RAW TALENT

Many folks like to label kids the next this or that and sometimes they hit on the head, I have a knack for that. A few weeks ago, I had a chance to see 6'5 Teaira McCowan of Bryan Elite, only 13 years old. Tierra is a 7th grader and very, very raw, but she's ahead of the game already, by almost a foot.

She runs the floor well and has pretty good hands. The rest of it will come, this is her first season playing organized ball. Is she the next Griner, Bone or Ogwumike? Only time will tell, but she will be a player before it's all said and done.

THE BIG DANCE

The 23 players in the NCAA women’s tournament who played their high school ball in the Houston area are listed below, followed by their College, Class, Position and High School


Damitria Buchanan Texas A&M Sr. F Houston (Jones)
Karima Christmas Duke Jr. G-F Houston (J. Frank Dobie)
Sydney Colson Texas A&M Jr. G Houston (Westside)
Adaora Elonu Texas A&M So. F Houston (Alief Elsik)
Lauren Flores Texas Fr. G Houston (North Shore)
Emily Frazier Liberty Fr. G Magnolia (Homeschool Christian Youth Association)
Kelli Griffin Baylor Jr. G Houston (Clear Brook)
Brittney Griner Baylor Fr. C Houston (Nimitz)
Jasmine Hartman Oklahoma So. G Houston (Bellaire)
Jasmine Henderson Lamar Fr. G Houston (Dulles)
Krystal Hill Princeton Jr. G Houston (North Shore)
T.K. LaFleur TCU Sr. G Houston (Langham Creek)
Eboni Mangum TCU Sr. G Houston (Dulles)
Rachel McLeod Liberty Jr. G Houston (Homeschool Christian Youth Association)
Jennifer Nwokedi Tulane So. F Houston (St. Agnes Academy)
Nnemkadi Ogwumike Stanford So. F Houston (Cy-Fair)
Tolu Omotola Liberty So. F Houston (Bellaire)
Waltia Rolle North Carolina Fr. C (Westbury Christian)
Trashanna Smith Lamar Jr. F Houston (Hastings)
Brittney Williams Lamar Sr. F Spring
Kayla Williams St. Francis Jr. G Humble
Megan Williams Ark.-Little Rock So. F Houston (James Madison)
Morgan Williams Georgetown So. G Dickinson

Here is a link to the bracket

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/tournament/bracket

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

CONGRATULATIONS LAMAR CARDINALS!!!

This video says it all!

State Farm and Jerry Kroll did an amazing job. Kroll was a High School All American at Memorial back in the day.

WHAT A FEELING!!!!!!!

Darika Hill registered her third double-double of the State Farm Southland Conference Basketball Tournament with 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Lamar University women's basketball to an 86-59 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the championship game Friday night.

With the win, Lamar (26-7) earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Jenna Plumley also had a double-double for the Lady Cardinals, finishing with 13 points and 14 rebounds as Lamar won its first-ever Southland Conference championship and earned its second berth in the NCAA Tournament, the first for the Lady Cardinals since 1991.

Former Silsbee senastion Ang Green gets a chance to go to the "Big Dance". Green proved to be a valuable asset to our club program helping us finish runner-up at Basketball On The Bayou in 2007. She's a tremendous scorer and only a sophomore whose future appears to be bright.

Houstonian Jasmine Henderson is another sophomore that goes to her first"Big Dance". As a former Dulles player, she helped her team to three Region 3 Final Fours.

Brit"Moses" Williams and former OU player Plumley, have helped lead the Redskins to the promised land. Williams has done it at every level, winning back to back AAU National Championships and leading her high school team, Spring, to the state semi-finals.

Plumley was a standout at OU before finding a home in Beaumont and she certainly helped turn this program around. Hill was simply unstoppable for the Cards all week and she was named MVP of the Tournament. Plumley, whose 13 points and 12 assists were just too much to handle and she was named to the All Tournament squad as well.

Shay Montgomery, left, was one of the best long range shooters to come out of the Houston area. West Columbia's Jade Davis has come into her own and continues to do what she did in high school and that's put numbers up.

Elisa"Baby Shaq" Beagle was a force to be reckoned with over the years. Beagle, along with Davis, made the All Tournament squad for Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Deziree Green played both high school and club ball with my daughter, so I go wayyyyy back with her family. One of the most gifted scorers from Houston, she helped our club team win a National Championship back in 2005.

Maybe this was an omen as the Aggies vs the Cougars were the halftime show on Friday night. It's always great to see the little ones interested at an early age.

I called it an omen because U of H, even though it was the men, knocked off UTEP in the Conference USA Tournament Championship, while Texas A&M, back on the female side, took down undefeated Nebraska on Saturday. They went on to beat Oklahoma on Sunday for the Big 12 Conference Tournament title.

BIG 12 TOURNAMENT CHAMPS

CONGRATULATIONS TEXAS A&M!!!

DANIELL ADAMS- MVP

TYRA WHITE -ALL TOURNAMENT

My Big 12 Tournament Preview

http://fullcourt.ehclients.com/index.php/news_articles/view/big_12_2010_tournament_preview_putting_the_exclamation_point_on_a_season_of/

I'm speechless and so happy for the team, especially my daughter who has endured so much pain over the last two years. Hopefully they make another run, they've finished in the Elite 8 and Sweet 16 the past two seasons, so I need them to make it to San Antonio where I'll be covering the Final Four this season. GIG EM!

Here's a little promo video from my daughter

http://www.bringemtoaggieland.com/sydney.asp

HOUSTON AREA RESULTS

R3-5A

HIGHTOWER(70) BELLAIRE(64)

Brittney Matthews and AJ Alix were two of the main reasons Hightower and Bellaire made it this far. Matthews was ice against North Shore and hit some big shots against Westside in route to the finals. Alix led a double digit come from behind win over Elsik, scoring 35 points. Today, she dropped 40 on center stage!

Azaela Hall's 15 points held off Westside and stopped an all HISD R3 Final

The Gilbert twins, Taylor and Tyler, were unstoppable in the first half. They combined for 20 of Hightowers 35 points and added 16 rebounds between them. For the game, Tyler finished with 21 points, Taylor 17, both added 15 rebounds.

Jasmine Brewer has been the glue for the Hurricanes all season and Hightower's leading scorer for the year added 12 today. Bellaire's Kemi Omotola doesn't score much for the Cardinals but her presence was felt and her teams success wouldn't have happened had she not played her part this season.

Bianca Winslow and Raven Burns both added 12 points for Bellaire and along with Alix, combined for all 64 points.

Bellaire is young and they will be back. AJ, Brianna Jolivet, Carli Walton and Shandice Waugh are all freshmen. Burns, Winslow and Regina Harris were only sophomores.

Freshman Alana Heard shows promise and played huge while Matthews was in foul trouble. Hightower will be strong again next season.

REAL DEAL!!!!

I love patting myself on the back and once again, as I stated earlier at the start of the season, this team would go as far as AJ could take them. She scored 17 of her 40 points in the third quarter when the "CARDIAC KIDS" were down by double digits.

R3-4A

DEL VALLE(43) LA MARQUE (33)

This was a game that at times almost put me to sleep in the first half. La Marque laid back in a zone as Del Valle ran almost 4 minutes off the clock in the second period as a total of 7 combined points were scored between the two teams. Jaleesa Allen and Summer Postell appear to be restless.

Allen is a big gun for the Cougars and is swarmed by three Cardinals.

Jessica Palmer is pointing out instructions, she was high scorer for the Cougars with 11.

Brianna Lewis kept the Cougars withing striking distance, dropping three-three pointers.

Senior Joslinnn Douglas was all over the court, scoring 14 for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals Monique McElveen was unstoppable with her double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds.

BACK TO STATE!!!

R-2 5A

CY FAIR (54) BRYAN(50)

FOUR IN A ROW FOR CHINEY

17 points 12 rebounds

TAPPS 4A

WESTBURY CHRISTIAN-STATE CHAMPIONS

The amazing Amber Orrange averaged 25.5 points in her last two playoff games this season, scoring 36 in Friday nights 65-53 victory over Fort Worth Christian and added 15 in the 73-68 championship win Saturday against Argyle Liberty Christian. Fallon Ellis led the scoring assault for WC with 21 and Letecia Cuellar's 14 plus Tyranni Henderson's 12 gave WC four players in double figures for the "BIG ONE". This also closed a chapter for head coach Reed Sutton who will move on to coach at Faulkner College in Montgomery Alabama. Good luck and great job!

Houston Area Elite 8's

REGION 3- 4A

Yates is still undefeated after two rounds and appears to be headed to the Final Four in Region 3-4A. To get there, they have to beat sister HISD school Booker T Washington. Washington is led by Lereahn Washington, one of the leading scorers in the city.

Mariah Lee has been the catalyst for this super athletic team and they will go as far as she can take them.

Barbers Hill lost PG Shannon Evans to a knee injury late in the season, however the Carter cousins, Paris and Jasmine, along with one of the top posts in the state, Kendall Shaw, have them still climbing the HILL.

Worthing, the third HISD team still in the hunt, is led by another one of the top scorers in the city, Jenzel Nash, who along with Shirley McGowen form an impressive dynamic duo on offense. Their team defense is second to none, they come at you in droves the whole game.

REGION 3-5A

Northshore vs Hightower
This is probably the most anticipated matchup of the season. I know Hightower has beat North Shore both times they played this season. I also know Hightower has beat every team they played this season that made the playoffs, with the exception of Cy Fair and Dulles, those btw are their only losses. I also know they won the toughest district in the area, R-3 that is. With all that being said, I'm sticking with North Shore and that's because of Courtney Williams, who could wind up being the best to play in the area. Hightower has lost two starters this year to knee injuries, however they have depth and are still rolling, winning by an average of over 28 ppg over the last 8 games. This has happened since losing to Dulles and also includes a 6 point victory against Marshall. Taylor and Tyler Gilbert have done a great job on the inside, Jasmine Brewer, Brittany Matthews and Azaela Hall have kept the team together, in spite of the injuries. For North Shore to win, Williams has got to score, Ashley Benjamin must neutralize the twins and Ariel Preston has to open up the inside with her long range missiles and mid range jumpers. Truly, this game is a toss up and the winner will more than likely be the R3 represenative in Austin.

Atascocita vs Westside

Curtyce Knox is one of the top guards in the country and for Atascocia to win, she will have to be on and by on, I am not talking about only scoring points. Westside is going to pressure them baseline to baseline, they have enough athletes to do that. Westside's Tiffany Davis is another one of those next level guards in Houston's 2012 class and if she and Knox neutralize each other offensively, Westside has a legitimate shot at making the Final 4 in post SC & COMPANY days.

BELLAIRE VS ELSIK

I liked Elsik when they beat Hightower in a fall league game and even though it was only a preseason practice game, Hightower won the real one by double digits in the Fort Bend Tourney, certain things stood out. First, they did it without the Olonu sister's, Akunna and Adaeze. Second, Jasmine Oconas scored on a variety of shots, so in order for Bellaire to win, three things have to happen.

1. AJ Alix has to handle the pressure and create
2. Raven Burns has to be on and by on, I mean 20 or more
3. Bianca Winslow has to score in double figures

Back to the Olonu's,their older sister, former Elsik all everything Adoara, plays for Texas A&M and their brother, Chinemelu, also played in Aggieland(GIG EM), had to get my plug in!

Clear Lake vs Elkins


I've always rooted for the underdog and this is a win-win, at least for me. Aron Garcia (TCU) has given Lake a tremendous boost this season teaming with Ashley Westby (Tulane) as they give the 2010 version of the R3 Twin Towers. Donielle Breaux has truly impressed me and she has to be regarded as one of the top players in the 2011 class, NATIONWIDE! I thought Elkins was done after Rhea Nelson (Tulane) tore her ACL, however what impressed me more with Elkins was their speed in the backcourt. If Lake's guards handle the pressure, they win, if not, watch out BREAUX!

REGION 2

Maybe I should say Region 2, 15-5A as Cy Fair, Cy Falls and Cy Creek all have advanced to the Elite 8. Only Bryan stands in the way of a 15-5A final, but however it plays out, I truly think Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford) won't be denied her fourth trip to Austin. Chiney, Cassie Peoples and Aarika Reyna form a triple scoring threat that most teams can't handle. Chiney is the most complete player to come out of Houston, consensus #1 player in the country and will probably not only win a NC in college with her sister, Nneka, but a gold medal in the Olympics as well.

A THREE AND A FOUR?

Clear Lake (61) Dobie (44)

Clear Lake jumped out to a big lead and never looked back. After finishing third and surprising Fort Bend runner-up Dulles in the first round, Lake knocks off district winner Dobie.

Clear Lake rested their starters and Dobie managed a couple of mini runs late in the game

But it was too much Lake as three players finished in double figures, Mackenzie Ruta (18) and Alex Kotchner and Aron Garcia both with 11. Tavecia Davis led Dobie with 15.

ELKINS (46) CHANNELVIEW (44)

Both teams were pumped before the game even started

Two of our brightest stars for next season, Donielle Breaux and Ashley Bettis

Mia Taylor was the star in Elkins upset win over Clear Creek

Elsik jumped out to a 14-0 lead, Channelview didn't score that first bucket until the end of the quarter

Channelview pulled within two, 15-13 with just under two minutes left in the half and actually took their first lead in the third quarter on an and one by Taryn Gregory. The biggest surprise came when Jasmyn Howard hit a three with under two minutes left to give Elkins the lead back and for good.

But in the end, it was too much Breaux, who finished with 20 for Elkins, followed by Amber Polk. Gregory and Bettis were high scorers for Channelview with 18 each.