Hosey Handling Business

Jordan Hosey was on the map before she entered Manvel High School and has been mentioned among the top players from the 2015 class. Her freshman season in high school solidified that she is a legitimate D1 player and how high she rises in the Top 100 is on her. What I saw during the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic was a young lady who has improved in every aspect of her game and with that being said her potential is still untapped which is scary because of her drive and desire. I expect Hosey to flourish during the exposure events coming up in July and be a key component of Manvel's drive to a state title which they will need as they move to 5A next season.

Fatheree Wants Different Finish For Foster

Lexi Fatheree is one of the areas top 2013 players and has been since she started for Foster as a freshman. Season before last, Foster made an impressive run and was one point away from their first area F4 losing to Manvel 36-35 so with the additions of Kayla Mitchell and Alex Laperoyle for this past season, one would have expected Foster to make some noise. That didn't happen as Friendswood upset Foster in overtime during the first round and even though Fatheree fouled out, she gave everything she had throughout the season as she was plagued by nagging injuries the whole year. I had a chance to observe her during the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic and after I saw her drain five consecutive threes as if she was playing around the world, there is no doubt that she has added yet another dimension to her impressive game. The drive she has shown to want to improve probably has a lot to do with her mom being a former player and also the head coach for Foster and I expect them to be in the hunt once it's all said and done next season. Notice the resemblance of Lexi and her mom 22 years ago

Lang Ready To Lead Woodlands

2011 Basketball on the Bayou

While a lot of people considered Kelsey Lang a legitimate big time major D1 post in the 2013 class because she was 6'4, I always had me reservations. Yes she could alter shots in the paint, yes she could step out and hit the 10-12 footer consistently however her frame led me to believe she wouldn't be able to take the punishment game in and game out that the top conferences in the country would be providing. I felt she would be pushed around and probably lose confidence at one of the larger schools and I was thinking mid-major would suit her just fine

2012 Houston Insiders Basketball Classic

I was astounded to see the mass she put on when I saw her at the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic and I had to ask her dad when did this happen. He told me that he and his wife challenged her to commit to a strength and conditioning program for X amount of time, which she did, and was rewarded both off the court, a new set of wheels, along with on the court as she is legitimately one of the top posts in the country. The Woodlands lose five next level players from this season however with a dominant post returning for her senior season along with a group of young players ready to make a name for themselves, don't count the Highlanders or Lang out.

Unsigned Seniors Shine at Houston Insiders Basketball Classic

Chantal Franco and Tatiana Jackson (Dynasty)

Tatiana Jackson starred at Oak Ridge where she became an All District player multiple times at times look like an offensive machine in the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic. Also on fire were a couple of other All District performers, Elkins stars Kaylan Sanders and Taylor Williams (LMBA) as these three unsigned seniors are available and ready to help someone at the next level. Jackson is a mid-range specialist while Sanders is a speedy point guard that can knock down the long ball . Williams can score multiple ways and all can play defense. 

It Ain't Over

In the words of Ice Cube "It Ain't Over" means just that as I still have so much to break down just from looking at the pictures and I haven't even got to the notes as I play back things in my head almost like clock work during that magical weekend at the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic. Don't turn your back or you may miss something on younger talent like Sydney Carr of the Texas Warriors 2016 squad



Here's a few of the stories coming up soon

2016 Breakdown-up

All Middle School Team-up

Navasota Hopes For Healthy Season-up

Cinco Ranch Hopes Additions Put Them Over-up

Hoops Rodriguez-up

Fatheree Wants Different Finish For Foster-up

Wheatley Ready For Run-up

Lang Ready To Lead Woodlands-up

Hosey Handling Business-up

Younger Warriors Learning Well-up

Legends  Teams Loaded With Talented Players-up

Basketball Runs In Dickson's Blood

Calling 2015 Ashley Dickson (CE King) a next level player is an understatement as she already has eclipsed the magical 6'0 mark college coaches love, in fact she's close to 6'2 as she is about to head into the summer knowing she has plenty of time to work on the little things that will get her there. Height isn't her only advantage as her dad, Audreece, not only was a McDonald's All American out of Scarbrough High back in 1996, he also won the slam dunk contest during the festivities. Ashley is out to make a name for herself and she's off to a good start with the Houston Lady Phenoms. I had heard about all of the talent they had, but I hear stories like that a lot however in this case, I was impressed to say the least, read more

Grimes Doesn't Let Size Keep Her From Next Level

One thing I hate is excuses which is why I won't be asking why I wasn't provided rosters when parents start calling or emailing me, I'll just pass the buck. Chelsi Grimes isn't 5 feet tall, no matter which angle you measure her from however when you measure her heart on the court, it will be off the charts. I know we've had three other players sign which means over 80 players from the area that will play at the next level. I still have plenty more to write about from the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic however I had to give a special s/o to a young lady who never complained or made excuses but played the game the way it is meant to be played. After playing a big part in why Cy Woods became one of areas top programs, All District point guard Grimes will be doing her thing at Millsaps College. If you Google her name, you will also find out that basketball is only one of her many talents and I was astounded when I heard her powerful voice but then again after watching what she did on the court for many years, I probably shouldn't have been

League City Chargers Growing Up Fast

The Houston Insider Basketball Classic gave me a chance to watch League City's younger group, the 2017 Chargers and I saw the growth I expected from earlier this season. This is a good group of players who have one thing in common at an early age, they understand the basics of the game, which will take you a long way as the other things progress. Hannah Froeschi, #22, put up numbers all tournament and showed she is capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor and I mean anywhere. This team has no shortage of players that can score, especially from bta as Lacee Savage, #5, Sierra Chatman and Jayla Moon, #2, each had their moments over the weekend. Savage has good skills around the basket and her defense keeps getting better as well as Moon's. Chatman probably showed the most improvement from the first time I saw her as her high energy level, athleticism and wingspan to go along with a whole lot of upside could make a tremendous jump by the time she enters high school, but the same could be said for the rest because understanding the game is the hardest part

Sierra Chatman

Houston Based DFW Teams Split

Nick and Faith Cook

Rumors have been swirling around for weeks on a possible split between the four DFW teams here in Houston and it appears it's now official as some have moved on and will be called Texas Preps Elite while the others will remain DFW. No shortage of talent on either side however Texas Preps Elite received a big boost as Faith Cook, formerly of the Blue Chips, has joined the new squad. Cook, along with Jae Branch and Chastity Patterson, gives Texas Prep Elite three of the states brightest young stars from the 2016 and 2017 classes. With all of the talent in our area, I'm sure that the DFW brand will remain, more to come later

Younger Wildcats Taming Opponents

Samaria and Victoria Kemokai (Fort Bend  Bush)

Victoria Kemokai had to battle injuries throughout her career for the masses to realize what she was capable of. I saw her play in middle school and told her she wouldn't be a secret for long but those darn injuries. Younger sister Samaria (2014) has taken a different but similar route, I saw her in middle school as well however her talents were still raw and she had a ways to go. Those talents have been simmering ever since and even though she has battled injuries like older sister Victoria, she also showed over the past weekend she was ready to make a name for herself as she led the Wildcats White in the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic. She, along with Quasia Cleveland and Rachel Williams, both from Cy Falls 2015 class, provided the firepower for the older team while Demetria Heard (2016) and Sierra Fuller (2018) showed a lot of promise for Wildcats Yellow as they led their team in scoring throughout the tournament.

Cooperation Makes Things Happen

Being creative is one of the many gifts I think I have and I thought this picture would be appropriate. Many years ago, the Hoopgurlz folks went off on the Mike White camp, back when they were Adidas, because they were not given a packet, this contains roster information. This is vital to cover an event because it get's kind of old saying what a great slasher #7 is or I can see why this young lady wears #3, she can really shoot the long ball. I said all of that to say this, thanks to all of the clubs who took the time to answer my request to send me their rosters for the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic because it makes what I do a whole lot easier

League City Weathers Storm

One of the things I love watching is players competing no matter what the end result will be. The League City Storm went into a game knowing they were outmatched against one of the former Houston based DFW teams, more on that later, and as the game moved deep into the second half, Clare Collins yelled out to her teammates to keep playing hard no matter what, which is something you would expect from a kid who goes all out on defense like she does. In their game against the Pearland Hawks, the fight continued as this game went down to the wire but the Storm showed they had some offensive threats as Angela Hinson put up numbers all weekend. Hinson, Sandra Aguilar and Taylor Turnpaugh all showed they could shoot the three while their post players, Haley Savage and Valerie Paul, showed good footwork and nice moves around the basket. Like Collins, Naomi Murray loves to play defense and her speed usually has her manning up the opponents best player. Kiley Murdock is still rusty from shoulder surgery she had back in February but she along with rest of her teammates have that never say quit attitude every time they step on the floor. Murdock and Turnpaugh are the lone freshmen while the others are sophomores and the things I've learned about evaluating talent is upside and hard work can flip the script in a short period of time so I'll be looking forward to seeing their progression.

More To Come From Insiders Basketball Classic

Okay today is Wednesday and I've given you some intel on a lot players, many you hadn't even heard about which is sort of what separates me from everyone else. Guess what? I am no where near the halfway point which means there will be plenty more to come including a new crop of 2016 players that will not only be added to my scouting service but a breakdown on a few, I can't give everything away for free. Meanwhile take a break and I will start it back up during one of my early morning bouts with insomnia

Austin Elite Continues Mission

Over the years I have met some very nice people involved with GBB and Tommy Gregg and Fonzell Martin are right there at the top of the list. What they've put together over the years in second to none as far as helping put kids in the position to play at the next level. With four talented teams coming down to compete in the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic, they wound up leaving with not only some hardware but also knowing they have some of the states top players. Miranda Simpson was one of an array of players who had their moments for AE-RFW however there was no need for Indiana Jones as the stars from Temple contiue to shine, read more

Bigott Shows Improvement

Brittany Biggott

The Houston Insiders Basketball Classic had a couple of Seven Lakes players go off all through the tournament. First, Komal Moudgil started things off for Katy Rebels Ellis while Brittany Biggot finished things up for Big Basketball Academy. As I have watched  Biggott's progression over the past few seasons under her dads tutelage, I couldn't help but notice this young ladies growth on the court as she has come into her own which isn't a surprise because her father, Scott, not only coached at the next level but he also starred for Houston Baptist back in the day, but not too far back because I can remember

Brittany will be entering her senior year at Seven Lakes and if she shoots the ball anywhere near the torrid pace she's been on this club season, the Spartans may have found some added offense to go along with Christin Inman and Sydney Buchel. If left open, the three ball is almost automatic as she put has put together multiple games with seven or more

Texas Hustles Straight To Championship

The Texas Hustle brought two teams down to the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic, both teams were made up with the majority of their players from around Mesquite, and they added fuel to the fire in my saying that Texas is a big state loaded with next level talent. The younger team showed several players with plenty of upside as they brought an endless amount of energy on both end of the court while the older squad survived a bump early to go out and win the WNBA Consolation Championship. Led by Regina Garrett (West Mesquite)and Dawn Nwoko, Hillary Davis and Lauren Bradshaw, all from Mesquite Horn, these young ladies clawed their way to a stunning victory over a very good Alodia team in the championship game which proved one to be one of the toughest and entertaining games in the tournament. Texas Hustle is coached by WNBA Champion, NCAA Champion and Olympic Alternate, Fran Harris. Fran was leading scorer and captain of the first undefeated NCAA Championship team, University of Texas at Austin. She also played for the first WNBA Championship team, Houston Comets. Fran has done a lot for women's basketball and she keeps giving back through her organization, Texas Hustle based out of her hometown of Dallas where she also helped South Oak Cliff High School win a State Championship.

Austin Elite Dream Team Creating Nightmares Early

Kiana Ray

Kianna Ray, Mikayla Christian and Mykiel Burleson may not be household names yet however they showed that they are not afraid of anything or anyone as their squad, the Austin Elite Dream Team, went head to head with some tough competition in the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic WNBA Division. This team is compiled of two 9th graders while all of the others are 8th graders, including the three mentioned. Ray, already at 6'0, showed poise beyond her years as she attacked the basket almost at will against whoever guarded her. Christian showed her ability to shoot the long ball with ease while Burleson scored on a variety of ways during the weekend event. Although I mentioned three players, this team is loaded with talent and I'll get a chance to take a more in depth look when I travel to Austin for the Tyrone Johnson Classic next month.

Burke Ready To Run The Woodlands

Katie Burke

This had to go down as one of the Highlanders most successful seasons that I can remember as they finished 32-3 and made it to the R2 Final 4. The bad news is from that 2012 team, they lose five key players to the next level and 60 % of their offense so they have several holes to fill. The good news is they have a beefed up Kelsey Lang at 6'4 coming back and if  Katie Burke continues on the road I saw her driving the DFW 2015 squad over the weekend on, well one more time, the game starts at the ONE!

Burke was more than impressive over weekend at the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic as I had a chance to get my first look at a player I've hearing about for months. Ball handling, sees the floor, get's the ball to right person at the right time, check, check, check. On ball defense was pretty darn good not to mention something many young point guards don't have and that's seeing a play before it develops which falls into "anticipates well", something she is very good at on both ends of the floor. Didn't see her shoot the ball much other than warm-ups however she was knocking them down from everywhere during pre-game so it would be a safe bet to say she will hit the floor running with the varsity.

Bailey and Weinman Join 2013 UTR Players

Nekeita Bailey

How can you average 14 ppg, be a 1st team All District player and still be "Under The Radar" or UTR? Houston is a large city and sometimes numbers don't tell the whole story however Hastings point guard 2013 Nekeita Bailey (HK Express) has made a case for herself to be listed on that front page change that I said was coming, read more

Blessed with blazing speed and some of the best handles I saw over the weekend at the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic, her crossover and change of pace was simply electrifying.as the Express played Austin Elite for second place in the WNBA Division. Throw that in with a much improved mid-range game along with being a lock down defender and, well you tell me.....

Ashlyn Wiemann

Ashlyn Wiemann was an Honorable Mention selection for All District at Cy Ranch this season however she played in arguably the toughest district in the area when you look at the names of those voted ahead of her. Unlike Bailey, she doesn't have blazing speed however she was equally electrifying on the court as she shot several daggers into opponents from bta as she led Alodia to the Consolation finals against the Texas Hustle in the WNBA Division. Court knowledge is second to none as I have watched this young lady since her pre high school days. She knows and understands the game and uses that to her advantage and she can score on a number of ways other than the long ball

2017 Provides A Glimpse

JORDAN OCHOA

At only 5'0 tall, Jordan Ochoa (Hoops-Rodriguez) stands among the giants as she will be one of those young ladies I will be writing a lot about from the 2017 class. She can shoot the long ball, handle the rock and like Bonecrusher,  she is never scared which is good enough for her to play on not only the JV but varsity teams as well for her club.

I'm keeping track of all the 7th graders who are doing damage this season but I thought I would start the GPR Certified Houston Insiders Basketball Classic review on the 7th graders that are playing up, up and away while not just being there but making their presence felt. Julia Schwanke's grandfather starred on the court at A&M and she likes my daughter which was good enough for a story however there is always another story and her ability on the court has her high on my 2017 list as she joins, well click on the link to  read more

Insiders Basketball Classic Closes With A Bang

1st Place DFW-D Walk/Black

If you don't remember anything I have ever said like the game stars at the one, it's not what you do, it's who you do it against and there is a major difference between getting exposure and being exposed, please remember this. TEXAS is a big state and HOUSTON is a big city, throw that in with my ability to recognize things  some may not be able to see and you have some great stories coming about all the talented players I had a chance to view over the weekend and I'm talking about more than 10.  DFW D-Walk and DFW Black reached the finals in the WNBA Division and decided not to play each other, D Walk was already playing with only six players so that made complete sense. My out of town friends came into town and left with some hardware also as Austin Elite won 2ND place while the Texas Hustle took the Consolation prize in that same WNBA division. As I recuperate from this exciting and entertaining weekend, please stay tuned as more stories will be popping up about not only the stars of today but the future of not only Houston GBB, but the state as well.

Insiders Basketball Classic Opens With Excitement

Behind the inside presence of Cinco Ranch star Angie Moore, Katy Rebels-Ellis withstood a ferocious comeback from Fastbreakers-Ford to win 53-47. The Rebels got going early when Komal Moudgiel (Seven Lakes)scored six of their first eight points and was steady the whole game while Amber Howard (Morton Ranch) controlled the tempo from the one. Down double digits, Fastbreakers Ford made their move when Marquisha Lewis (Westfield) went to work on both ends. With several of their players out for the prom, Diamond Ford (Westfield) showed more versatility as she ran the point while yet another Westfield star, Lauren Rhodes, started to light it up from bta to make this one interesting right down to the wire

In the nightcap with the game tied up, Kiana Ingram (Kempner) stole the ball at half-court and made a lay-up with 10 seconds remaining to give HK Express-Will a victory over LMBA. The Express face Rebels-Ellis this morning in bracket play while Fastbreakers-Ford takes on LMBA. Action heats up today as several exciting teams get going including out of town guests Austin Elite and Texas Hustle not to mention all four of the Houston based DFW teams. Stay tuned for the scoop because no one does it like GPR!!!!!

Thomas And Ford Won't Stay Under The Radar

I recall talking to a lady during one of my trips out to the Metroplex and someone was poking fun at me about being an expert on evaluating talent. She asked me how do you become an expert and I told her make people believe you are. I doubt seriously if I'm truly an expert in anything, well that's not true, however one thing I truly know is talent and another is you don't have to be a five-star player to play at the next level.

The Houston Insiders Basketball Classic will tip off on Friday and will be loaded with next level players from various classes and even though there are not over 1000 players in attendance,I guarantee you will hear about more than five or ten that you already know. 2013 Diamond Ford (Westfield) is as close to 100% as she has ever been and helps tip-off the event on Friday night with Fastbreakers Ford. 2014 Sydney Thomas (Cinco Ranch) started off with a bang and even though I have called her pound for pound, inch for inch, one of the hardest working players I have ever seen, she too has been hampered by nagging injuries lately but appears to be ready to help the Insiders as they head into the heat right off the top against Houston based DFW Black.

Ford and Thomas are definitely next level players as well a couple of other young posts who are raw yet over 6'1, still growing and their stock has a chance to go up as the July evaluation events get closer and closer. The Insiders 2014 Laura Fair (Wheatley) has a college ready body right now and has steadily improved from the first day I saw her back in March. 2015 Tiara Marbley (Klein Forest) like Fair has a college ready body and has also kept improving since the first time I saw her. At times, she shows flashes she is about to crossover with Fastbreakers Ford. Remember Texas is a big state filled with talented players and I have no agendas other than putting their names out there.

Roher Of The Lira

Kaylin Roher

If you don't understand the title, let me say this before anyone gets anything twisted. With Brooke McCarty, Clear Springs will once again be one of the favorites to make it to the R3 Final 4 and beyond, that's a no brainer based on the odds. Had McCarty never attended Clear Springs, the Chargers would have been in adequate hands and one of the top teams in the area anyway

JoAnn Lira

Kaylin Roher and JoAnn Lira erupted on the scene for Clear Springs and immediately made their presence felt as freshmen. As they enter their most important basketball summer since I saw them as 10 year old players, these two have left a lasting impression along with some unforgettable memories. I'll have a chance to see them running the show this weekend for Triple D in the GPR Certified Insiders Basketball Classic

Round 2 For Pearland Hawks Coming

With the abundance of 5'0-5'1 point guards I've written about this season, most recent Tana Driver and Daja Stanford, let me do you one a little bit better as I'll be having another look at the Pearland Hawks who have a 4'9 point guard by the name of Kayla Copeland at the Houston Insiders Basketball Classic this weekend.

My first look at the Hawks came a little over a month ago during the Alodia Prime Time Rising Star Classic and with all of the 2016 and 2017 players on their roster and it will be good to see their progression

read more

Austin Elite's Temple Of Doom Invading Houston

Throughout the 11 years that I've been involved in this stuff, I've built relationships with some folks that sometimes were severed and mended back or have reached that point of return. Austin Elite's Fonzell Martin and Tommy Gregg fall into neither category as our friendship has done nothing but blossom, as well as their program as they are bringing down four high school squads to the Insiders Basketball Classic. With several next level players on all four teams and being coached by fathers of next level players, Austin Elite comes in as one of the favorites. Led by numerous stars from Temple High School including Ketara Chapel and Alyssa Jones, mind you this is only one of four teams with players from a variety of schools, I love using "Temple of Doom" in the titles

2013 Under The Radar-Micarah Malone

After a solid junior season at St Pius, Micarah Malone decided to switch club teams and has been standing tall as she tones her skills up for the most important summer of her basketball career with Houston based DFW Blue. Malone is one of many 2013 players that are "Under the Radar" however being athletic and right around 6'0 will always catch the eyes of college coaches when they become aware. This weekend at the Insiders Basketball Classic, my next GPR Certified Event, yours truly will have a chance to see Malone along with several other 2013 players you may have not heard about but with my keen eye and ability to see what some may not, you will. Read more

Insiders Basketball Classic Will Feature "We Got Next" Group

2016 Deirdre Dobbins isn't a household name however as she get's ready to make the transition from Alice Johnson Middle School to Channelview High School however the improvement she's showing with the Texas Warriors younger team may change all that before it's all said and done

 Even though I saw 2017 Marissa Banfield with her Friendswood school team for only a couple of minutes week before last, I know she's ahead of the game and has to be mentioned among the areas top players in her class. These young ladies are only two of the MANY players you will be hearing about from the next GPR CERTIFIED event over the weekend. Stay tuned because no one does it like the GPR!!!!!

Driver Cruises Through Freshman Season

This might be the year that more guards around 5'0 or a little taller came in to do some damage and show everyone that size really doesn't matter if you know how to play the game. Houston had a couple of freshmen, Bernesha Peters (Spring) and Adriiana Jackson (North Shore) come in and start right off the top while over in another part of the state, a rivalry seems to be developing between Lee's Daja Stanford and Midlands Tana Driver read more

Driver caught my eye at the DFW Fall Finish last October and had a chance to speak with her high school coach Ron Berry who happened to be talking to A&M coach Gary Blair. Coach Berry spoke highly of Driver and said he expected big things from the young lady and using that old phrase "big things come in small packages", Driver didn't disappoint as she was Newcomer of the Year in her district. The last time I saw Driver was with her family at the state championship and I told her "I know you" and her response was "yeah coach, I'm Tana Driver". If you don't know her, keep your eyes and ears open as this 2015 Texas Rising Star will be making some noise and I will get a chance to see her at least twice this summer during Big State Flava Jam and Basketballl on the Bayou

Happy Mother's Day From GPR

Going through the archives I noticed I had several mother/'daughter photos and what better day than today to put them out. Congratulations to all the moms out there on the wonderful job you have done and are continuing to do