GAMES
RANKINGS
VYPE Preseason Girl's Basketball: No. 9 Heights
District MVP Gracelynn Alvarez is back averaging after averaging 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. She is verbally committed to UTEP. Also back are first-team, all-district selections Tierra Simon (12 ppg, 7rpg), Aaliyah Macias (5 ppg, 3 rpg) and Sincere Roberts (11 ppg, 4 rpg). Heights also adds transfer Trinity Frias.
RECRUITING: Houston Heights' Alvarez verbals to UTEP
The junior was able to complete her season but after that she had to get creative to keep her basketball reps going during the COVID-19 pandemic - which had 4,267 new cases reported in Texas on Monday - and virtually shut down all schools in mid-March.
In fact, the Alvarez family built their own basketball court from the ground up in their backyard.
"With this new court I'm able to put in work whenever I want," she said. "I've also been running three miles a day to stay in shape and keep my stamina up since I have decided to not play my last season of AAU due to COVID-19."
As Alvarez heads into her final year of high school, the goals are lofty for Heights - including making a playoff run to state - but also for Alvarez as she wants to be a better player and teammate overall.
So what does the future Miner love the most about basketball?
"I've been playing ball since I was four-years-old and I can honestly say this is my passion," Alvarez said. "My favorite part about basketball is being able to play the game I love and it also takes my mind off what is going on in the world."
