GAMES
RANKINGS
2020 VYPE Houston Public School Girls Basketball All-VYPE Team
The 2019-2020 girls basketball season is in the books in Houston.
As we looked back on it, what a year it was. The headliner was Cypress Creek, which reached its second state tournament in the past three years. There were also great performances by Clear Springs, which reached the Regional Finals for the first time since 2017 and Shadow Creek, which made its first-ever Regional Final.
VYPE looked back on the year and has formed the 2019-2020 Girls Basketball Public School All-VYPE Team.
Team of the Year: Cypress Creek
No doubt this is the 2019-2020 VYPE Girls Public School team of the team. The Cypress Creek Cougars were the only team to advance to the 2020 UIL Girls Basketball State Tournament. The Cougars entered the tournament with an amazing 40-0 record. The Cougars defeated McKinney in the semifinals before falling to Duncanville in the state title game to finish 41-1.
"They stuck together, through and through. There were several points during the year where someone was out with injury or had to miss for testing or whatever. But they always stuck together and it wasn't really about one person or two people or our starting five. It was always next man up. Be ready to do your job. They did that really well. I think you saw that come to fruition in San Antonio. Some kids had to step up and their roles changed but they always did it together. It was always about the team."
Player of the Year: Kyndall Hunter, Cypress Creek
The basketball world got to watch as Cy Creek Cougar junior Kyndall Hunter took over in the regional tournament and then in the state tournament. At State, Hunter was leaned on more with the absence of Rori Harmon. In the State Semifinal against McKinney, Hunter went 11 of 25 from the field and 7 of 10 from the charity stripe to score 31 points. In the state title game, Hunter poured in 24 points on 7 of 14 shooting. Hunter showed time and time again this season of how good of a player she can be on and off the court.
"Every single [interview] it was about the team like you said. She was always thankful and proud of her teammates, first and foremost. She knows that as talented as she is and as special of a player she is there's five kids on the court and the kids on the bench rallying behind her as well. Leadership, really all year, but specifically at the state tournament when we were down in the final game she was literally picking kids' chins up. That just shows what kind of teammate she is too." - Jennifer Alexander
Coach of the Year: Jennifer Alexander, Cypress Creek
The job Jennifer Alexander has done has been phenomenal. In the past three years, Cypress Creek has advanced to the UIL State Tournament twice. Not many programs can say that. She also managed the team to a 109-12 mark in the past three years. Impressive work.
1st Team
Elyssa Coleman, Atascocita
DeYona Gaston, Pearland
Rori Harmon, Cypress Creek
Kamryn Jones, Magnolia West
Kylie Minter, Clear Springs
Bre'yon White, Shadow Creek
2ND Team
Raven Adams, Ridge Point
Gracelynn Alvarez, Heights
Maliyah Johnson, Summer Creek
Destini Lombard, FB Hightower
Mersadez Nephew, Oak Ridge
Atlantis White, Langham Creek
Honorable Mention
Josephine Adegbite, Clear Falls
Dala Allen, Ridge Point
Olaia Arenas, Cy-Fair
Alicia Blanton, Foster
Riane Burton, Cy Ranch
Krishana Boyd, La Marque
Dede Davis, Atascocita
Tyra Davis, Nimitz
Kimberly Duhon, Baytown Lee
Aleighyah Fontenot, Ridge Point
Malon Garner, Jack Yates
Aja Gore, Brazosport
Shalayne Gould, North Shore
Jermia Green, Clear Springs
Alex Haymon, Goose Creek Memorial
Morgan Hill, Cypress Creek
Imani Ivery, Foster
Jalayah Ingram, Pearland Dawson
Precious Johnson, Baytown Sterling
Zaria Johnson, FB Hightower
Teniola Kuyinu, FB Dulles
Ashlyn Mason, Friendswood
Kierra Merchant, Spring
Hannah Narvarez, Klein Collins
Nicole Nash, Friendswood
Moyo Orundami, Cypress Woods
Kaley Perkins, Langham Creek
Nicole Petrakovitz, Oak Ridge
Kamari Portalis, Magnolia West
Fatou Samb, Westside
Tierra Simon, Heights
Jada Stewart, MacArthur
Arianna Sturdivant, FB Bush
R'Mani Taylor, Shadow Creek
Shadiya Thomas, Cy Ranch
Nya Threatt, FB Dulles
Savannah Velazquez, George Ranch
Cryer, Johnson lead Houston-area players to be nominated for McDonald's All-American Game
Courtesy of McDonald's News Release
HOUSTON, TX – Today, McDonald's unveiled that local Houstonians are among the top basketball talent nominated to take part in the 2020 McDonald's All American Games. The list of more than 900 top girls and boys high school seniors from across the country recognizes 20 players from Houston, Texas– 6 male and 14 female players. The local players nominated for the 2020 Games are:
Guys
Nate Clover, Memorial High School, Port Arthur
LJ Cryer, Morton Ranch High School, Katy
Foluwaso Fashoro, Ridge Point High School, Missouri City
Kenneth Lofton, Memorial Hgih School, Port Arthur
Tramon Mark, Dickinson High School, Dickinson
Luke Thorburn, Strake Jesuit College Prep, Houston
Girls
Laila Blair, Waller High School, Waller
Telisha Brown, Houston Wheatley High School, Houston
Riane Burton, Cypress Ranch High School, Cypress
Elyssa Coleman, Atascocita High School, Humble
Makayla Cross, James Madison High School, Houston
DeYona Gaston, Pearland High School, Pearland
Maliyah Johnson, Summer Creek High School, Houston
Precious Johnson, Ross S. Sterling High School, Baytown
Zaria Johnson, Hightower High School, Missouri City
Kameryn Lewis, Westside High School, Houston
Destini Lombard, Hightower High School, Missouri City
Taelor Pruvis, Hightower High School, Missouri City
Fatou Samb, Westside High School, Houston
Kendria Wilson, James Madison High School, Houston
Alumni of the nation's premier high school basketball all-star event include Michael Jordan, LeBron James, James Harden, Maya Moore and Candace Parker. This year's list of talent includes players from 48 states and the District of Columbia who have been selected by high school coaches, athletic directors, principals and members of the McDonald's All American Games Selection Committee.
A complete list of 2020 McDonald's All American Games Nominees is available at mcdaag.com. The final rosters of the top 24 girls and 24 boys for the 2020 McDonald's All American Games will be revealed on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN's The Jump and also covered at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN's SportsCenter. Follow @McDAAG on Twitter and Instagram for more information in the lead-up to the reveal of the country's top emerging players.
"We are so proud that 20 local students have been recognized as nominees for the 2020 McDonald's All American Games," said Carla Moore, President of the McDonald's Greater Houston Owner/Operators Association. "These talented players have proven their dedication and hard work both on and off the basketball court, and we are thrilled to have them represent Houston on a national level."
The 19th annual McDonald's All American Girls Game will tip off on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, April 1. The 43rd annual Boys Game immediately follows at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
McDonald's All American Games continues to invest in local communities across the country through support of Ronald McDonald House Charities and its network of local Chapters. At RMHC, programs like the Ronald McDonald House®, Ronald McDonald Family Room® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® provide comfort and compassion to families with ill or injured children so they are fully supported and able to be a part of their child's care.
@McDAAG
Be sure to follow @McDAAG on Twitter and Instagram to receive exclusive access to 2020 McDonald's All American Games announcements and a behind-the-scenes look at current and past McDonald's All Americans.
ABOUT McDONALD'S GREATER HOUSTON OWNER/OPERATORS
The McDonald's Greater Houston Owner/Operators Association (GHOA) is a co-operative of local business owners who own and operate more than 300 McDonald's restaurants in Greater Houston. GHOA-owned McDonald's restaurants employ more than 15,000 people in the Greater Houston community. Follow Houston McDonald's on Instagram @McDonaldsHouston.
About McDonald's USA
McDonald's serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities®
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation that creates, finds, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Through its global network of over 275 Chapters in more than 65 countries and regions, and its three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House, the Ronald McDonald Family Room and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, RMHC helps families with ill or injured children stay together, and close to the medical care their child needs at leading hospitals worldwide. RMHC programs not only provide access to quality health care, they enable family-centered care ensuring families are fully supported and actively involved in their children's care. For more information, visit rmhc.org. Follow RMHC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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