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RANKINGS
AWARD SZN: 2020 VYPE Houston Public School Boys Basketball All-VYPE Team
And thud...
The 2019-20 basketball season ended in an off-the-backboard brick as the COVID-19 virus put an end to the state tournament.
Houston had four teams advance to state and VYPE will grant all four teams a share of the Team of the Year Award. Each had a great story line.
Dickinson hadn't been to state in 65 years and was hitting on all cylinders entering Final Four weekend. 65 years!!!!
Hightower was led by super-soph Bryce Griggs and company, looking to make school history if they could have reached the state finals. Three Hurricane teams made the Final Four before this year's group but hasn't won a game at state in school history.
Yates was poised for their fifth state title in 11 years under the direction of coach Greg Wise. They set the consecutive record for scoring 100-points in a game, breaking their own record a decade ago.
That leaves Stafford. Coach David Montano had the Spartans two games away from their first title since 1992. Stafford was off the grid in the preseason, sneaking up on everyone en route to state.
Here are the All-VYPE teams and superlatives.
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TEAMS OF THE YEAR
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COACH OF THE YEAR
Jason Wilson, Dickinson
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PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tramon Mark, Dickinson
FIRST-TEAM ALL-VYPE
LJ Cryer, Morton Ranch
Bryce Griggs, Hightower
Justin Hill, FB Travis
Rubin Jones, Yates
Marcus Williams, Dickinson
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SECOND-TEAM ALL-VYPE
PJ Haggerty, Crosby
Jordan Ivy-Curry, LaMarque
Daylan Presley, Stafford
Pierce Spencer, Lake Creek
Ramon Walker, Shadow Creek
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THIRD-TEAM ALL-VYPE
Daylan Hamilton, Klein Forest
Javon Jackson, Summer Creek
Antwon Norman, Yates
Ethan Taylor, Memorial
Demari Williams, Fulshear
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HONORABLE MENTION ALL-VYPE
Khaliq Abdul-Mateen, Cy Lakes
Jake Arnold, Katy Taylor
Davion Coleman, Jersey Village
Josh Cooper, North Shore
RJ Crawford, Langham Creek
Dylan Dawson, Atascocita
Nik Ellis, Cy-Fair
Reuben Fatheree II, Foster
Chris Harris, Hightower
Michael Imariagbe, Elsik
Chuks Isitua, Yates
Kaboris Johnson, North Forest
Nate Martin, Cy Creek
Danny McAdory, Bush
Peter McKey, Hastings
Tim Moore, Jr., Madison
Lonzo Rand, Westfield
JaJa Sanni, Clear Lake
Westley Sellers, Morton Ranch
Kaleb Stewart, Atascocita
Rommell Williams, Mayde Creek
Will Young, Shadow Creek
Yates extends 100-point streak to 12; Wise weighs in; photo gallery
HOUSTON - Jack Yates basketball … You either love them or hate them. There is no middle ground.
Wednesday night at Butler Fieldhouse, Yates was in a heated battle.
Not with Furr High School, but with the clock.
Yates had scored 100 or more points in 11-straight games. The national record is 15 games, set by none other than… Yates in 2010.
Coach Greg Wise is polarizing. His "pedal to the metal"-style catches criticism at times, but it's his signature. It's the best ticket in town. If you haven't seen it, it's a must.
He presses the entire game. His team shoots fearlessly and he plays a deep bench. He and his players want another state title, but they also want the record of 100-point games straight.
But, here's the catch.
In HISD basketball games if a team is up by 50 or more points, the referees employ a running clock – a mercy rule. There is no such rule sanctioned by the UIL.
"The UIL rule says you can't run the clock," Wise said. "HISD put their own rule in for whatever reason. To be honest with you, I'm frustrated with our own district because the UIL says you can't run the clock. They (HISD) put in their rule to run it and then they tried to run it when we were in a time out. I've got an HISD person arguing with me about their own rule. Sometimes you feel like people that are supposed to be on your side are not even on your side, so it's frustrating."
Yates was up 78-28 at the end of the third quarter as the clock had begun to run on fouls, free-throws and balls out-of-bounds. Furr tried to run some clock with hopes of not being victim No. 12.
As the clock continued to run, Yates had one chance to score 100 at the end of regulation. Latrell Moore hit a right-corner-pocket-three-pointer that rattled home as the bench and crowd went wild.
A 100-31 final made for No. 12.
"That's what we are chasing right now," senior Rubin Jones said. "Of course, we want the state ring, but we want that record right now."
(Visit HERE for more photos)
In a battle against a running clock, it will be tough for Jack Yates to break their own record of 15-straight 100-point games. If they do, it will be against Scarborough on February 11. It might not get that far as rival Wheatley looms on the schedule February 7.
Think about this, Yates has to score at least 25 points per quarter. High school basketball has eight-minute quarters. Eight-minute quarters! If they are up by 50, the clock is running. That seems virtually impossible, however, they were battling a running clock last week in the second quarter.
Why is this so important to them? Yates pours it on in blow-out wins as their relentless press and pace wears out opponents. Some may feel it's unsportsmanlike.
Well, I have mixed feelings. When you play for Yates basketball, like Katy or North Shore football, you are playing against your opponent but also your own legacy. The Yates 2010 team was the greatest Lion team ever. They set the standard.
The 2020 version is trying to be called the "best ever" and raise the bar. To do so, they have to break the record… and win state. That's the Yates' culture.
Here's the scary part. Yates is just getting to full strength as home-schoolers Chuks Isitua and Allen Udemadu were made eligible a few weeks back. They join guards Jones, Antwon Norman, Darryl Brown and Elijah Elliott, among others to fill out a lethal lineup. The last addition could be transfer Gerald Doakes, who has several SEC offers. Doakes should know if he's cleared by next week.
"Some teams are the best they can be at the beginning and some plateau or go down, but this team with the way we are going are going to do nothing but get better as the season goes on," Wise said. "That's another reason why we need that time, but this team hasn't even gotten close to how good they can be."
That's scary.
For now, the controversy will continue as fans will argue both sides.
But one thing is for sure, Yates ain't changing. And nor should they.