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2024-25 Fort Bend Travis Basktball
THE STATUS: Updated VYPE HOU Basketball Rankings entering district race; Travis, Alief Taylor skyrocket
As we ring in the new year, the tournament portion of the season reaches its end and teams now turn their attentions towards securing a coveted playoff spot and more.
Through the first half of the winter, numerous developments have been made when it comes to the overall outlook of Houston-area hoops.
Regarding the boys' side, Fort Bend Travis has experienced a meteoric rise in success, now that they currently maintain an 18-2 record, swiftly putting their district -- and the city for that matter -- on high alert.
As expected, Fort Bend Marshall (5A), Shadow Creek, Katy Jordan, Seven Lakes, Atascocita, and Ridge Point have been among the several programs to flourish and should anticipate lengthy runs in the ensuing postseason.
Don't sleep on the likes of Bellaire, Clear Springs, Friendswood (5A), Cinco Ranch, Iowa Colony (5A), Barbers Hill (5A), and Grand Oaks, though, as they have proven to be more than capable of winning the close contests.
Meanwhile, Stafford (23-0) has yet to face defeat within Class 4A, which bodes well for a team that's eager to make another run for State.
On the girls' side, Cypress Springs is certainly living up to the hype thus far, considering they've gone 18-3 despite facing a gauntlet of formidable opponents in their first couple of months.
Dawson (23-4) and Pearland (21-6) will be battling for District 22-6A in the coming weeks, while Clear Creek (20-4), Clear Brook (22-2), and Dickinson (17-8) will do the same in 24-6A, creating some enticing match-ups for audiences to witness.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season, so far, has been the rapid level of success that Alief Taylor has enjoyed. As it stands, the Lions are 21-4 and should only continue to gain momentum on the road towards the Alamodome.
However, teams such as Hightower, Grand Oaks, Tomball Memorial, Summer Creek, and Cinco Ranch might have something to say about that.
With that in mind, see who's making waves on the H-Town basketball scene as we approach what should be a thrilling second half of the season.
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VYPE HOU BOYS BASKETBALL TOP-20 (Class 6A-4A)
***Last section indicates current overall record/district record
1. Fort Bend Marshall Buffaloes (5A) -- 23-2; 3-0
2. Shadow Creek Sharks (6A) -- 18-2; 5-0
3. Katy Jordan Warriors (6A) -- 20-2; 5-0
4. Seven Lakes Spartans (6A) -- 20-5; 4-2
5. FB Travis Tigers (6A) -- 18-2; 2-0
6. Atascocita Eagles (6A) -- 14-4; 2-0
7. Ridge Point Panthers (6A) -- 15-5; 2-0
8. Cinco Ranch Cougars (6A) -- 21-3; 5-1
9. Friendswood Mustangs (5A) -- 20-3; 3-0
10. Clear Springs Chargers (6A) -- 20-3; 2-0
11. Bellaire Cardinals (6A) -- 14-7; 3-0
12. Grand Oaks Grizzlies (6A) -- 19-6; 6-0
13. Stafford Spartans (4A) -- 23-0; 3-0
14. Barbers Hill Eagles (5A) -- 15-6; 2-0
15. Iowa Colony Pioneers (5A) -- 16-8; 2-0
16. College Park Cavaliers (6A) -- 16-8; 4-2
17. Katy Tigers (6A) -- 20-3; 3-2
18. Summer Creek Bulldogs (6A) -- 13-9; 1-1
19. C.E. King Panthers (6A) -- 10-7; 2-0
20. Cypress Springs Panthers (6A) -- 16-8; 2-1
Honorable Mentions: Cypress Falls, Hitchcock, Mayde Creek, Booker T. Washington, FB Bush, Pearland, Willis, Clements, Dickinson, FB Austin, Nimitz, Tomball Memorial, Yates
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VYPE HOU GIRLS BASKETBALL TOP-20 (Class 6A-4A)
***Last section indicates current overall record/district record
1. Cypress Springs Panthers (6A) -- 18-3; 5-0
2. Dawson Eagles (6A) -- 23-4; 8-0
3. Clear Brook Wolverines (6A) -- 22-2; 3-1
4. Pearland Oilers (6A) -- 21-6; 7-1
5. Clear Creek Wildcats (6A) -- 20-4; 4-1
6. Alief Taylor Lions (6A) -- 21-4; 4-0
7. Hightower Hurricanes (6A) -- 19-5; 5-0
8. Grand Oaks Grizzlies (6A) -- 21-3; 8-0
9. Summer Creek Bulldogs (6A) -- 12-10; 4-0
10. Tomball Memorial Wildcats (6A) -- 19-4; 7-1
11. Manvel Mavericks (6A) -- 20-6; 6-2
12. Fulshear Chargers (6A) -- 20-7; 3-1
13. C.E. King Panthers (6A) -- 14-5; 3-1
14. Cinco Ranch Cougars (6A) -- 17-5; 7-1
15. Klein Bearkats (6A) -- 20-6; 5-2
16. Cypress Falls Eagles (6A) -- 17-4; 4-0
17. Tomball Cougars (6A) -- 18-5; 5-3
18. Dickinson Gators (6A) -- 17-8; 4-1
19. Katy Taylor Mustangs (6A) -- 19-5; 7-1
20. Shadow Creek Sharks (6A) -- 18-8; 5-3
Honorable Mentions: Montgomery, Klein Collins, Tompkins, Houston Memorial, FB Austin, Westfield, Cypress Ranch, Barbers Hill, Willowridge, North Shore, Hitchcock, Klein Oak, Wheatley
Cy Springs' Jemini Mitchell
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Nationally-recognized Mitchell continues to make name for herself
IT TOOK NO TIME AT ALL FOR AUDIENCES TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME JEMINI MITCHELL.
Standing at 6-foot-2, Cy Springs’ newest star made one the most utterly dominant freshman debuts that the state has seen, having scored 538 points, with 219 rebounds, 70 assists and a team-leading 46 blocks.
This would obviously result in a District 16-6A Newcomer of the Year selection, but she’s much more than just a big body.
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“Most people might lean more towards their shooting ability, which I do think I’m skilled in that area,” said Mitchell. “But, I like to think that my greatest strength relates to my versatility as a player. Sure, I have the size, but I’m able to play inside and outside the paint and I feel that my defense has gotten better over the years.”
Entering her sophomore year, Mitchell is listed as a five-star recruit who’s the No. 1 ranked player in Texas and No. 13 in the nation in the Class of 2027.
That instantaneous level of success, coupled with her growing confidence, could arguably be attributed to the landscape she’s developed her game in.
“Being in this program has really allowed me to grow as a person, even though I’m only entering my second year,” she said. “On and off the court, I feel like my coaches and teammates push me to be better. You have to mature at a rapid pace in order to compete at this level, which is something that really sticks with me.”
Teamwise, the Panthers enjoyed yet another tremendous season this past winter, going 30-3 overall, which included an undefeated district title. They reached the UIL Class 6A Region II Semifinals.
However, they were ultimately thwarted by the eventual State Champs Duncanville, in a tight 48-40 defeat, clearly fueling them for this season.
“I don’t want to go back into the locker room like we did last year,” Mitchell said. “I hated the feeling after what happened in Round 4. If we want to improve on last year’s result, we need to take everything seriously, whether it be in practice or the classroom. There’s some unfinished business here, so it’s going to be about going hard every rep, and doing what we need to do.”
Given the unquestionable talent returning for coach Taneisha Rogers in 2024 – particularly Mitchell and South Carolina-commit Ayla McDowell – it’s likely that the vision they’ve set for themselves might very well come to fruition.
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