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Dawson's Kendall Ford
THE PLAYMAKERS: The Biggest Names in South Houston Girls Hoops powered by UTMB Health
The south Houston area is loaded with talented athletes who give it their all in their respective fields of play.
Welcome to the VYPE Playmakers powered by UTMB Health, where we’re highlighting five standouts from this season who stole the headlines.
Here are the UTMB Girls Basketball Athletes of the 2024-25 season, who represented South Houston with style this Winter.
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A'Zyua Blair -- Pearland Girls Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Though they narrowly missed out on a fourth consecutive district title—finishing just behind Dawson (16-0)—the Pearland Oilers (29-8) still dominated District 22-6A with a strong 14-2 record, securing yet another playoff berth.
However, like their district counterpart, Pearland’s postseason run was cut short by eventual 6A-D1 state champion Summer Creek in a hard-fought Area Round battle.
Despite the early exit, the future remains bright for the Oilers, thanks to the talent set to return next season.
At the forefront of that promise is sophomore point guard A’Zyua Blair, who proved to be the driving force behind Pearland’s success.
Averaging approximately 19 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals per game, Blair’s stellar play earned her the title of District 22-6A Offensive Player of the Year.
Alongside fellow soon-to-be junior Shiloh Grays, Blair will continue to be a key piece for the Oilers, while further solidifying her status as a legitimate collegiate prospect.
Kamryn McLaurin -- Clear Brook Girls Basketball
Justin Hartojo (VYPE)
Clear Brook (33-4) was among the top programs in Texas throughout the 2025 season, entering the postseason with just three losses to their name.
However, their momentum was ultimately halted in the third round by Alief Taylor in a heart-pounding 59-58 battle.
Despite the somewhat early exit, the Wolverines boasted one of the most electrifying offenses in the state, averaging just under 62 points per contest. At the heart of their success was senior Kamryn McLaurin.
Known for her defensive prowess as a two-time District Defensive MVP, McLaurin showcased her versatility this season, proving she could dominate on both ends of the floor. She averaged an impressive 19 points, 4 steals, and 4 rebounds per game, stepping up whenever her team needed her most.
Her impact didn’t go unnoticed, as she was named the District 24-6A MVP to cap off a remarkable high school career.
Kendall Ford -- Dawson Girls Basketball
Justin Hartojo (VYPE)
What a season it was for the Dawson Eagles!
After finishing third in district play last year and bowing out in the Area Round to Summer Creek, Dawson responded in dominant fashion, claiming its first district championship since 2013 with a flawless 16-0 record.
Under the guidance of 22-6A Coach of the Year Sharee Griffin, the Eagles continued their historic run all the way to the Region III Final before falling to eventual UIL 6A-D1 champions Summer Creek, ending the season with an exemplary record of 34-5.
Leading the charge for Dawson was junior combo guard Kendall Ford.
Though she had plenty of support from standout teammates like Jaycee Ingram (Sr. F), Mia Barre (Jr. G), Journey Lovett (Jr. G), and Jaylynn Perez-Richard (Sr. G), Ford’s commanding presence on both ends of the floor earned her the title of District 22-6A MVP.
With Ford and several key players set to return next season, Dawson looks poised to build on this year’s success and remain a force to be reckoned with.
Jazmine Hansley -- Dickinson Girls Basketball
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
Under the leadership of coach Toya Peterson, the Dickinson Gators (26-9) proved they could compete with the best this season.
That was especially evident in district play, where Dickinson dominated en route to claiming the 24-6A title with a 13-1 record before securing a playoff berth.
The Gators’ success was fueled by their depth, as they didn’t rely on any single player to carry the load.
Although, it’s hard to overlook the impact of senior point guard Jazmine Hansley, who played a key role in their impressive run. The District 24-6A Offensive MVP averaged 14 points per game, while also contributing 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals on a nightly basis.
Hansley, along with fellow senior standouts Ciara Williams and Kyndall Hosea, will soon be graduating, leaving Dickinson with some big shoes to fill.
However, given the Gators’ track record, they’ll be more than ready for the challenge.
Kenadie Francis -- Iowa Colony Girls Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
In just their third year as a varsity program—and their first season competing in Class 5A—the Iowa Colony Pioneers continued to solidify their reputation as one of Houston’s fastest-growing teams.
Despite playing in one of 5A’s toughest districts, the Pioneers battled their way to a second-place finish in 20-5A. They carried that momentum into the postseason, advancing to the Area Round before narrowly falling 62-57 to Rudder, closing out the season with a strong 21-14 record.
Coach Brandi Justice’s squad featured several key contributors, including first-team all-district selections Eryn Roberts (So. G), Payton Watson (Jr. G), and Aaliyah Rogers (Jr. F). However, the emergence of sophomore center Kenadie Francis played a pivotal role in Iowa Colony’s success.
Francis averaged 9 points per game—second most on the team—while also leading the way with 8 rebounds and 3 blocks per contest. Her defensive dominance earned her the title of District 20-5A Defensive MVP.
With the majority of the roster set to return next season, expect the Pioneers to keep setting new precedents.
Shadow Creek's Michael Collins
THE PLAYMAKERS: Buzzer Beaters powered by UTMB Health
The south Houston area is loaded with talented athletes who give it their all in their respective fields of play.
Welcome to the VYPE Playmakers powered by UTMB Health, where we’re highlighting five standouts who stole the headlines over the past week.
Here are the UTMB Athletes of the Week, as the Winter season continues to unfold in the new year.
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Kamryn McLaurin -- Clear Brook Girls Basketball
Justin Hartojo (VYPE)
What a difference a year makes.
After going through their fair share of ups and downs last winter, things have only been looking up for Clear Brook this time around.
As it stands, the Wolverines are 23-2 are among the most highly-regarded squads, not just in our updated Houston rankings, but in the entire state.
Offensive production has been in ample supply for head coach Mileka Loydrake's roster, and while the two-time District MVP Rezia Castillo (Sr. PG) and Chardel Terrell (Sr. G) are playing phenomenally, Kamryn McLaurin deserves just as much praise.
McLaurin earned first-team, all-district honors in 2024 and looks to be on the same trajectory, if not better, considering she's remained one of the team's leading scorers.
Clear Brook now has their sights set on securing the District 24-6A title in the coming weeks, but they'll have some stiff competition with Clear Creek and Dickinson vying for the same distinction.
A'Zyua Blair -- Pearland Girls Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
As expected, Pearland is red-hot entering the second half of the season, with a 21-6 record to show for it.
The Oilers raised eyebrows recently, when they competed in the Sandra Meadows Classic just before New Year's.
After they toppled the reigning state champs Duncanville in a 68-63 overtime thriller, coach Jere' Adams and co. gave the No.1-ranked team in Texas, the Boswell Pioneers, a run for their money before narrowly falling 44-39.
They were then defeated by St. Francis (Georgia) -- once again by a close margin (53-51) -- to wind up placing 4th overall in the tournament, which is still an impressive accomplishment, given the quality of opponents they faced.
Pearland features several stars, but few have been more essential than sophomore point guard A'Zyua Blair.
On average, Blair puts up 19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals per game, meaning she can impact any phase of the game.
With the combined efforts of Blair, senior Eliece Perry (13 ppg, 9 rpg), and sophomore Shiloh Grays (9 ppg, 8 rpg), the Oilers are going to be contending with rival Dawson this month (1/25 rematch) for District 22-6A supremacy.
Stay tuned.
Michael Collins -- Shadow Creek Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
When it comes to Texas high school hoops, it simply doesn't get much better than Shadow Creek.
Boasting a record of 19-2, the Sharks are literally 7 points shy of perfection-- their only losses this season came at the hands of state powers, St. Michael's (49-46) and Lake Ridge (70-68).
Regardless of how those two matches ended, this team has proven that they're capable of contending with the state's best.
What makes Shadow Creek so threatening, aside from their irrefutable athleticism, is the fact that they play unselfish ball and each player finds ways to contribute.
However, it's hard to argue against Michael Collins being named the Team MVP down the line.
Collins put up a team-leading 23 points in their recent 82-41 trouncing of Pearland last Friday, which extended their district record to 6-0 on the year.
Of course, he's not alone, considering Bryce Jackson (21 pts), Julian Cuillier (12), Aiden Law (11), and Adin Lewis (10) each had impressive showings in the same win.
Basketball is a team game, but Collins is that dude.
Journey Lovett -- Dawson Girls Basketball
Justin Hartojo (VYPE)
With Coach Sharee Griffin at the helm, the Eagles (23-4) are coming off an exemplary performance at the Aggieland Invitational to end December, in which they claimed the 3rd Place trophy.
The No. 2-ranked team in our updated H-Town rankings has exceeded expectations the winter and look to continue proving the doubters wrong -- hence their recurring hashtag on Twitter "#NotSatisfied".
This was a truly difficult decision to make, because there a number of individuals who should (and likely will at some point) be on this list.
Mia Barre (Jr. G) is a three-point specialist (she scored 7 in one game at the tournament), while Jaycee Ingram (Sr. F) provides a unique brand of skill and quickness, in addition to veteran experience.
However, Journey Lovett deserves some recognition.
In addition to being named to the Aggieland Invitational All-Tournament team, the junior guard has been Dawson's "Player of the Game" on a number of occasions - most recently in their 77-22 win against Alvin last Friday.
Standing at 6 feet tall, Lovett combines size with finesse, which can make her a handful for any opponent.
Team-wise, Dawson will now gear up for the second round of district-play, and do so with a remarkable 8-0 record in 22-6A.
First up is Tuesday night's meeting with Manvel (20-6; 6-2), on the path towards a district championship and more.
Madden Hill -- Clear Springs Basketball
Clear Springs picked up right where they left off a year ago, when they went 28-10 and reached the Region III-6A Final, only to start this year with a pristine record of 21-3.
They enter the new year on the heels of winning the Conroe Christmas Classic with their 52-39 win over Crosby, prior to making a statement by dominating the reigning district champs Dickinson (79-42) last Friday.
However, one of the most notable headlines regarding the Chargers this winter has been the emergence of freshman point guard Madden "Mighty" Hill.
In his debut with CSHS, Hill has consistently lit up the scoreboard, while efficiently dishing the ball out to his teammates, and making key contributions on defense.
Despite facing a red-hot Dickinson squad, he went on to put up 18 points, 6 assists, and 8 rebounds to help the team clinch a crucial district win.
Alongside the towering Izuchukwu Emelife (Sr. PF/C) -- who was named the MVP of the Conroe tournament and continues to gain attention from college recruiters -- the pair will be a force worth reckoning as they battle their way towards a potential District 24-6A title and ensuing playoff run.