3 signed seniors on their roster this year, along with one of the top point guards in the country, it would be safe to assume they have the nucleus to get out of Region 3

LULU MCKINNEY

Here's the problem, this season has had the Cardinals looking like a MASH unit at times since at least four key players have been hurt at one time or another. Bianca Winslow (Houston) and Lulu McKinney both got hurt during the Texas Invitaional, while Brianne Jolivet was walking around in a boot during the Sandra Meadows Classic

All Tournament selection AJ Alix has had a boot on as well, first during the fall season and at various times throughout the year however when healthy, few are as gifted and remember this is the same kid who as a freshman scored over 100 points in the Elite 8 along with the two games in the Regional Final 4, including 40 in the regional fianls

Raven Burns (Texas State) and Regina Harris (Concordia) have escaped the injury bug for the most part. Burns, already one of the primary offensive threats, relished in the opportunity to take up the scoring slack while the others were out. After losing their first game, former Sandra Meadows Champion Bellaire caught fire and won the consolation round and if they stay healthy, don't count the Cardiac Kids out

Sandra Meadows- Desoto Wins Silver In Another Major

2012-01-05T09:02:00.001-06:00

Before the season, I called the back-court tandem of Jordan Jones (Texas A&M) and Bryce Owens ( New Mexico) one of the best in the state. This had nothing to do with Jones becoming an Aggie or Owens playing for me in the summer, GPR is a no spin zone and if I say it, that's what I believe and more times than not, I'm right. Much more! After a second round loss to Plano West, the Lady Eagles got back on track to capture the Silver in the Sandra Meadows Classic, something they also pulled off in the Texas Invitational

Looking at who they've lost to, Plano West, Duncanville and Cedar Hill prior to the injury to Alecia Smith, all three are contenders in Region 1. They also lost to Cy Falls, one of the teams to beat in Region 3, while defeating one of the top teams in Region 2, The Woodlands, which happens to be their region. Pflugerville, Dekaney, The Woodlands and Desoto are four of the top teams that I've seen in the region

Should Desoto and Dekaney win their districts, they would be on a collision course to meet in the R2 semifinals and there's a good possibility that could happen providing both teams stay healthy. Oh, back to Jones and Owens, both were named to the Sandra Meadows All Tournament team and I think they have their sights set on going out with a bang

Sandra Meadows-Temple's Chapel Still Growing

2012-01-05T04:43:00.001-06:00

KETARA CHAPEL

After watching Temple play last season in the HISD Tournament, I dubbed them the "Temple of Doom", this is where sound effects like saying that with heavy bass followed by a BONG would come in handy but nevertheless opponents felt their heavy bass and felt like a BONG had hit their heads after facing their uptempo style of play. Fast forward to this season, they are still a very good team however a major player moved to Houston, Loryn Goodwin, and has helped her new team, Cy Falls, to emerge as one of the early favorites to represent R3 in Austin

RIKEYA JOHNSON

Losing Goodwin was a big blow however Temple is still bringing havoc on the court against opponents and Katera Chapel is a big reason why. I first noticed her a couple of summers ago playing with Austin Elite and as the title says, she has grown, not only in height, where the junior is now a shade above 6'1, but her game as well and by her averaging a double-double during the event, she earned a spot on the Sandra Meadows All Tournament team

There are several talented players on this team in addition to Chapel such as Rikeya Johnson, Jazzmen Ortiz and Alyssa Jones to name a few and their 42-32 loss to state contender Desoto in the finals of the Silver Bracket shows how close they are

Sandra Meadows-Atascocita's Big Three Bringing The Heat

2012-01-05T03:26:00.004-06:00

RACHEL ARTHUR

Atascocita went a respectable 2-2 during the Sandra Meadows Classic, losing their first game to Kennedale and their last to Garland and along the way they received solid numbers from three players that led their team to the R3 Elite 8 as sophomores and a run at a trip to Austin last season.During the tournament this is what they averaged, Rachel Arthur (15.5), Curtyce Knox (13.5) and Lauren Price (8.0)

LAUREN PRICE

Price has shared the offensive load with Arthur throughout the season prior to Knox coming back from an ACL injury, Knox returned around a month ago, so her numbers have gone down a little yet she still is averaging close to a double-double. Several moves around the basket along with steady outside shooting had several college coaches buzzing during the tournament

Arthur had been forced to run the point prior to the return of Knox however that wasn't a bad thing because it showed naysayers she could actually do just that. It's also elevated her stock as a combo guard and she has continued her torrid scoring rampage putting up 19 against Lufkin last night. The ironic part is she's been battling a cold since right before the Sandra Meadows Classic and still has one, so even though she has a cold, she been hot!!!!

CURTYCE KNOX

For obvious reasons, I'm not a fan of players coming back too soon from ACL injuries and I was wondering how Knox would handle it and to be honest she has done quite well. I saw the future Texas A&M Aggie go down hard a couple of times and I cringed just as I did when I used to watch my daughter after her return. Even though Knox is only around 75%, she's still one of the top players in the area and at the end of this Max Preps video, she says her goal is to help her teammates, Arthur and Price, receive scholarships, that shows you how close these young ladies are

TSU Thursday along with U of H

2012-01-04T21:28:00.000-06:00

Big things are coming for Texas Southern Women's Basketball. I can see it developing right before my eyes and you can to, starting with Thursday's game against Southern at 5:30 pm and Saturday's game against Prairie View at 4:30 pm

U of H has had more than their share of injuries this season and have had to go with 8 players most of the season. They host Marshall at 7pm on Thursday also and they too have a bright future in store coming in the next few seasons

Recruiting 101

2012-01-04T13:09:00.001-06:00

Since it's the start of another year, let me break down something that most parents aren't aware of regarding being recruited and getting a scholarship. I did a story over a year ago which showed the percentages and those numbers are somewhat alarming. Let me point out a few things that go into the misconception of what works.

1.SCORING-Colleges are looking for players to fit into their systems and scoring a lot of points does not necessarily equate into being something they are looking for. A few years a go, there was a young lady that led the area in scoring at over 25 ppg, had at least 5 games in which she scored at least 40 and didn't receive any offers

2.EXPOSURE EVENTS-No one is going to give you anything for showing up somewhere, you have to perform and be in the right system to showcase your skills, otherwise you may EXPOSE your weaknesses

3. RECEIVING LETTERS-This is a good thing however it doesn't necessarily mean a lot. Most are form letters sent out in masses, in fact on occasion I have actually received some telling me how well I played and not only do I rarely play, contrary to rumor I'm not even a female

I've met so many parents who are naive and I can't tell you how many have told me North Carolina and LSU were recruiting their daughters who are seniors and never made all anything on sub .500 high school teams. Sometimes you need an advocate and a perfect analogy would be you make the best cake in the county however the Food Network has never heard of you, well consider me sort of like the Alton Brown of girl's basketball.

Seriously to find out more or if you need help, email me at simmie@girlzprepreport.com

Mansfield Rotary-Bowie Outlasts Cabot for 5th place

2012-01-04T12:21:00.000-06:00

TAYLOR HENDERSON

Watching Taylor Washington perform for DFW Elite over the past summers gave me a prelude of what to expect her to be doing for Arlington Bowie. This energetic Henderson State signee is one of those kids that's always active and comes up big at the right time. She and Khala Riley helped the Lady Vols escape a nail-biter in their opening round win against Marcus 48-46 and their lone loss was to runner-up Mansfield Timberview in the Mansfield Rotary Tournament for a 5th place finish

MELISSA WOLFF

Cabot is one of the best teams in Arkansas and they represented their state well, knocking off Mansfield Summit, one of the top teams in the tournament along the way before running into an exciting Amarillo team in the third round for a loss yet rebounding against another top team in the tournament, Cedar Hill. Melissa Wolff caught my eye off the top as a 6 footer who was graceful attacking the hole while also able to knock down the long ball. It was no surprise she had signed with Arkansas and she, along with Bowie's Riley were named to the all tournament team.

GPR

Freshmen Hosey and Thompson Play Huge In District Wins

2012-01-04T10:33:00.002-06:00

Two freshmen led their teams to district wins last night. One team has aspirations of a state title while the other is still trying to find themselves after key injuries all season. Manvel was up only 40-39 against Friendswood early in the 4th period when 2015 Top 100 candidate Jordan Hosey took over and scored 10 of her 20 points for the game to lead the Mavericks to not only their sixth district win without a loss but kept them a game in front of La Marque for first place

Jersey Village has continued to grow since the start of the season, much of the offensive load has fallen on the shoulders of 2015 Brynae Thompson who at times has been simply spectacular while other times suffering through the adjustment period. Last night she helped lead Jersey Village to a 39-31 win over Cy Springs scoring 19 points and more importantly the teams first district win. Even more important than that is they are tied in the loss column for that final playoff spot, so who knows.

ALSO
Jesseika Palmer (La Marque), Brittney Branch (Clear Creek) Alexia Sanders (College Park) and Alea Godfrey (Crosby) all dropped thirty or more last night and let me thank members of the panel for tweeting that!

Sandra Meadows-Another Dream Comes True For Hughes

2012-01-03T11:02:00.001-06:00

Even I couldn't have written a better script for Jamaika Hughes. Let's backtrack a few years to when she was around 6 or 7, that's when I first met her dad Vance. We ran across his team during the Whataburger event, my daughter was heading to the 8th grade while his daughters were on their way to the 7th and 9th grades. Both of these young ladies went on to be accomplished stars and signing with Texas and LSU along the way.

Jamaika wound up being an accomplished track star who didn't know if she wanted to even play basketball in college, I can only imagine the pressure she must have felt being compared to her older sisters but after seeing her play over the summer with her club team coached by her dad, the Dream Team, in the Basketball On The Bayou Tournament, there was no doubt in my mind she was a big time basketball player and on Christmas day, she informed Texas Tech she would be committing and continuing her academic and athletic career as a Red Raider. Right now, this junior sensation has hopes on leading her TABC 3A #2 team Kennedale to state and it might be a good thing to not count her out and since dad already has won a state title with Nicky and Destiny at Waxahachie, this would truly be a storybook finish. Well actually it already is because with less than 5% of high school seniors making it to the next level, Hughes has gone 3 for 3.

Mansfield Rotary-Summit Stumbles Once At Wrong Time

2012-01-03T08:26:00.000-06:00

Mansfield Summit came to Houston and had a successful showing against three of the areas top teams. They defeated The Woodlands (52-50) and lost to Cy Falls (56-48) and Clear Springs (59-52) and prior to losing to Dekaney, both teams were ranked #1 at one time in the area Flash forward to the Mansfield Rotary Tournament where Jasmine Jackson knocked down 14-16 from the line on her way to 23 points in their opener against Trimble Tech however their lone loss in the tournament happened in the next round against Arkansas Cabot (47-29)

That was their only loss in the tournament, they won the next three games and finished in 7th place for the event. Jackson's showing on offense gives them another threat to go along with Ashley Eli (North Carolina State) and Maya Hawkins, who made all tournament and also was spectacular in the Texas Invitational. Ranked #4 by TABC in 4A, Summit reached the Region 1 final last season where they lost to Canon (29-26) and I'm sure they feel they can make it to state this season and if they stay healthy, I kind of have that same feeling.

Sandra Meadows-Gilbert Becomes Category 5 for opponents

2012-01-02T14:41:00.000-06:00

TYLER GILBERT

I remember seeing the Gilbert twins while they were still in middle school. Like most young "bigs", they were raw to say the least but something stood out and you knew once it was all said and done, they would be factors one day, this will continue at the University of Houston for both. An ACL injury to to Taylor has Tyler carrying the load along with Jasmine Prophet and Alana Heard but let the GURU seal it with this. Tyler has joined a list of not too many posts who have absolutely elevated their games to "BEAST" status and dominate from the 5 position out of this area. Send, one, two or even three at her and she usually can take them to the rack with her. Another spectacular effort, this time in the "MECCA" of Texas Girl's High School basketball, earned her yet another all tournament team honor as she helped lead the Hurricanes to a 6th place finish

Sandra Meadows- Don't Count Plano West Out

2012-01-02T13:54:00.002-06:00

Four Plano West players were named to the Sandra Meadows All Tournament team, Devri Owens wasn't however. Although she didn't make it, she is still an all star and will be a huge part in how far the Lady Wolves go in the playoffs. Not since the Nash sisters has Plano West had a legitimate chance to win state, well this season they do and this team clicks on offense with the best of them

Plano West

Sandra Meadows-Future McNeese State Stars Shine

2012-01-02T12:12:00.000-06:00

KEKE VEAL

KIA WILRIDGE

St Thomas More and McNeese State came to Texas with winning on their minds. I've always told folks that there are so many ways to win other than what the scoreboard indicates, some get it, some don't but both came away winners. Mc Neese State led defending National Champion Texas A&M for a good part of their game and only lost by 10 while the only team to beat St. Thomas More in the Sandra Meadows Classic was Duncanville, who not only won it all but may be the best team in Texas.

GPR

Kia Wilridge and Keke Veal will the future back court mates for McNeese State and like the Baggett twins below, they will pay dividends

Sandra Meadows Classic- Little Rock Hall

2012-01-01T15:25:00.000-06:00

Jalisa Cole showed heart and battled baseline to baseline every time she was on the court for Little Rock Hall

These young ladies made the trip for a reason and they left with the fourth place trophy and along the way provided some of the most entertaining moments including a dramatic comeback

They also left no doubt that 2013 player Tyler Scaife is a legitimate big time player and her ability to create her shot on anyone is second to none, more on Scaife

Sandra Meadows- Last Classic For Mo

2011-12-31T21:19:00.000-06:00

Moriah Jefferson has found, claimed and conquered on every level and plans on doing the same at the next level. She leaves yours truly with so many fond memories of this gifted player and based on her hard work and dedication to not only herself but her team as well which has always come first, her legacy is set as far as being one of the best players to come from Texas

GPR