Big State Flava Seasoned To Perfection

DFW T Jack won what I considered two majors, Basketball on the Bayou and Nike Nationals, leaving no doubt in anyone's minds who the best team was last season. As much talent that was on hand for the over 200 different college coaches in attendance to see at the Big State Flava Jam, this too has to be considered a major as teams from all across the country came in to play and play they did. T-Jack defeated a very talented Florida Essence team in the final and I'll have more to come later, read more

Breanna Hayden and Roshunda Johnson sandwich the original T-Jack, Tiffany Jackson

Championship Sunday At Flava Begins

Roshunda Johnson and DFW Elite head into the semifinals this morning of the Marques Jackson division. Johnson, the gifted guard from Parkview High caught me attention last season, read more

This season, her role has become much more important and today will be round one for her and the team in July. Here's the schedule

Day 2 Stars From Flava

There were plenty of the stars on Day 2 at the Big State Flava Jam and Sydney Weise was definitely one of them. Check out the Day 2 tip sheet I did for Full Court, read more

Bracket Play Begins At Flava

Candace Adams

When you want to call your certified event a NATIONAL tournament, look no further than the 2012 Big State Flava Jam. The Elite 8 for the Platinum division have been set and only teams from Texas remain, DFW T-Jack and United Basketball, and they happen to be going head to head tonight at 7:45 pm. Here are the brackets for tonight’s game, schedule

Earlier in pool play, Candace Adams (United Basketball) and Sydney Wiese (GSB Basketball) went head to head and put on a show. If the phrase “put their teams on their backs” ever needed to be used, it’s now and if there is any doubt that Adams isn’t completely recovered, trust me, she’s ready and her game winning jumper with under seconds left in double overtime says it all. I took a picture of her before the game and as you can see she was already getting into a zone.

Plenty Of Smiles On Day 2 At Big State Flava

When DFW Elite does something, they do it in a big way and Jasmine Caston and Mackenzie Calvert weren't the only people smiling as the faces on over 150 college coaches said it all. Many people focus on the top talent, so do I however I put forth the extra energy to spot the young stars of the future

A good example is Adriiana Jackson, the 2015 point guard that I first spotted in middle school. After finding out she would be attending North Shore, I said she would start at the one because that's where the game starts and she almost helped lead them to state. Now she's on the top Houston Elite team and her double-double earlier today helped ignite them to a blowout

An even better example of spotting younger talent would be Brentney Branch. I called her a next level player when she was around 10 and this Stephen F Austin commit has turned out to be one of the most explosive scorers in the state

Let me do it again with a young lady who really impressed me today. At 5'7, Jasmine Smith is long and ultra-athletic and even though she's from the 2018 class, you would never know it as she brings it on both ends for Triple D 13U. I wrote about hat same 13 squad a few weeks ago and they are doing more than holding their own but Smith is showing that even though I'm tagging her next level, I'm expecting more growth, on and off the court

 Back to the smiles as more will definitely be coming as bracket play begins tomorrow

Big State Flava Action Heats Up Today

Sharde Collins

That might be a mild understatement since there were numerous games that could have gone either way yesterday but today the Marques Jackson division play starts and it will feature some of the top teams from around the country including last seasons number one team, DFW T Jack. T-Jack has a new look this season after losing so many players however don't underestimate this team because year after year they get the job done. Sharde Collins is one of the new faces on T-Jack and after a solid season at Liberty Eylau, Collins is showing why she and fellow high school teammate Imani Wright are going to make a run at a state title next season. Speaking if Wright, she'll also be in action today with Arkansas Mavericks-Durham. Wright is considered by many to be the top player in Texas out of the 2013 class.

Right Seasoning Has Flava Just Right On Day One

Aundra Stovall

Every season during the July viewing period there is one thing I can always count on and that's to expect the unexpected and new talent seems to somehow find it's way on my plate, okay that's two things but in the words of the great O'shea Jackson, you know how we do it, with we being me. I have enough info on 25 new players just from half a day of action but in order to keep it real, I always like to see kids multiple times. One player I'm already sold on is Aundra Stovall from Team Fort Worth Black, more to come on her later along with some of her next level teammates. Stay tuned and note that I'll also be doubling for Fullcourt.com bringing you the ins and outs from my state

West Coast Invading Texas at Big State Flava

Last season many people were talking about the fashion statement several of the West Coast Premier players like Lauren Holiday made with their rolled up shorts however after their first game, a 50 point blowout against one of the states top teams, they were talking about other things. Well West Coast Premier will be back again with this week and I'm looking forward to seeing this always entertaining team

Austin Elite RFW Heading West This Week

Tyesha Taylor

To say Austin Elite's RFW squad is full of next level players is a mild understatement because that team is full of D1 players, many of whom will be on my Texas Top 100 for both 2013 and 2014 after the July events are complete. Tyesha Taylor (2014) is making a lot of heads turn and she still has another summer to impress after this season while Alyssa Jones is just a highlight waiting to happen. Chapel, Simpson, King, Swain, the list just keeps going and even though I haven't seen all of the top teams in the state, I know this has got to be one of them as they head to the End of the Trail later this week.

The Real Deal In More Ways Than One

 I called AJ Alix "The Real Deal" after I saw her play for the first time while she was in the 7th grade and some people asked me why I did that and my response was generally because I can, maybe not in those exact words but the meaning is the same. Throughout her illustrious career, many have wondered how she has done some of the things she did on the court, because she can!

The 2012 class produced over 80 next level players from the Houston area alone, I don't have the stats on the state but I'm thinking the number probably topped 300 easily.

Is 2013 that strong? I don't know, different class, different types of players but the bottom line is the state has continued to produce a better than average amount of next level players since I started paying attention around the turn of the century, I always wanted to use that line

Alix leads a talented class of Texas players from the 2013 class who are entering the most important month of their careers as they try and achieve that dream of playing at the next level, read more