Like I said, TX 2020 would be a monster calls , well how about

After seeing Sarah Andrews, Deja Kelly, Jordan Merritt and Deyonna Gaston just to name a few, I knew 2020 was going to be a force to be reckoned with and having a chance to eclipse maybe the best class I saw, 2005 and if you weren't around, your opinion has no value or validity so there you have that and the sad part about it is that if you haven't seen the REAL product, well let me put another way, I've always been a straight shooter, never used one so I sort of know

I'm dropping a Tip Sheet of some 2020 players I saw at Pass Tha Ball's Diamond in The Rough, 24 to be exact but to show how prophetic I am in this, being in MENSA doesn't translate to knowing talent or maybe it does for me but Arrianna Sturdivant did enough to be on my Skilled Up HS Tip Sheet, she's a 2020 and her sister, Andrea, simply blew me away as she'll be on the MS edition, she's a 2025 and what she and LA Sneed did, also a 2025 has my mind clicking about that year already because you know I don't turn my back on TALENT

The original TV Tiffany Valentine earns honors

Before I called Tatum Veitenheimer (TV) at 9 or 10, there was a young lady named Tiffany Valentine who I started calling TV around the same age four years earlier and I actually had a chance to coach the latter so I observed several positives at a young age that I knew would have her in the right spot when the time came. Always a hard worker, absorbed what she was taught and implemented that on the court, hold on for the GIF

Not only did she put in work throughout her career at Lutheran North but she sent a message playing club ball and as you can see in this slight piece, this truly doesn't do her justice as she went from a back to the basket player to be able to knock the midrange and here are some of the stories I wrote about her

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Tiff  has always defied the odds and battling minor injuries wasn't a deterrence at Spring Hill as she relished the opportunity to show everyone "she wasn't done" and show them she did as she was named SIAC Player Of The Year averaging just under 18 ppg so congratulations to a wonderful young lady who continues to show "it ain't over until she says so"

SIAC Article 

Final Four Friday is here for 2018

I could've chosen a better picture however months ago after witnessing no apparent favorite however and this is documented with the phrase "double digit teams have a chance to win REGION" as well as "the most wide open REGION I've seen" so your top conference drops two #4 seeds in the Elite 8, that sort of tells you something right? Not exactly because in this roller coaster season of girl's basketball where anything could happen, it has somewhat with three teams, Atascocita, Summer Creek and Cy Creek, making it to the regional semifinals for the first time in history, not the first time that's happened because it was the first time for all 4 were it was initiated and hopefully you caught that

Jersey Village has been in this position with Nina Norman and Coco Reed, both starred at Texas, Norman was the first McDonald's All American from here, played in inaugural girl's game, yeah I've said it before but I say a lot of things that are missed yet come right back at ya to fall into that "I told you so" category so I guess the question is who will win. Jersey Village is capable of getting out of here but so are the other three and although I haven't seen Summer Creek, never count ANY SC out no matter what and that definitely is a fact so  Merrell Center action starts tonight at 6pm

Lot's of firsts for 2018 Regional Semifinals

I know many don't keep up with history and just go with the flow on what they hear and although it irritates me it also enables me to have a platform to go off which always pleases me so I tweeted awhile back after reading about Jersey Village being put on the map this year being totally incorrect because they were once one of the teams you had to go through to get to Austin so I'm assuming since the state tournament is now in San Antonio, they were talking about the map heading that way so okay, I get it now, well actually I don't but one more time

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What is true is that Jersey Village is the ONLY team that has made it to the Regional semifinals and they match up against Summer Creek at 6pm on Friday, followed by Atascocita and Cy Creek at 7:30, all of this in Katy at the Merrell Center which means 2 things, Orleans and Katy Mills but another two things it means is I don't recall two teams with two freshmen playing major roles in their teams making it to this stage, Jersey Village with Briana Peguero and Gia Adams who have gone completely off in multiple games, Peguero was HUGE last night , plus Jersey Village has two sets of, you got it, TWINS, seniors Kyla and Jade Collins and juniors Kaylynne and Kayleigh who in the 5th grade I said, you already know

I guess Cy Creek's freshmen duo of Kyndall Hunter and Rori Harmon were in the 5th grade as well when I first saw them play and usually in a couple I can tell, that's minutes, not games but let me say this, both are beyond their years as far as basketball talent and knowledge of the game, their explosiveness and ability to make teammates better is one of the main reasons why they're here but Creek got a big lift from their reserves, otherwise they may have been up the Langham Creek in that overtime thriller. I'm telling you, this was as close to what it used to be as I've seen all season and if you weren't around or knew what you were looking at, there's really no need to respond but the game has definitely changed as a whole and it was refreshing to say the least to see some real action so I can't wait

Alvin and Langham Creek prove 4+4 = Elite 8

I caught Alvin back in FBISD Tournament against Crosby in the Consolation Simmies, okay semis and I loved their grit, they played smart, were well coached and the most important thing that somehow slips away, they played within themselves so needless to say, it was refreshing to see a throwback squad getting after it. Andreea Mancha always showed she could shoot the long ball and she's definitely on fire in the playoffs while Natali Miller's inside play as well as Brooklyn Sutton, Mariah Byrone and Madison Becker, who I teased about the TV show, all filled in many blanks as well as their solid bench play but to say I'm somewhat surprised they made it to the Elite 8 would be an understatement since I had Pearland as one of the teams that had a shot to get out of here. That shows one thing, well actually a lot of things but always remember, the game is played on the court and in the playoffs, anything can happen and finishing #4 in District 24 and making it this far is truly a major accomplishment

Langham Creek on the other hand really isn't surprising me that much at being a #4 and making it this far. I noticed many had them losing in the 1st round but  I didn't see that happening and I knew the 2nd round game would be close so here we are and when you play in the toughest district in the area, that sometimes helps get you ready for this right here. Langham has been battling with injuries to key players all season, Kaley Perkins, that 6'0 shoot the lights out freshman, is missing from the playoffs however her sister Briley Perkins and Dyani Robinson are two of the areas top sophomores, both are very explosive scorers that can create problems. Dezi White has always been in the mix since I saw her in MS and she and fellow senior, Mariel Wade have definitely stepped up to the occasion, Wade simply went completely off in the previous round and speaking of stepping up, Atlantis White, another talented sophomore, played  solid and as I roll back to the opening paragraph, within herself  so it should be an interesting game tomorrow as District 17 will send two teams to the R-3 F-4

BRACKET

Jersey Village's Truong twins on fire as Falcons head to E-8

A lot of people don't realize that Jersey Village once was in the mix among teams to beat on the girl's side at the turn of the century as they were led by future Texas stars Nina Norman and Coco Reed, in fact Norman was the first MDAA from the Houston area and that success continued through the years of the Isom sisters, Brittany and Natasha as well as Tracy Ray who ended her HS career at Cy Fair but all were D1 players, wait, legitimate D1 players so the Falcons have been flying high before, so just throwing a little knowledge and history at you in the age of being thrown BS and misinformation but this seasons squad has definitely been exciting to watch all season as they've provided some impressive moments, including defeating Desoto which was ranked very high in the Sandra Meadows Classic and splitting with defending R-3 Champ Cy Ranch, the preseason fave by free magazine and expensive newspapers and they break the tie at the Berry Center on Tuesday in a D-17 doubleheader which also features Langham Creek vs Cy Creek

How awesome was it for Google photos to catch both Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong's pics annd animate them but after Seven Lakes jumped out to an 8-2 run fueled Brooke Biggot, Jada Lake and Cassie Hopkins, those talented freshmen of Gia Adams and Brianna Peguero provided the fuel and then the match was scratched by the Truong's and the fire kept burning as they closed out the quarter with an 11-4 run and really never looked back going up by double digits at the half and over 20 after three. I called this game, well hashtagged it #TossUp but once the shots started falling, it was a wrap. Jersey Village opened the game going small which definitely worked out in the long run as Kyla and Jade Collins, also twins, provided serviceable minutes on both ends and Michelle Macintyre definitely got the fans going after her 3 which shows it truly takes a Village and in this case, a Jersey Village as they brought a crowd

ROAD TO MERRELL

Few surprises after opening round in R-3 6A

I guess everyone wants parity in sports, it makes in interesting and if you want to spin that as what the game has become, well there you go however I don't look at it that way and we'll revisit that later but there was definitely no surprise at at D-17 sweeping D-18 in the opening round, Cy Fair has been one of if not the toughest district in the area most of this century, I ain't just start saying that, it's documented over and over and over

I guess the question is will they have two teams representing the district in the Regional semifinals, that could be interesting because both Cy Ranch and Jersey Village have tougher games to get there than probably Cy Creek and Langham Creek but with Alvin defeating Pearland, although unlikely, it's possible they won't even have a team in the seimi's but again that's unlikely. I said there were double digit teams capable of winning R-3 6A so out of the 16 left, I still feel that the upsets are not over

ROUND 2 GAMES 

GPR Monday Doubleheader @ Alief Taylor

I'm ready for the action to begin as , one more time, this is the most wide open R-3 race in 6A I've seen this  decade, well this century because I still believe over 10 teams can get hot at the right time and do some damage. After watching Atacocita and Hightower early in the year at FBISD Tournament, they both had a little of everything to make a run as well as Cy Ranch, the defending R-3 champions. Clear Springs is always in the hunt , that pressure continues to create problems for many squads and Westside and Pearland, both with injuries early, definitely had a legitimate shot at being sleepers. Seven Lakes is in the midst of yet another run but the bottom line is several other teams could got hot at the right time and head to state and one of the hottest right now is that explosive Cy Creek squad so we'll see

I haven't seen the Chronicle post the playoff parings, maybe tomorrow or the day of the game, who knows but I'll be at Alief Taylor for a double header on Monday between Katy vs Ridgepoint at 6pm and Travis vs Katy Taylor at 7:30 and again D-17 has shown that they are one of, if not the toughest district in the area could be on it's way to sending two teams to the regional semifinals

District's 17 vs 18 should be interesting to say the least

The Cy Creek Cougars , #1 in D-17, definitely have a shot to go deep in the playoffs with that high powered freshmen back court of Kyndall Hunter and Rori Hunter, two of the best freshmen guards in Texas and a couple of players I called D-1 locks when they were around 10 or 11 years old and also eyeing to make a run is defending R-3 champion and runner-up Cy Ranch led by one of the state's top PG's D"Asia Collins and super athletic Jala Buster. The toughest district in the area's top two squads open against Lamar and Heights respectively while #3 Jersey Village and the Truong twins, you know who Kaylyne and Kayleigh are now I guess take on runner-up Bellaire while Langham Creek and their talented sophomore duo of Dyani Robinson and Briley Perkins are the 4th place team that has to go against Westside who won their district, I called Westside a sleeper earlier in te season but injuries have hurt both them and Bellaire, keep in mind I haven't seen them in district play but this could be interesting as Langham Creek, who has also battled nagging injuries from key players, definitely have the firepower, along with Jersey Village, to pull off a sweep for 17. Always remember two things, I'm a basketball genius but that means absolutely nothing because the game is played on the court and let the ball bounce where it may

Berry Center

6 pm - Langham Creek (@LanghamWbb) vs Westside

7:30 pm - Cypress Creek (@CyCreekGBB) vs Lamar

HISD's Delmar Fieldhouse

6 pm - Jersey Village (@Jvhsgirlsbball) vs Bellaire

7:30 pm - Cypress Ranch (@CyRanchGBB) vs Heights

Lauren O'Connell closing out JUCO career with a BANG at Eastern Wyoming College

There is nothing more pleasurable for me to receive a call from a college coach praising a player I told them about years ago and when he told me how Lauren O'Connell put on a shooting exhibition against them, I wasn't surprised because I saw her drop 8 or more threes before HS, on both public and private HS teams and in club basketball against some of the states top defenders so closing out her Junior College career at Eastern Wyoming in the fashion she's showing is not catching me with my feet crossed on defense, hopefully you gt that

Yeah she could always shoot the long ball but her ability to score multiple ways and her defense just kept getting better and dropping over 30 points in multiple games this season and having another with 22 in the first half going 6-6 from BTA has me beaming with glee because this young lady definitely knows how to put the ball in the basket. Two years ago I was bragging about this young lady, two years later she's proven herself and hers a little video of O'Connell as she's looking for the next chapter in her accomplished career