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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
STANDING TALL: No. 16 Grand Oaks could be legit contenders out of Conroe ISD
16 -- GRAND OAKS GRIZZLIES
Grand Oaks and coach Anthony Stephens return three experienced starters off of a 23-17 team that reached the third round of the postseason. The newest Conroe ISD school will have a legit shot at a district title this season and a historic run in the playoffs.
The Grizzlies’ back-court of Trae Lewis, Mike Rosario and Kevin Waddell are their “big three” and are interchangeable.
“We had a good run last year and the guys are hungry to get back there,” Stephens said. “We want to make a run to San Antonio and make our own footprint in this district.”
Jadyn Murray and Ben Garett will be key factors in their ultimate success.
“They are the bigs, who are the ‘X-factors’ to our season,” Stephens said. “They give us length and the ability to defend the paint. We really need them to play big.”
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