KLEIN COLLINS SENIOR CHRIS GANT JR. ALWAYS HAS A PLAN.
Having grown up in an athletic family, the dream has always been to be a Division I athlete dating back to elementary school.
“I’ve been in pads for as long as I can remember,” he said. “I just love the game and now that I have the opportunity to play in college... I’ve been praying for this. I have put so much work into my craft and it has paid off.”
The 5-foot, 10-inch defensive back has verbally committed to the University of North Texas and will be on campus in 2024.
“I really like their scheme on defense, and I see that they have a plan for me,” he said. “They also offer architectural engineering, and that is what I want to pursue as a career.”
Maybe he should be in marketing? Gant has taken advantage of his popularity and built his own brand... CG13.
“With NIL becoming so popular, I just thought I should create my own brand and get ahead of the process,” he said. “It was just for fun at first, but then it started to be a little business. I do jackets, hoodies, hats – things like that.”
Gant’s father, Chris Gant, was a star at the University of Pittsburgh for basketball, and Junior only recently hung up the high tops.
“I played basketball until my junior year, and it really helps your football skills,” he said. “Your reaction time and footwork are so
important in basketball, and the safety position is very similar to playing defense on the court. I’m glad I kept with it.
“My Dad has always coached me up my entire life and has guided me through my athletic career. He’s been at this level and has given me some great advice.”
As he embarks on his last season of high school football, he has set some lofty goals.
“Klein Collins has never been to State, and that is our goal,” he said. “We have the talent and the chemistry to do it. I also just want to have fun with my guys one last time. This feels like the stuff you see in movies, right?
“I’m looking to get six interceptions and about 70 tackles. I’m going to leave it all out there.”
IT’S RARE FOR A CITY TO HAVE ONE OR TWO NATIONAL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL RECRUITS IN A CLASS.
Well, the Class of 2027 in the city of Houston is special.
The popularity of girls’ basketball has completely skyrocketed. Names like Caitlyn, Angel, A’ja, Breanna, Kelsey and Sabina are mainstream, household brands, who are changing the game as it relates to marketing and how the game is played.
Jemini Mitchell exploded onto the Houston high school scene with a breakout season alongside South Carolina-commit Ayla McDowell. The dynamic duo has the potential to be cutting down the nets inside the Alamodome this March. The 6-foot-3 star can do it all.
Cy Springs' Jemini MitchellBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“I think she’s the most versatile recruit for the Class of 2027 in the country,” Cy Springs coach Taneisha Rogers said. “Her versatility is what sets her apart. She can guard anyone on the court.”
Relatively new to the game is Hightower’s Ogechi Okeke, who is the centerpiece for the Hurricanes’ present and future.
“She hasn’t been playing very long but she is a sponge,” Hightower coach Jasmine Brewer said. “She was starting on varsity as a 14-year- old. Her ability to be coachable and pick up concepts is really impressive. She’s a great teammate and student as well.”
Kinkaid coach Stacey Marshall has the luxury of having three sophomore game- changers on one team... Ma’Ryiah Alfred, Lauren Hull and her daughter Sydney Marshall.
The stars of 2024-25 Kinkaid Girls BasketballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“This is a one of the best all-around classes I’ve ever seen here, and Houston has been a hotspot for recruiting for decades,” she said. “Sydney has an advanced understanding of the game and can really shoot the ball, while Lauren hasn’t even tapped her ceiling. She is an elite defender and can really finish around the rim. Ma’Ryiah is one of those ‘Three and D’ players who is so creative. She will also make the extra pass and has a high motor. Those three are high-level recruits.”
Down south is Pearland, home to A’Zyua Blair and Shiloh Grays, who also had big freshman seasons. They are getting a lot of recruiting attention already.
Pearland's A'Zyua BlairBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“A’Zyua really pushes the pace and will be a great college floor general,” Pearland coach Jere’ Adams said. “She gets her teammates involved and know when her teammates need her to take over. Shiloh is not her sister, RyLee. They are two different players. Shiloh can play inside and out and is a great rebounder. We call her a ‘walking double-double’.”
With a stellar sophomore class in H-Town, the future looks healthy for the Space City. It will be exciting to see how they develop and where they end up at the college level.
The stars of 2024-25 Concordia Lutheran Girls Basketball
Justin Hartojo (VYPE)
5 — CONCORDIA LUTHERAN CRUSADERS
Under the direction of head coach and CLHS AD Matt Neidigk, the Crusaders enjoyed their best season in years last winter, as they went 27-9 and reached the TAPPS-6A Regional round.
Fortunately for Concordia Lutheran, they have the luxury of bringing back nearly the entirety of their 2024 stars.
Senior forward Kenley Benson will continue to be the catalyst for the group, following yet another dynamic showcase that garnered her first-team, all-state honors.
Second-team, all-district selection and all-state honorable mention Leah Jurischk (Jr. G) also returns to provide additional veteran leadership, alongside fellow upperclassmen Kaitlin Rich (all-district honorable mention) and Megan Ingraham (Jr. F).
The Crusaders are in pursuit of their first State Final-Four appearance since 2016 and they just might have the fire-power to do so.
Cy Springs' Jemini MitchellBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
The stars of 2024-25 Kinkaid Girls BasketballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Pearland's A'Zyua BlairBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
