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2020 VYPE Houston Public School Girls Basketball 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
Nimitz's Kia Robertson, Tierra Goosby, Tyra Davis, Mariah Samuel and Ny'Asia Vance
PLAYOFFS OR BUST!: Nimitz Eyeing First Playoff Appearance Since 2016
"This year we're extremely close," Westbrooks said. "We have a good group of returning seniors, so we have more experience. Them being seniors makes them very focused. It brings a different dynamic to the team that only seniors can bring. So, playoffs is definitely something in focus for us this year."
Last year, Nimitz finished just on the outside looking in with a record of 14-16 overall, which was an improvement.
"Last year we fell short with keeping the same intensity every game," senior Mariah Samuel said. "We would come in slacking some games. But I feel like with this group of seniors and this team, we're coming in ready to play."
What makes this senior class – headlined by first-team, all-district selection Tyra Davis – is they have been playing together since their freshman year, three of them as teammates on varsity.
"The playoffs have been in my head since my freshman year," Davis said. "With this group that we have this year, I believe that we can make it there."
Davis leads the group along with Samuel (shooting guard, point guard), center Tierra Goosby, Kia Robertson and Ny'Asia Vance, who will emerge this year at the point.
"I feel like we have more experience," Samuel said. "We click now. We've just got it now. I feel it this year, I know we're going to make it."
That kind of work-hard attitude was apparent to Westbrooks, especially this summer.
In the weight room, during AAU, taking shot after shot at night, Westbrooks believes this group is "definitely prepared" and Davis hopes they set the standard for classes to come.
"The goal for another group coming in is to keep that standard right there and just keep pushing,"
Davis said." Look for a common goal and once you look for that, that's how you get there."
Bradley Collier/VYPE Media
Nimitz's Mariah Samuel
