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Register for the 2023 Cream Of The Crop Camp

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At Texasboysbasketball.com, regardless of our staff’s busy schedule, we make it a priority to host our annual Cream of The Crop Camp where we highlight the best young talent Texas has to offer. From Tyrese Maxey, De’Vion Harmon, Keyonte George, Jordan Walsh, Rylan Griffen & the list just goes on for the players that have participated in this event. We are excited for this year’s edition of the COC as we’ll get a look at the 2026,2027 & 2028 class in the state of Texas.

Just like last year, we will have full stats of all our games and a leader-board that will be posted online at the end of the event. Come in and get a chance to be evaluated by long-time grassroots scout & legend Alan Branch and Ani Umana of 5statehoopreport.

Link to register is right here: https://basketball.exposureevents.com/207544/cream-of-the-crop/registration

 

 

Region XIV Day 1 Standouts/Quotes

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It’s a fun time of the year for me. High school state tournaments, McDonald’s All American Game, Division 1 conference tournaments, March Madness is looming,  but one that flies under the radar are the JUCO conference tournaments. I spent the day in my hometown of Tyler, Texas to catch some Region XIV Basketball and good ... Read more

Making A Case. Ja’Kobe Walter’s Eyes McDonald’s Game Invite

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This time of the year, teams are jostling for playoff position in district play, continuing to build up their resumes in hopes for a Geico’s National Tournament invite, but from a player perspective, especially ones that are high end 4 and 5 star guys, they are hoping to see their names appear on the McDonald’s ... Read more

Travel With Ani: Map of Texas 2026 Class

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We don’t have much time left until the 2022-2023 scholastic season will come to a close but from the fall camps, fall leagues and regular season & district games, we got a better feel of this freshman class. Travel with me as we go through the DFW, Houston, Beaumont & Central Texas to explore and ... Read more

Whataburger Top 12

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  The 64th annual Whataburger Tournament commenced at Mansfield Legacy in 2022 and albeit talks of it being a down year, I thought we saw quality play and performances. Missing was the likes of a Fab50 team like Duncanville or Richardson Lake Highlands but we did see some of the better teams in the state ... Read more

Dink Pate Game Breakdown

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  Offense Dink is an athletic slasher who‘s blessed with elite vision & a smooth jumper. He’s adept at getting downhill and forcing the help defense to make a decision. His height helps him see over the defense when he’s in a crowded area like the paint or when they try to blitz him with ... Read more

Cream of The Crop Top 5

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2026 Seven Spurlock

11pts 4.7rebs 3asts

Big guard prospect with a thicker frame. Lefty combo that holds advanced passing vision for age. Was ranked top 5 in the camp in points, rebounds & assists per game. Shooting numbers weren’t great as he didnt convert a three pointer and shot just 41% from the field.

2025 David Iweze

13pts 7.3rebs 2blks 2.6asts

Young front court prospect that was the best forward in the camp. Good size, long arms and holds promising perimeter skills for his height. When his motor was on, he was the most dominate player on the court due to his impact on both ends. Still needs to put it all together but David will be a prospect Power 5 Programs will make a priority when the time comes.

Trent Perry

14pts 4rebs 2asts 57% shooting

An athletic wing with plus length and adequate ball-skills. Thrived in transition and the open court as a ballhandler and finisher. Really attacked the rim and showed off a promising stop and pop game. Was the overall MVP of the camp and arguably the best player in his class.

 

2026 Kensington Candler

11pts 4.7rebs 2.3asts

A wiry guard that brings a lot to the table. Rebounds well for position, good passer feel and someone that can create space off the bounce and score. Plays hard and will make winning basketball plays. Effort plus skill put him in the top 5 categorically.

 

2025 AJ McPeters

13.7pts 3.7rebs 54% shooting 38% from three

AJ was very solid at the Cream Of The Crop. Bigger body wing that’s fundamentally sound and knows how to play. Was very good 15ft in as he faced up and made jumpers, kept defenders off-balance with pump-fakes and step-throughs but also showed his ability to make threes off step-backs.  He doesn’t hold much burst off the bounce but compensated that with IQ and an understanding of attacking angles.

 

Stat/Player Breakdown From Cream Of The Crop Dallas

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It’s been a while since we had our Dallas Cream of The Crop Camp and it was good to be back in the DFW to host it once again for the classes of 2025, 2026 & 2027. In this recap we will breakdown the top 5 players from the main stat categories. Lets dive in.

 

PPG

1. Trent Perry-TCU  14.0
2. AJ McPeters-Texas  13.7
3. David Iweze-Houston  13.0
4. Trent Bowers-Baylor 11.7
5. Seven Spurlock-Houston  11.0
5. Kensington Candler-TCU  11.0

 

The Breakdown

2026 Trent Perry was arguably the best player at the camp. With long arms, wide shoulder width and holds a array of skill and athletic tools. He thrived in transition as a finisher but also was impactful in the half-court utilizing his size, quick first step and length to finish in traffic but also rise up and shoot over defenders. 2025 AJ McPeters comes in second scoring 13.7 ppg in three contests. He has a strong frame, high basketball feel and can make  perimeter shots when given space. Big fella David Iweze is a rising sophomore with a physical profile that stands out. Long arms, a frame you can add muscle to and he looks to not be done growing. Iweze was impactful inside as a finisher and rebounder but also showed ability to face-up and make shots from 15ft out when open. Trent Bowers was impressive on Sunday. He showed a nice in-between game, and can drive with either hand effectively to get to his spots to score.

Two players tied for 5th at 11ppg with 2026 Seven Spurlock and Kensington Candler. Spurlock may have had the best overall stats from anybody at the camp but in regards to scoring the lefty pg got wherever he wanted on the court and used his broad frame to embrace contact and score on a consistent basis. Candler was effective on the perimeter, shooting the basketball. Quick off the dribble, long arms for size allows him to finish vs length and was able to push the pace and score in transition.

 

RPG

1. David Iweze-Houston  7.3
2. Brayden Brown-Texas  7.0
3. Kaden Adams-Houston 6.0
4. Steve McLeod-Baylor  5.3
5. Will Saunders-Baylor 4.7
-5. Seven Spurlock-Houston 4.7
-5. Kensington Candler-TCU 4.7
6. Jamel Ward-Houston 4.3

 

 

The Breakdown

Told you Iweze made his impact on the glass. He has the ability to rebound out of his area and his length allows him to capture the ball at a height others can’t. Although his motor does need to be consistent, when locked in Iweze made his presence known on the glass. I love Brayden’s activity. Plays hard and can make a basketball play without the ball being in his hands. He just goes and gets it off the rim and finishes. Kaiden was one of the top performers in the camp. A burly rising sophomore guard that plays with a high motor. He mastered the grab and go at the Cream of The Crop which allowed him to nab a rebound and push it end to end and score at the rim. McLeod is a wing prospect that hunted for rebounds. Liked that he could seize a rebound and start the offense from time to time. His activity on both ends was noted by our staff.

3 players tied for 5th and one of them was 2025 Will Saunders who is someone that intrigues me. The Highland Park wing/forward has a promising offensive skillset with his size and plus shooting but showed some grit on the glass. Saw him be physical in order to get a rebound and will go for offensive rebounds to get 2nd chance opportunities for his team. Mirroring the PPG numbers, Seven Spurlock and Kensington Candler tied with 4.7rpg as well. Seven pushed the tempo when he secured a rebound and so did Candler which allowed them to give their team numbers in transition opportunities. Jamel Ward from Royce City is a high flying wing that skies from one end to the other. He used his athleticism to nab rebounds and finish above the rim in the open court.

 

APG

1. Jacob Herndon-Baylor 3.7
2. Zayd Taylor-Texas  3.0
-2. Seven Spurlock-Houston 3.0
4. David Iweze-Houston  2.7
5. Kensington Candler-TCU 2.3

 

2026 Jacob Herndon led the camp in assists as he showed his plus passing feel in transition finding the open man, in the half-court situation getting to the paint and kicking the ball out and also showed flashes of threading the needle on passes as well. Liked how Zayd Taylor commanded the floor. Great at setting the table, getting the ball for teammates to score and fantastic on ball screens as a scorer and facilitator. Seven sees his name again, but now with his assist stats. Him garnering so much attention with the ball in his hands allowed others to be open and Spurlock was able to find them quickly. Same thing with Iweze. He was able to find his teammates cutting to the basket and find the open man from three when he operated with his back to the basket from the block. Kensington was able to start breaks and get the ball to his teammates running the lanes which subsequently led to easy finishes.

 

Field Goal %

1. Richard Aguilar-Texas .7 5 0
2. David Iweze-Houston .6 6 7
3. Drew Smith-Texas  .6 1 1
4. Trent Perry-TCU .5 7 6
5. Patrick Daniels-Texas  .5 7 1
-5. Josh Herndon-Houston .5 7 1

 

2025 Richard Aguilar was a standout from the camp. The quick guard from Irving got to his spots, showed nice touch with floater game and connected from deep when open. Iweze’s shooting numbers come with no surprise as majority of his shots came from in the paint. Utilizing his length and athleticism to finish efficiently in traffic. 2025 Drew Smith has had a solid summer and came to the Cream of The Crop with multiple efficient performances. Shooting over 60% from the field, Drew got to the paint and scored with an array of finishes.  Also showed sound footwork and touch getting into his midrange game but more importantly was smart with his shot selection. Trent got to whatever shot he wanted and albeit settling in the latter games he used his physical attributes plus his sound skillset to score in multiple ways. I’m intrigued by 2026 Patrick Daniels. Wiry slashing guard that has a solid feel for the game. He was smart with his shot selection and showed a nice shooting stroke when attempting threes off the catch. Herndon, who led the camp in assist per game also was effective as a scorer, him being able to balance scoring/facilitating allowed him to manipulate the defense some.

 

Other Notable Stats

2025 Zayd Taylor avg. 3.7 steals per game as he’s a pest on the defensive end, showing great instincts as an on-ball defender and playing the passing lanes.

2025 David Iweze avg. 2 blocks per game as he used his length to alter/block shots coming from inside.

Other Notable Players

2025 

JP Rainer

Brayden Brown

2026

Parker Hughston

Onie Lewis

Jay Miles

Aiden Quado

2027

Tay Woodard

2028 

Cire Mobley

 

Chris Johnson Pledges To Kansas

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2023 guard Chris Johnson announced this evening that he has committed to Kansas. Johnson, who will be attending Montverde Academy in Florida is the Jayhawks first commitment in the 2023 class. Kansas outlast Alabama and UCLA to gain a commitment from Johnson as they were in hot pursuit of Chris and attended many of his ... Read more

Recap From The Weekend. Juneteenth Edition

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It’s been a while since I’ve wrote content on TBB but I’ll be back on here on a regular basis.  “Freedom Day” as some call it, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and gave word to enslaved African Americans that they were free.

We celebrate the day with parades, family & friends gatherings and some basketball mixed in with that as well. It was a first of sorts for both organizations. The Season Ticket hosted their first Annual Juneteenth Showcase in Carrolton and Dallas Showtyme presented their Annual Dallas Showtyme Classic in Duncanville but this is the first one since the passing of Dallas Showtyme creator and Texas Grassroots legend Erven “Big E” Davis.  

The staff got to see a good mix of young and upperclassmen talent. Lets dive in on the players!

 

Team Trae Young vs Max Levels Elite

This contest stayed a 2-3 possession game for the most part and it was a fun one in Carrolton. Team Trae Young sports a quadruplet of higher-end division 1 talent with 2023 post Jadyn Toppin, guard Jakobe Walter, wing Kaden Cooper & 2024 guard Dink Pate. Max Levels has 2023 guard T’John Brown, Jayven Cofer & Alexzaye Johnson (From Louisiana).

Toppin made his presence known with above the rim finishes, offensive rebounds & shot altering on defense. He possesses soft hands, is mobile and should see his recruitment spring-board in the next 30 days. Walter struggled finding a consistent rhythym but he can impact the game in multiple ways. He’s a quality individual and team defender, sound passer and still commands much attention from defense due to his scoring prowess.

Texas Update 40 Days

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I’m far from a veteran, but it’s been eight years since I decided to get entrenched in the grassroots scene and more notably in Texas. One of the main things I’ve realized is that a week can go by and the amount of roster movement, recruitment changes, stock risers and just overall changes equal to ... Read more

San Antonio Cream Of The Crop Standouts

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Close to 50 kids came in this past Saturday to put their skills to work at the annual Cream of the Crop.

This event has historically had some of the top talent around the state in attendance.

An opportunity to see the up and coming prospects in the classes of 2026 through 2028.

Here is a list of some the prospects who stood out:

Mayson Thomas– Have had a chance to see him recently in multiple settings and every time he shows improvement. Coming in with a HS ready body, he is advancing his game off the dribble making good reads to set up others or himself to score. He is physical on both ends showing the ability to play through contact when getting by defenders and finish and on the opposite end showing that he can get stops and rebound. Will be an immediate contributor next year in High School at Pieper.

Logan Gonzales– came in a bit late from his Middle School games earlier in the day, but showed right away he was warmed up and ready to go. Logan has perforned well in previous Cream of the Crop camps and he didn’t let up this go around. Has a nice stroke from multiple spots on the floor with plenty range. Doesn’t shy away from contact and won’t hesitate to dish it out. Very heady player who picks his spots well when to attack. Unselfish, hardworking kid. He too continues to show improvement in areas each time out.

Talon Todd– Can really shoot the basketball. Varsity level stroke with range. Very efficient. A kid you can’t leave. Not 1 dimensional, Has nice handle , good footwork with ability to get downhill and create for others. The lefty will instantly carve out a role next season in HS due to his shot making and ability to create for others as well. YES he is that good.

Trey Clark– He too came in after a couple of Middle School scrimmages and you can see the potential he is oozing with right away. Very Long kid. Standing close to 6’5 already. Playing with good bounce rebounding the ball and shooting over the top of defenders. Maturing on the fly. Showing he can put it on the floor attacking defenders and making good decisions. Very intriguing prospect moving forward. Brings some athleticism to the table as well. Player on the rise.

Ian Joshua- Young man has a really good feel on how to play. Savvy pg with good court awareness and vision. Understands angles and how to attack defenders to get by and get his shot off. 3 point range was on display as well for this young man. Plays with a lot of confidence.

Donovan Criss– was slowed a bit by a foot injury but he was still able to show his ability to make plays. Cat quick off the dribble, can get to his spots and lift up and make shots. Solid handle, creative in getting separation to get good looks. Can really score it.

Jaylen Redd Crittendon– kid who doesn’t shy away from the moment. Aggressive shot taker. Gets to his spots and lets it go. Quick off the dribble and handles it with confidence. Ability to put pressure on defenders was on display.

Xander Greyling– a pleasant surprise to see this young man. Good size and uses it well around the rim. Understands angles and how to score the ball on the interior. Good rebounder and passer. Solid player who players with a good basketball IQ.

Maxwell Docktor = Really good looking kid with some potential to become a real solid prospect. Has good length and plays the game with a good feel. Can put it on the floor and create as well as know down shots from the perimeter. Plays with a good bounce.

DJ Miller– Displayed good footwork and handle. Good feel for the game. Was solid in shooting drills knocking down shots with good form. It transferred over to game play of him as well. Good player.

Shae McCarty- Did some good things in drils and game play. Good motor, aggressive when attempting to make plays. Showed he can score the ball several ways. Plays with good instincts.

Damien Ramierz – another young man who came in after his middle school games and was ready to go. Plays with a high motor and very aggressive on both ends; physical. Was solid putting it on the floor and attacking defenders. Hit shots from perimeter showing that he can be a balanced scorer.

Armon Francis – plays with a lot of confidence, skill and feel. Sees the floor well and makes plays. Has some good size and intangibles to be successful at this game. Good court awareness and knowledge of how to score the ball effectively and get others involved.

Tyme Todd – solid frame and it helps him as he is a kid who showed likes to get downhill and make plays. Was ok in drills shooting it. During game action he showed handle and ability to score it some in traffic with guys hanging on him.

Aaron Adejobi– very aggressive. Was strong on both ends of the floor. Showed he has good leadership skills on the floor and understands how to get his teammates involved. Was string getting to the rim at times.

Jason Vidaurri- Really high IQ and feel for the game. Can score it on his own efficiently and get others involved. Plays with a competitive edge; makes winning plays

Kaleb Smith – Several players from Tejeda Middle School stood out and this one was on the same page as the others. Solid in drill work and game play. Plays with a good pace and feel. Can score the ball multiple ways

Austin Richie– Smart and savvy player who knows how to get his shot off. Shoots it clean and has good footwork to compliment his shot.

Jordan Mangum – plays the game with a chip. Aggressive on both ends. Skilled when his putting it on the lfoor and attacking defenders. Finished at the rim several times. Was willing to compete defensively as well.

Gerald O Neal – Responded well to the coaches and the task they gave him in drills. Showed good footwork, handle and ability to put the ball in the basket, Competes defensively and for rebounds. Good feel and showed some creativity at times

Jace Tolliver – Heady player who has good court vision and awareness. Gets others involved, has good handle and understanding of what he doing with the ball. Showed he can knock down shots from the perimeter as well.

Phillip Prather- Aggressive in the open floor and in the half court. Willing to attack defenders on the catch . Has a variety of moves to put himself in position to score.

Jaaden Johnson –Good size and build for his age and uses it to his advantage. Will get after you on both ends of the floor. Plays with and understanding of how to attack at the rim. Good form on mid range shots.

Sabastian Lujan – Smart heady player who knows what to do and how to get it done. Did a good job throughout the day seeing the floor, passing and shooting it.

Fernando Esquivel– court vision and handle was on display. Solid. Showed strong leadership skiils and ability to get guys the ball where they need it to be effective.

Charles Ford – Did a good job during drills and it transferred over into game play. Shot the ball ok from mid range. Did a good job on the interior on both ends scoring some and defending.

Anthony Randolph –Guard who competed hard on both ends . Showed toughness defensively, Does a decent job offensively making the right plays

JJ Salters –very confident in his ability. Doesn’t back down. Did some good things in transtion with the ball. Showed he likes to play on the defensive end as well. One of the better communicators in camp.

Eden Jackson– Vale Middle School has a good one in Eden. Was very efficient with his time on the floor. Effective scoring the ball or setting the table for others to deliver.

Dylan Foster- Scrappy and hard nosed. Was eager to shut down opponents best player in game play. Very aggressive. Also made good decisions offensively getting others involved

Euriah Rodriguez- Floor general. Saw him several times positioning guys to make plays. Was very vocal leading his team on and off the floor. Was solid in drill action as well.

Tim Springer Jr. – Good footwork and shooting form on display with this one. Can tell he has been coached up. Smart, moved well without the ball, took good shots in game play as was effective. Good IQ and awareness as to what was going on.

Noah Viera– Love when kids come to camp and make plays playing the the right way. Noah was that guy who made good reads and made plays for himself and others. Unselfish.

Braylon Taylor– good player who can get it done in a variety of ways. Showed he can adapt and take coaching.

Evan Balboa – Unselfish player who has a knack for for seeing guys and getting it to them to finish. Good court vision. Good ball handler

Richard Guerra– Tough and hard nosed. Does a lot of the little things that translate to winning basketbal. Can score the ball effectively as well.

Parker Jefferson, Nansah Brothers & Tre Johnson Highlight Pangos SW Camp

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We’re back! At TBB, we had to make some website tune-ups but the staff is excited to bring back news and notes to the public. We highlighted 10 players from this past weekend at the Pangos Fresh/Soph Camp in Dallas.

 

Parker Jefferson, 2025 PF – Waxahachie: One of the premier players in his class. Parker Jefferson’s size mixed with skill and feel was present this past weekend. Shoots it well from the perimeter, has a soft touch coming off either shoulder, and holds plus vision. Big-time upside with this one.

 

Tre Johnson, 2024 SG – Lake Highlands: Speaking of big-time upside, Tre Johnson has the tools of becoming the next one out of the DFW. Good positional size with length and a natural knack for scoring the basketball. Johnson is currently at the top of our 2024 class and looks to be there for some time.

 

Israel Nansha, 2024 PF – Hillcrest HS: Israel has made large strides in his game. His body has improved and so has his overall instincts. Finishing around the rim, altering shots, rebounding out of his area, Nansha impacts the game in multiple ways.

 

Jed Nansha, 2025 PF – Hillcrest HS: Israel’s younger brother Jed is one to highlight as well. Burly frame, long arms, and plays with a high motor. Jed’s impact on the defensive end was consistently shown.

 

Jamie Vinson, 2024 PF – St. Michaels: I remember Jamie in 7th grade and the progress he’s made then has been tremendous. Even the progress he has made in the past year is night and day. Agile forward that’s athletic and has an emerging skillset. Can hit an open shot from deep, attack off the bounce. There’s still a long way for him but he has made a major jump in his development.

 

Anthony Bates, 2024 CG – Katy Seven Lakes: Strong-built guard with high feel. Was able to create separation off the bounce and score, make plays for others when operating in pick n roll.  Productive ad efficient this past weekend.

 

Benjamin Price, 2025 Wing – Universal Academy: This one will be talked about a lot in the future. Price is long, athletic, and further along skill-wise than people think. This one has a chance!

 

Jakeel Registe, 2024 SF – Bellaire Episcopal: Athletic & strong. Jakeel is a slasher that displays his plus vertical leap in the open court. Functional handle and embraces contact on drives and finishes. One of the more productive players from the camp.

 

Trae Nunn, 2026 Wing – Brentwood Christian School: The only 2026 we will highlight here and that’s due to how well Trae performed. A broad framed, skilled scorer who didn’t shy away from hitting the glass. More than held his own vs the 2025’s and 2024’s.

 

Cameron Jackson, 2024 C -Weiss: Big fella has a big frame and is skilled with his back to the basket. Knows how to use shoulders to generate space inside. Soft hands, good footwork on the block and solid feel for the game.

Jordan Walsh Talks Rankings, Game & Recruitment to TBB

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With the Peach Jam being a week away, ESPN updated their class of 2022 rankings, and coming in at No.12 was Jordan Walsh.

 The 6-foot-7, 190 pound forward from Oak Cliff (TX) is one of two five-star recruits in the state of Texas (Keyonte George). 

Walsh was very excited that all his hard work paid off.

“I was ecstatic to see my new ranking and I just stayed in the gym until progress showed in the game.”

Despite flying up the rankings,  Walsh is still focused on taking his game to the next level and has big goals for the rest of the summer.

“I’m looking forward to showcasing my skills in front of NBA and college coaches. One of my goals is to be a McDonald’s All American and to win the Peach Jam.”

He broke down some of the schools he has visited for Texasboysbasketball.com

He said. “I have a Georgia official visit set for September 11.”

TCU: “Had a great coaching staff that I connected with also with there being guys there I knew it was easy to fit in.”

Arkansas: “Had the great coaches too they have 60 years of NBA experience on staff, and that showed.” 

Oklahoma: “Was also good somewhere close to home and had a great facility because of Blake griffins donations.”

Going into his senior year, Walsh transferred to Southern California Academy. He will play alongside other highly recruited prospects such as T.J. Caldwell, Braelon Green, Cruz Davis, and Oziyah Sellers.

“I went to Southern Cal to be able to compete with Division one guys every day.”

Walsh will bring versatility to any program he goes to, and the coaches recruiting him have expressed that as well.

“They can use my versatility to be able to switch on d and be able to stretch the floor and make plays when I get the ball and be smart when doing ball screens.”

The Oak Cliff native wants his college choice to get the most out of him and prepare him for the next level.

“Hard workers who know how to be successful in developing athletes.”

There were seven players from Texas to make the top 30 game at the Pangos All-American Camp. Walsh talks about his experience.

“Pangos was great I competed against the best in my class and tried to make a name for myself.”

 

RJ Jones Talks Game, Recruitment & Pangos Experience To TBB

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We are just under a week away from the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, class of 2023 top 60 recruit R.J. Jones is ready to put the world on notice. 

The 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard out of Aubrey (TX) is ready to showcase his full offensive skill set and defensive upside. 

“I want to showcase that I’m not just a spot-up shooter and that I’m a basketball player meaning that I can do everything on the court including shoot, finish, defend, play make, and rebound when people see that I think they will start to look at me a lot more. As a basketball player, I want to progress always on the mechanisms of defense and showcase my ball-handling skills a lot more.”

Jones is having a solid summer. He has picked up USC and St. Louis offers. With several other power-five schools calling as well.

He broke down each school and talks about potential visits for texasboysbasketball.com

He said. “We don’t have any dates set at the moment I am talking to Oral Roberts, Texas Tech, Texas, and USC about going on unofficial visits.”

Texas: “They plan on using me as a good point guard that can get the offense set but also utilize my skillset to get a bucket when they need one.”

Texas Tech: “Plan on as a great scoring guard that has the ability to go get a bucket whenever they need one.”

USC: “Same thing as Texas but with a lot more on the ball type of stuff

Tulsa: PG that can score and get everybody going to make sure that there is a great flow in the offense.” 

TCU: “PG that plays like Mike Miles to be able to score and get the offense moving fluidly.”

St Louis: “PG that has the green light to shoot but also feed other people whenever they get going.”

Despite not being ranked on Rivals top 100, Jones did come in at the #53 spot on ESPN rankings last week. Regardless of the rankings, Jones has a chip on his shoulder.

“It put a huge chip on my shoulder. I want to be on that list and I mean like top 10 so when I step on the court I will always put my best foot forward and showcase my talent to coaches, scouts, and other players.”

Jones will be playing in the Peach Jam for DriveNation, alongside other highly touted recruits such as K.J. Lewis, Ronald Holland, and Justin McBride. Jones has high expectations for his team.

“Expectations for me and my team is that we all come out with our best foot forward and we all come out with high intensity from the jump, if we do that everything will start to flow into motion.”

As Jones continues to have a great summer, he reflects on his Pangos camp experience.

 “The Pangos experience was great, in fact, I’ll be going to California on July 8 for a Pangos event. But the Pangos experience is a great community to be around because everybody is here to showcase their talent and if you don’t perform you have a chance of losing your spot in rankings. But all around Pangos is a great environment to be around especially when you make that top 30 game.”

 

TJ Caldwell Talks Recruitment & Game to Tobias Bass On TBB

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Class of 2022 guard TJ Caldwell will finish his high school career at Southern California Academy, he announced Monday via Twitter. He will join two Dallas-Fort Worth stars in four-star forward Jordan Walsh and Oregon State commit Cruz Davis.
The 6-foot-4 guard is one of the most underrated prospects in the nation but has the potential/mindset to be great.
“I felt like the move to SoCal academy was the best move for me in terms of development I just felt like I need to really develop my game a lot more for me to go as far as I want to go in my career.”
It has been a long journey for many of these as their recruiting took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Caldwell is focused more than ever.
“I think the most important part of my journey is just not being worried about rankings and being able to keep working and blocking out all the side noise.”
With the Peach Jam about a month away, Caldwell is already preparing mentally for what he expects of himself and his team.
“My expectations on the EYBL session as a player is to show everyone why I’m one of the best guards in the country and as a team, my expectations are to show everyone why Texas is one of the best basketball states.”
Caldwell currently holds eight division one offers from Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, TCU, Arizona State, and Tulsa. He is also hearing from schools in the ACC, SEC, and PAC-12.
“Recently I’ve heard from Illinois, Georgia, Iowa State, USC, and Minnesota is showing interest too.”
 “I would say USC, ole miss, and Oklahoma is hitting me up the most right now and I have talked about taking visits to ole miss, and Oklahoma right now.”

Tim Playmakers: Volume II Producers From Lonestar Challenge

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The 10th Annual LoneStar Challenge took place this past weekend and it was an opportunity for some old faces and some new to showcase their abilities on a strong platform against some of the top talent around. Here is part two of some more playmakers who put together a solid body of work over the ... Read more

Ani’s Notes: Statistical Performances From Lonestar Challenge

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The 10th annual Lonestar Challenge commenced at the Duncanville Fieldhouse and the crop of talent that manned the courts was strong. Tournament directing is a beast and the staff caught up on some sleep. Let's get to it with my journal! ‘22 Markel Johnson - Houston Superstars vs OWE The forward prospect out of Center, ... Read more

Lonestar Challenge: Producers Vol. 1

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The 10th Annual LoneStar Challenge took place this past weekend and it was an opportunity for some old faces and some new to showcase their abilities on a strong platform against some of the top talent around. Here is part one of  some playmakers who put together a solid body of work over the weekend. ... Read more

Keon Edwards Commits to Nebraska, Talks To TBB

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After entering the transfer portal, former DePaul forward Keon Edwards announced his transfer destination. He has committed to Nebraska to join Fred Hoiber and the staff. 

“One of the main reasons is I want to play for a head coach like Coach Hoiberg. He’s a great guy and he’s been where I want to go and that’s the NBA. He can help me become the player that can reach that level.”

Edwards, originally a 2021 recruit and a consensus Top 100 Player Nationally, graduated early and joined Depaul for the 2020-2021 season in the Winter Quarter. 

 

Evaluate 7: 7 Prospects That intrigued me at Combine Houston

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Luke Hatcher, 2022 – Stratford: Wiry forward that plays with effort. Liked how he attacked offensive glass and capability of hitting shots from 12-15ft in.

Elijah Bernstein, 2021 Guard – Houston Christian: Shifty guard that thrives in space. Crafty finisher that can connect on tough shots. Very solid player. 

Alex Ferrell, 2022 Guard – Atascocita HS: Physical guard that got downhill. Embraced contact on drives and put pressure on defense. 

Grey Soileau, 2022 Forward – Hargrave HS – Lean forward that showed promising mid-range game. Solid length, plays with effort and has steady touch from perimeter.

Jaden Ross, 2021 Combo Guard – Cy Falls: Strong built, athletic guard that finishes above the rim in space. Liked how he was able to attack with either hand and finish vs contact.

Shey Eberwein, 2023 The Woodlands: Savvy wing with intriguing upside. Promising athlete that creates space off the bounce and can hit shots from the perimeter. One of best prospects at the camp. 

Luke Ramirez, 2022 CG – Bridgeland HS: Crafty guard that can shoot with range. Understands how to play on and off the ball and be effective. Really knows how to play.

 

Cream Of The Crop Evaluation Camp Notes

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Kayden Bennet, 2025 Guard Lefty that can really score the basketball and has a knack for putting the ball in the basket. One of the most naturally talented players in his class.Will be at Duncanville next season and will be good to see him under David Peavy’s tutelage. Can be as good as he wants ... Read more

Prospects Shined at The SIB

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Mannnnnnnnn, The past 10 days have been a long one. I put on my coaching hat as I arrived at Gatlinburg, Tennessee for 5 days for the East Coast National Homeschool Tournament. As much as I’ve enjoyed my 4th yr coaching, was definitely ready to cue the start of the grassroots season, and what better ... Read more

STARS BREAK THE ICE AT SPRING ICE BREAKER

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Over the weekend I had a chance to take in the Spring Ice Breaker put on by RCS Sports in Houston. It was a chance to see players with their club teams get acclimated to the AAU Grind and show where they stand. Here are some stand outs from Saturday   TJ Caldwell (Team Grffin ... Read more

BATTLE OF I- 35 PART 1

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THE SHOT HEARD DOWN 35

 AUSTIN BOWIE VS SAN ANTONIO CLARK RECAP

Playoff time!!! Round 3 you get to see the best of the best go head to head most of the time. In this case you have 2 solid teams. Coming in with a talented senior class is Austin Bowie. They come in after knocking off district champion Judson in the previous round so they come in confident. They have one of the best shooters in the state in Army signee Coleton Benson to go along with some good size at other positions. They were up against a solid SA Clark group; the district 28 champs.  Clark comes in on a high after beating Hutto Thursday night in a tight game. Clark features guards ’21 Daylon Whitlock and ’22 Jordan Mason and’21  El Emerllahu who can score and make plays so it had the makings of a strong matchup with several college prospects on the floor.

Austin Bowie has a solid backcourt. To go along with the before mentioned Benson is 6’5 LD Butler. Butler was solid throughout in this one making plays, slashing and scoring around the rim. But as mentioned earlier; Benson being one of the state best got off to a hot start. Showing his ability to shoot it from deep on a couple of them. On display was how well he moves without the ball. The 2 combined for 14 of the teams 18 1st qtr points.  

Clark has several players who can score it and one of them is senior El Emerllhau. His versatility with his size and skill set poses a problem for teams to match up. He showed his 3 point range, mid range and ability to put it on the floor some. Also in on the early scoring was wing ‘ 21Will Harris. Harris scored it in multiple ways early moving without it and getting some easy looks at mid range and the hit from 3. At the end of 1 Bowie led by 6.

In the 2nd qtr some solid adjustments were made on both ends defensively to slow down each teams strengths. Bowie countered with some solid minutes by Branden Myart and some strong play inside by Nathan Thompson. Thompson (10pts) had a relatively strong game inside on the glass and rim protecting. Showed soft touch at the elbow as well.

For Clark ’22 Jordan Mason settled in and made some solid plays creating some easy ones for his teammates and also scoring the ball himself. A point guard with good size and handle, put a lot of pressure on defenders. Had a solid game rebounding the ball as well. 

In the 3rd SA Clark came out of the half and turned up their defensive intensity. They also matched Bowie’s size with some of their own. ’22 Jakobi White was a big part of this spark . Good length and bounce to go along with a good motor allowed him and others to make plays leading to a huge momentum shift. The biggest adjustment was ’21 Dalen Whitlock and his defensive assignment on Benson. His length and activity helped disrupt some of what Bowie wanted to do and it helped Clark take the lead. Bowe was held to 7pts in the 3rd. Most of those points came by way of Butler (13pts) for the game. Knifing his way in traffic and also being active with his length helped stop some of the bleeding.

With Clark now leading by 2 going into the 4th and each possession mattered; they put the ball in Mason’s hand and he delivered in a big way. Multiple times he was able to get by defenders and hit mid range pull ups. On the opposite end with all the attention on Benson, Nathan Thompson stepped up and had a few key buckets to help keep it close. But again Mason made a play at the rim. Going back and forth to include several empty possessions by both teams a big bucket by ’21 Will Harris on the baseline put Clark up 2 and then Coleton Benson 12pts) responded with 2 of his own on a layup to tie it.

A couple more bucket exchanges set the stage; with Bowie having the ball they came up empty on a go ahead opportunity and Clark held it for 1 last possession. A timeout was called with 8.9 secs left and Jordan Mason(14pts) got the entry in the back court, dribbled up the right side and went by the initial defender and crossed over to the left elbow and raised up before the defenders could get there an hit the game winner .  SA CLARK 48 AUSTIN BOWIE 46

 

Zuby Ejiofor Talks Big Win, Recruitment & More To TBB

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One of the premier frontline prospects not only in the Lone Star State but in the country, ‘22 Zuby Ejiofor talks to TBB after Garland’s 79-72 win vs Sachse on Tuesday. Coming off an ankle sprain, in which he still isn’t 100% healed, Zuby still impacted the game in multiple ways, and either that was as an interior defender, blocking/altering shots or scoring via face-up opportunities from 12-15ft out.

“It was sore but I was ready to go back to my brothers and play again. We got to a little losing streak and I know I had to come back and get us back on track,” Ejiofor said. 

Zuby’s in a unique situation. Both of his brothers are on the team as well and receive quality minutes. Younger brother in 2023 Chuks Ejiofor & older brother ‘21 Ugo Ejiofor bring production to the table for the Owls. Zuby talks about playing with his brothers.

“This is by far the best season we have had in a long time (Garland is 12-2 on the season). It’s fun to play with my brothers and they had one of their best games of the year tonight.  Just playing with them and the experience has been like no other. We want to win district and go for a state title.”

Let’s switch gears and talk recruitment. Zuby holds offers from Seton Hall, TCU, Houston, Texas, Western Kentucky & Virginia Tech. He talks about schools that have reached out to him as of late.

“Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State, Stanford, Baylor, TCU & Texas are ones that have been reaching out. They contact me on a regular basis.

As far as an ideal fit, Zuby said, “A school that will use my versatility. Allow me to take man off the dribble, shoot an open shot and be strong in the paint.”

Notes

Had a good conversation with Dr. Andy Philchak. Someone that has been a huge part in the Ejiofor Family’s life, gave me more insight on Zuby’s recruitment.

-They have spoken to every school in the Big 12

–Santa Clara, UNLV, Michigan have also been reaching out

–TCU & Texas are making him a high priority. Have been talking to Zuby every day. In my opinion, they have stood out the most so far.

-As previously stated, a school that’ll allow Zuby to operate offensively & utilize versatility will play a factor in decision. Opportunity to make an impact early will as well.

-Location will not play role if school is the right fit

-Look for Zuby to narrow list to three schools once players are able to take official visits

-The plan is for Ejiofor to commit after the EYBL season is over. He will be playing with the Houston Hoops this club season.

Closing Thoughts

Zuby possesses a physical profile that stands out amongst his peers. Legit size, athleticism and plays with motor. Holds big-time rebounding instincts and can affect games on the glass and as a shot blocker. Offensive game has made strides but he still has a lot of room for growth. He started playing basketball in the 8th grade & he’s still 16yrs old so I do believe once he continues to play more basketball he will figure it out over-time.

Part 3: November Standouts

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AK Smith (Steele) Has been good in a couple games slashing to the rim and making plays. Good athlete has shown good body control and ability to finish in traffic. Fills the lane well in transition. Hits the mid-range shot. Marlon Linton (Crandall) Crafty lefty that can score the ball. Facilitates, shoots it well. A ... Read more

Traveling With Ani: Memphis, Houston & Back to The DFW

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Approximately 24hrs in a car, (albeit 16 of those hrs I didn’t have to drive). Traveling to the city which is dubbed, “Home of The Blues” in Memphis, TN for the Iverson Classic. Back to the place I call home (Dallas) then a quick turnaround trip to “Screwston” (Houston, TX; Named after the chopped and screwed pioneer DJ Screw. Felt like sticking with a music theme) for the Holiday Hoopfest. A lot of gas station stops, junk food eating & basketball watching. Let’s travel with Ani.

 

Memphis, TN ?

 

Up 5am to get ready and catch my ride. After the car maintenance was complete, we were on the road. I slept about half the way (Shout out to my driver) and arrived at Bartlett HS for the Iverson Classic. The first Premier Matchup of the night included Ischool in a showdown vs a talented Tennessee Prep Team. ‘22 Keyonte George was in a groove the whole game as he finished with 32pts & connected on 8 three pointers. Keyonte holds an effortless shooting stroke & defensively more than held his own. Showed intent on disrupting opponents offensive flow. ‘22 Cruz Davis made an impact on the game and just overall that weekend. Was aggressive with the ball in his hands. Settling less for jumpers & just was getting to the basket & finishing. A wiry lefty that’s showing an improved live-dribble game. Hearing the most from HC  Wayne Tinkle at Oregon State & New Mexico Assistant Coach Ralph Davis. Someone that really caught my eye on Thursday was Junior Jayden Colloway for Ischool. Long, agile forward that was priding himself on the glass & as a rim protector. Still fairly raw offensively but he plays hard, holds a good set of physical tools and looks to slowly be coming together. Ischool gained the win here.

Tennessee Prep had a trio of standouts. Sr. big fella James Flippino is a big body, skilled frontline prospect that early on was giving Ischool trouble. Post spins, hook shots, pump fakes, James was showing full offensive arsenal from 15ft in. Interest from NAU & Missouri State. ‘21 Jalen Brown was big-time with his play. Rangy guard prospect with quick first step. Brown sliced & diced his way to the basket, knocked down a timely jumper to halt runs & competed on defensive end. Senior Lidtrell Blocker led the way scoring for Tenn. Prep with 28points. Excels as a slasher and in transition, he was racking up points by the bunches. Athletic wing that knows how to finish around contact & length. Holds offers from St. Bonaventure, Sienna, Buffalo & hearing from New Mexico & St. Johns.

Day 2 opens up with a premier matchup between traditional Memphis powerhouse Bartlett HS, who sports junior guard Amarr Knox, in which Memphis offered that morning. On the other side was Ischool. It was a back and forth affair, as Ischool held one to two possession leads for most of the day and ultimately secured a 78-75 win. Amarr was fantastic with his overall play. Guard with a big-time first step and touch around the rim. The previous day vs Calhoun HS, who has one of the top guards in 2021 with JD Davidson (Will get to him in a bit) he manufactured a whopping 37 points. Knox can hit shots from deep, although on the streaky end as a shooter, but his handle mixed with athleticism and length was displayed. Along with a Memphis offer, Denver has offered Amarr & he has received interest from Belmont. Another player to note is Terrance Jacobs, who’s a 2022 guard prospect that was stellar with his play. Excelled as a scorer & passer in pick and roll & defended full length of the court. A for sure Division 1 prospect. Jacobs holds an offer from TSU according to source.

Keyonte George continued with his strong play with a 24pt outing. Cruz Davis compiled 12points in a win and 2022 forward Tre Clayton was very solid, obtaining 13points and I accounted for 8rebounds. Doing the dirty work for the Cougars.

Like I previously stated, I’m going to hand out  about my analysis of Alabama signee JD Davidson. Witnessed two games and the one thing I took away on the way back to Dallas was that he holds a mass amount of ability. Next level body, athleticism and when lasered in, he can impose his will on games from both ends of the floor. Was blocking shots as a weak side defender, breaking opposing guards off the bounce to get to the basket, and don’t be late to the helpside, because he’s capable of throwing it down in traffic. Still some things that need to be cleaned up but Davidson possesses a lot of ability.

Arlington HS had a convincing win vs Calhoun on Friday and a ‘21 prospect I haven’t seen in a while in Madison Peaster leads the charge for the Tigers. A strong built, athletic guard that thrives getting downhill and finishing through contact. Senior Isaiah Jones was also impressive, A sturdy built forward with some intriguing inside/out scoring capabilities. Speaking of intriguing, 2023 Javar Daniels is just that. A tall, lanky big man with some skill to him. Physicality and speed sometimes gets the best of him but he shows flashes of promise. A potential diamond in the rough with this one that grew 5inches in the past year.

Now I head back home and I arrived at the crib at 4am.

Houston, TX ?

Oil change on the car and I’m off to the Bayou City for the 1st Annual Holiday Hoopfest presented by Glen Smith. The Fertitta Center is a beautiful venue to hold basketball games as it’s one of the best atmosphere’s I’ve been to in College Basketball. Anywho, the first matchup of the night was Shadow Creek vs Atascocita. The Eagles took off early vs Shadow Creek holding a double digit lead for most of the first half. Seniors Tom Hart (Physical Guard that puts pressure on defense), Justin Collins (Lefty with shooting stroke and plays with plus effort) & Christian Ashby (Shooter with solid positional size) brought the energy early and were disruptive on both ends. Shadow Creek stamped its way back with strong play from Houston signee Ramon Walker. The summer quarantine weight is off him and he’s been on a year offensively all season. Recorded 28pts and was getting his points in an array of ways. Ramon has entered the conversation as a top 10 player in the state and honestly I don’t like being a prisoner of the moment but could be higher than that with legit argument. ‘22 Cam Amboree was solid. Has made strides as a PG. Doing a better job getting others involved and knowing when to get his as well. Was a steady contributor for the Sharks & has made strides in overall game. ‘22 Shawn Jones had his moments. Slow first half but got it going some in the second half. Started rebounding and getting to the basket to generate a rhythm. Atascosita ended up with the three point win as they are going to be a very tough team to beat in the playoffs.

The nightcap game included an Emoni Bates led YPSI Prep out of Michigan vs “The New Kids on the block” in Legacy School of Sports Science that holds 7 Division One signees right now. Legacy got off to a hot start, Unsigned senior Aaron Scott capped off the 10-0 run with an on-ball steal off of Emoni Bates which subsequently led to a one-handed slam. YPSI got in a groove as the trio of ‘22 Dillon Hunter, Emoni Bates & 2023 prospect Marlon Barnes Jr. Led the way for a 14pt lead vs Legacy.

Dillon Hunter is regarded as one of the better guards in the control. A power athlete, that impacts winning. Rebounds well for size & position, embraces contact & gets to the teeth of the defense, just several things that Hunter did to lead his squad to a victory. Emoni showed why he’s regarded as the best player in the 2022 class and getting looked at as an NBA prospect. Fluid scorer that scores it in all three levels. Smooth jump shooter that’s un-bothered by a contest when launching it. Still was sloppy with ball from time to time, accumulating 6 turnovers but can still obviously see the talent. Marlon Barnes impressed me. Good positional size for a wing with a nice stroke that extends beyond the three point line. Native of Cleveland, Ohio, Barnes is a young prospect that utilizes length defensively and makes defenses pay when given space to shoot.

For Legacy, Prairie View signee, PJ Neal was perfect from the floor. 14pts as he was 5-5 from the field and 3-3 from the free throw line. Neal has made strides as a shooter and although still has ways to go, always good to see progress. ‘21 Aaron Scott was hot early offensively and took the responsibility of guarding Bates. A long, wiry wing-forward with smooth mid-range game. Another unsigned senior for Legacy is Sir Isaac Herron. Had three blocks you see from forwards at a Power 5 School. Shots weren’t falling but his effort, shot altering/blocking impact and willingness to get on the boards was present.

 

Dallas, TX ?

The late drive back to the DFW is a very common trip and it was as smooth as they come. Three days of high-level basketball providing me good evaluations from a multitude of players. Talk to guys again about the next field-trip.

 

Welcome To Texas: 2022 Tajavis Miller Breaks Down Game & Recruitment

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The 2022 Class in Texas adds another highly-touted prospect in guard Tajavis Miller from Anaheim, CA.

The wiry, long guard currently resides in Lubbock, TX & attends Frenship HS.

“I’ve played about six games so far and the basketball has been a physical, defensive brand of basketball,” Miller said. “Excited to get to league play and in the playoffs where I can play some of the best the state has to offer.”

Tajavis gave a self evaluation of his game as he talks about what he brings to the table.

“Offensively I do a good job getting to the basket, can shoot it from three and i rebound well for a guard,” Miller said. “I bring a lot to the table on both ends of the court because I can really defend too.”

On to the recruiting, Miller holds offers from Washington State, Loyola, Pepperdine, San Diego as USC, LSU, Colorado State, LMU, Cal-Berkely and several others have shown interest. He talks about what the schools visualize him in their program.

“All of the schools look at me as a versatile guard that can defend & play multiple spots and score the basketball.”

Eval

In watching a few games on film. Miller sports a big wingspan of at-least plus 4 length, while standing at 6’3. He contains a tight handle, has range that extends to the three point line, while utilizing his length as a finisher, able to get shots off over the extended reach of the interior defender. I’m very intrigued by his upside as a defender. Mobile laterally and with outlier wingspan for a guard, he’s capable of becoming a plus switchable defender now & once he goes to college. Will get the chance to watch him live soon, but has all the tools of being a higher-end D1 player.

Tidbits

The athletic genes run strong in Miller’s family. His mom, Brittney was an All American softball player at the University of Iowa, played professionally & currently holds an assistant softball coach role at Texas Tech. His dad Lathavis Miller played football at Iowa Wesleyan and played Arena League Football also. His granddad was 7ft tall and was a basketball player at Albany State in Georgia.

Tajavis told TBB he will play this spring & summer with Texas Impact 4:13. He talked to us about his relationship with 17U HC & Program Founder, TJ Thomas & their relationship.

“Coach TJ reached out to dad early and once I started building a relationship with him, I knew where I wanted to play my last summer. Our Relationship is growing & he is hard on me. He wants to see me succeed so I felt it was a no brainer.”

Littlefield Thoughts: Westlake v Duncanville Recap

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Had a chance over the break to see 2 of the state of Texas top teams in Austin Westlake and Duncanville. Game was played at a neutral site at Mary Hardin Baylor. Neither team disappointed. This game featured SMU Signee Zurich Phelps of Duncanville and KJ Adams a University of Kansas signee. Both teams came ... Read more

November Standouts: Part 2

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STANDOUTS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER With the season now underway Texasboysbasketball has been covering the majority of the state of Texas since mid-November. Despite Covid 19, without any tournaments being allowed this year, God has blessed us to be able to see what we have seen to provide coverage for the young prospects across ... Read more

Performers Of The Month: November Standouts

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STANDOUTS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER With the season now underway Texasboysbasketball has been covering the majority of the state of Texas since mid-November. Despite Covid 19, without any tournaments being allowed this year, God has blessed us to be able to see what we have seen to provide coverage for the young prospects across ... Read more

Austin Look: Littlefield’s Prospects to Watch

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Over the summer and early part of fall Texasboysbasketball was able to cover and host several events across the state. With loads of talent on display from the class of ‘21 throughout the incoming class of ’24 here is a look at the players to watch in the Austin Centex area. 2021 KJ Adams (Austin ... Read more

Tim Playmakers: SA Prospect Look

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Over the summer and early part of fall Texasboysbasketball.com was able to cover and host several events across the state. With loads of talent on display from the class of ‘21 throughout the incoming class of ’24 here is a look at the players to watch in theSan Antonio South Texas area. 2021 JaSean Jackson(SA ... Read more

Will Shepherd Commits to Oakland. Talks to TBB

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Sharpshooting senior, Will Shepherd ends his recruitment and will be heading to Rochester, MI next yr to play for Oakland University. The Universal Academy forward talks about the main factors in his decision and what he’ll bring to the table.

“I felt it was the best fit. They are a shooting team, which is a big strength of mine,” Will said. “Also tenure was big for me. (Head) Coach (Greg) Kampe has been there for over 30 years so I’m comfortable knowing he’ll be there throughout my time there.”

Will also noted that Oakland was the first to offer him and that went a long way for him. Assistant Coach Jeff Smith was the lead recruiter for Will.

Having watched Shepherd since 7th grade, a lot obviously has changed with coordination, size & skill. He expands on the work he puts in & the influence his High School Head Coach Terrelle Woody had on his development.

“Just hardwork every single day. Lifting in the morning, running and getting shots up at noon, then going to practice in the afternoon. I workout 2-3 times a day,” Shepherd said. Coach Woody has been the only skills trainer that I’ve gone to and he’s added layers to my game, gotten me more athletic and has raised my IQ. Has molded me to the player I am today.”

Game Breakdown

At 6’8, Shepherd possesses a smooth shooting stroke and capable launching it from beyond the three point line. Does excel as a spot-up shooter but has added versatility to his shooting as well. Running off screens & attacking closeouts to hit the 15 footer. Will has a chance to accomplish a strong career at Oakland with his ability to shoot mix with size & solid rebounding instincts.

Tim’s Playmakers: South Texas Showcase

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TexasboysBasketball.com hosted the South Texas Showcase this past weekend in San Antonio. Teams from South, Central and North Texas came in for this event.

Here are some of the Playmakers from Saturday’s event:

‘21 Shakiru Odunewu (Universal Academy) Double Doubleguy. Big Fella showcased real soft hands and good footwork in the interior. Owned the lane. Wide frame and strength makes him tough to deal with inside. Rebound the ball well on both ends and rim protected.

’21 Jimel Cofer (Universal Academy) Has Russel Westbrookish type athleticism. Can turn the corner and get downhill in a hurry. Extremely fast with the ball in the open floor. Put a lot of pressure on defenders by getting in the lane and finishing or dropping off to teammates. Also showed he can knock down shots.

’22 Robert Jennings (TACA Storm) Intriguing player. Robertwas solid throughout the day. Ran the floor well, showed athleticism finishing at the rim several times. Did some real good things with the ball off the bounce as well. Long arms with good size and does a good job finishing in traffic.

’23 Braylan Smith (TACA Storm) a big wing who can score it multiple ways.  Good length allows him to be solid as a 2 way guy. Was explosive off the bounce at times. Made some big shots in some critical stretches for his group.

’21 JaSean Jackson (SA Wagner) was solid throughout the day making plays on both ends. True 2 way guy. Showed the ability to run a team and get others involved as well as knock down shots.

’22 Austin Nunez   (SA Wagner) productive day overall. Showed ability to create good looks for himself and others. Did a good job creating tempo and stretching the defense with the 3 ball. Has a knack for getting hands on balls on the defensive end creating turnovers.

’21 Al Emerllahu (SA Clark) Showcased versatility to take advantage of the defense. Good footwork in post up situations and then stretched defense by hitting shots from 3 and the mid- range. Did a solid job rebounding the ball as well.

‘21 Aaron Jacob (Lake Travis) versatile big wing who can put pressure on the defense at multiple levels. Shoots the 3 ball with a clean release, good athlete also put it on the floor and attacked 2 level defenders. Solid court vision and awareness. Long .

’22 Jordan Mason (SA Clark) Solid controlling tempo and getting others involved. Handled the ball well vs pressure, made good reads in the half court. Got to the lane quite a bit and got to the foul line and also finished some in traffic.

’21 Gavino Ramos (Antonian) Steady all day; scored it in a variety of ways at multiple levels. Smooth; sneaky 1st step to set himself or teammates up for good looks. Has a real good feel for tempo and how to get buckets at critical times during the game.

’21 Will Shepherd (Universal Academy) Can’t leave him. Does a good job spacing the floor and reading the defense to get open looks. Shoots it clean from deep. Poses a problem to match up with due to his length.

‘21 Darius Sherman (SA Wagner) Glue guy. Makes winning plays and does it with good energy. Long wiry athlete who is always in the right place at the right time. Willing defender who guarded multiple positions over the day. Shot the ball good with.

’21 Santiago Ochoa (Antonian)- Good size guard who can get downhill. Good in traffic and playing through contact. Strong. Makes good reads and sees the floor. Savvy player with a good feel on how to play.

’21 Adam Benyahoune (SA O Connor) Versatile kid who can play several roles. Handles the ball, sees the floor; willing passer. Sets good screens and hurts the defense in pick and pop situations. Solid on the inside rebounding the ball and scoring when necessary. High IQ.

’21 Gavin Walker (St. Mary’s Hall) turned some heads. Really played well in some competitive games. Competed hard on both ends. Made shots at multiple levels. Showed a burst to get by defenders and make good reads.

’21 Isaiah Washington (Judson) had a solid day overall. Can really shoot the ball. Clean, quick release with good rotation with plenty range. Good athlete who showed he can be a 2 way guy. Hit big shots in some critical situations. Played with a lot of confidence.

’21 Issac Orosco (SA O Connor) Savvy, shifty guard who has a good feel how to play. Shot it good from several spots on the floor. Gets others involved. Doesn’t mind getting gritty. Gets to the lane and makes floaters and pull up jumpers from midrange.

’21 Kam Waites (Universal Academy) Another Big with good hands and is strong on the inside. Rebounds and rim protects. Hard to move him. Can play some above the rim. Brings a physical presence and sets screens.

’21 Ja’Kobe Barkley (SA Harlan) Quick off the bounce.Scored it effectively. Quick release, also willing to get to the paint and make plays. Did a good job defensively guarding teams lead guards. Competitive.

’21 Hunter Darling (St. Mary’s Hall)– Competed hard on both ends. Moved well without the ball and scored it effectively. Was efficient getting good looks. Smart… Plays with a good feel and puts himself in good situations to be effective. Was solid rebounding the ball as well.

’21 Jaylen Streeter (SA Harlan) Had a good day overall. Played with good energy on both sides. Got to the lane some and put pressure on defenders. Takes charges. Not afraid to compete inside and rebound from his guard spot.

’21 Mitch Iden (SA Johnson) Saw him this summer and has left impressed and he provided the same time of effort and output. Good energy. Scores it in a variety of ways. Moved well without the ball. Played with a lot of confidence and made defenders pay who left him.

’22 Anarris Brandon (Judson) Played with a high motor on both ends. Ran the floor well, hit shots in the half court from 3 and midrange. Athletic player also got his hands on balls to cause turnovers and scored in transition.

’21 Kendall Dow (SA Johnson) Efficient shooter. Smooth off the bounce. Does a good job reading the floor and defenders to get his shot off.

’21 Luke Whitbee (Boerne) Long player who puts it on the floor and scores it some inside. Good frame allows him to play some through contact. Moves without the ball effectively.

’21 Kyle Castlberry (Churchill) Good size wing who scored it several ways. Plays with a good feel and IQ. Clean release. Played with a good and confidence.

’21 Jalen Bonds ( SA Veterans Memorial) quick off the dribble. Gets to the lane and makes good things happen. Good athlete who did a good job putting pressure on defenders. Quick feet, solid defender.

’21 Caleb McCrackin ( SA Harlan) Light came on this past weekend for him. Caught a few on the block and went through contact and finished. Rebounded effectively. Ran the floor in certain situations well. Big Frame.

’21 AK Smith(Cibolo Steele) Looked like a complete guard. Got downhill, made good reads finishing at the rim, hitting shots from the perimeter or finding open guys. Played with a good pace and with confidence. Was solid guarding the ball as well.

’22 Aaron San Miguel (SA Jefferson) Savvy scorer. Gets to his spots; quick release. Knocked down shots, handled the ball in multiple situations well. Good court awareness on display.

‘23 Matthew Soto (Somerset) Shot the ball effective. Drew extra attention at times. IQ and Court awareness were on display; turned the corner several times and found open teammates for good looks.

’21 Eric Green ( SA Veterans Memorial) Slasher who was effective putting it on the floor and getting to the rim. Long arms, good athlete who plays hard on both ends. Runs the floor and fills the lane and finishes.

’23 Gerry Martinez (Los Fresnos) makes defenders pay for losing track of him. Quick release with good range. Had a stretch of hitting multiple shots in a row. Knows how to get open. Not just a 1 dimensional player. Handled the ball and found open teammates as well.

’21 Kamden Ross(Cibolo Steele) Long wiry athlete who did a good job running the floor and finishing at or around the rim. Active defensively blocking or altering shots. Good looking athlete.

’21 Robert Hunter (St. Mary’s Hall) Slasher who made a number of plays on both ends. Played with good energy and confidence. Scored it multiple ways for his group.

’22 Cristan Rodriguez (Somerset) Did a good job finding holes in the defense to get himself quality looks. Shot it ok from the perimeter and also slashed to the rim to get easy layups. Fought for position defensively and did a decent job rebounding.

Zhuric Phelps Commits To SMU. Talks to TBB

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2021 Guard Zhuric Phelps is staying home as he announced tonight that he’s committed to SMU. The Duncanville HS guard talks about main factors.

“My relationship and comfortability with Coach Jank (Head Coach Tim Jankovich) and Coach Duncan (Assistant Jay Duncan) were main factors in my decision. Also a big reason was how their play style fits me & staying close to home,” Phelps said.

Zhuric talks about benefit of staying & playing in the DFW and play style.

“They play through their guards and lets them be playmakers,” Phelps said. “My family are my biggest support system, so it’s good that they’ll be able to come to a lot of my games. Just to have family support and also support from the SMU Staff is huge.”

Zhuric broke out in the summer with stellar play. Showcased more pop and explosiveness when attacking the basket, cleaned up his release on jumpshot & was disruptive as a isolation defender. Zhuric talks about the work he put in when the world was on pause in the spring.

“I worked out everyday. Me, my brother & best friend. Hills really got me athletic. Running those every week and just pushing myself helped me grow.”

When talking about tiers. In regards to the point guard position in Texas, Zhuric Phelps has earned a placed in the top tier. A player we at TBB project to be able to contribute when he performs at Moody Coliseum.

TBB High Academic Camp Notebook

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I enjoy all our events at TBB but the High Academic Camp was something we’ve been wanting to do for years. Well, it happened and I feel it was a success. I took some notes and wanted to share my thoughts from the 20th. And speaking of  20, that’s the percentage the staff believe are D1 prospects that participated at the camp.

  • Mitchell Holmes has a chance

-Hasn’t scratched the surface to his potential.

-Long, grows an inch or two every year, can put the ball on the floor in space and jumper has made noticeable strides

  • Nick Donnelly showed on-ball skills

-Reputation for more of a catch n shoot but Nick mainly played primary ballhandler role and was effective

  • Big fella Mekhi Collins is coming along

-Bouncy, rebounds, runs the floor and we expect Mekhi to have a big senior season with Faith Family

  • Speaking of Big fellas, ’22 Caden Powell was impressive

-Has good length, size and is further along skill-wise than initially believed

-Buy stock, the price will  grow

  • I’m staying with the theme of post players

-’21 Cale Martens is a big man that’s fundamentally sound. Can stretch floor and score off either shoulder.

-Works at it

  • Gabe Collins & Jacob Millhouse are available wings to take a look at

-Gabe shot looked smooth off the move, showed confident handle in half-court

-Millhouse is efficient

-Quick on making decisions, can fire it from way deep.

  • Love the energy ’21 Jaden Flournoy brings

-Athletic, thrives as a slasher and has no problem mixing it up inside to grab a rebound amongst the bigs.

  • Rytis Petraitis!

-Long, plays with motor as his size mix with shooting capabilities makes him a next-level prospect

-Air Force, DBU are making big push. Denver has shown interest.

  • 2022 Perimeter player look

-Shooting at a high clip is attractive for any player and when Eli Valentino and making perimeter shots, he gives himself a chance. High IQ guard that can play on and off the ball

-Trey Blackmore can score in bunches.

-Reliable shooter from deep, crafty off the bounce.

-Davion Sykes has made big strides in his development.

-Growth spurt helped, but game has slowed down for him. Still a threat shooting from 3 and now does a better job attacking closeouts.

-Aaron Waggoner was very solid.

-Pass first guard with big-time feel. Thrives getting teammates involved.

 

2023’s

  • Finley Bizjack was steady

-Attacked in open court

-Possesses quick trigger on jumper which allows him to release off hard closeout

  • First look at Hayden Bauer

-Wiry, long wing that is fundamentally stable

-Think there is good upside with him

  • Justin Scott

-Has a bigger basketball frame

-Connected on shots from deep at a high clip.

-Could potentially become a D1 basketball player. A lot of room for growth

  • Got a good look at Everson Armstrong

-Intriguing wing-guard that scored it in volumes.

-Good perimeter stroke

 

Notables

Julian Clearly, 2021 PG – Frisco Heritage (Downhill guard with solid finishing capabilities)

Leandre Brown, 2022 PG – Bosewell (Scoring guard with solid feel)

Payton Miles, 2021 Wing – Lebanon Trail (Hardworking wing that gets down and dirty)

Bobby Slaughter, 2023 PF – Bishop Lynch (Stretch forward that knows how to use broad frame)

Benjamin Ponder, 2021 Wing – Calvary Baptist (Skilled forward with deceptive burst)

Adam Kirby, 2022 PG – Woodrow Wilson (Scoring guard that shoots with range)

Grant Kostos, 2022 PF – Dallas Jesuit (Skilled post that is stretching out his game)

Malachi Farr, 2021 SG – Euless Trinity (Strong body guard that excels shooting off the catch)

Deonte Greer, 2021 CG – Red Oak (Wiry combo equipped with nice scoring package)

 

 

 

 

2021 Notes From OTR’s Fall Shootout

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We drove down I-45 to Spring, TX for OTR’s Fall School Shootout presented by Marcus Sloan. This edition I will highlight a crop of 2021 availables that performed this past weekend. Let’s dive in There’s still a solid amount of available talent in the Lonestar State & I’m talking about ones that still have a ... Read more

Recruitment 7 From The ASAK Classic

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The inaugural ASAK Classic presented by Craig Carlton of Urban ASAK contained a very competitive brand of basketball with 1st-3rd place donation prizes at stake. A lot of talented players in this one as the TBB staff traveled to Austin to catch a slew of prospects that are in our database. Let’s begin with our recruitment 7 from this weekend.

‘21 Gavino Ramos

Stats: 18ppg 4.6rpg

Analysis: Came out the gates each game aggressive. More-so than previous viewings. Was launching it from deep, getting to the teeth of the defense, and showcased a nice floater game. His aggressiveness came with a reward as he found a home at the charity stripe vs Houston Defenders going 11-16. Albeit being a scorer, Gavino knows how to move the basketball and get others involved on the offensive end. Advancing it up the court & moving off the ball to give teammate space to operate off the bounce. Defensively, he was aggressively playing the passing lanes and the stats definitely showed in Next Level Raiders’ matchup vs Southern Assault were he collected 5stls.

Recruitment Notes: Holds an offer from UIW, St. Edwards, and Our Lady of The Lakes. St. Edwards has a strong chance of acquiring his talents.

‘21 CJ Noland

Stats: 12.6ppg 4.6rpg 3.3asts on 56%

Analysis: Was very solid in Austin. CJ scored within the flow of the offense and did a sound job getting others involved. His high shooting percentage is attributed to his ability to get to the basket, brush off contact, and finish through contact. A ‘bully’ guard, stylistically, CJ punishes smaller defenders utilizing his size and strength. His rebounding numbers should be taken a look at too, averaging 5rebs a game as a guard is a strong number. Securing rebounds with two hands in traffic, Noland has no problem getting there amongst the trees and battling for a rebound.

Recruitment Notes: A plethora of schools have offered CJ and stay in contact with him. He will condense his list today. Kansas State & Oklahoma seem to be making the hardest push for him. Has had multiple zoom meetings with each school. If I had to forecast this, I would say he commits to the Sooners. Still, no exact timetable on an announcement but would plan for a fall announcement from Noland.

‘21 Jalen Lake

Stats: 8ppg 4rebs 2asts on 48% shooting

Analysis: Does 8pts 4rebs a game pop out to you? Probably not but it was Lake’s first game back in a month so there was some leniency in the evaluation. Once his legs got back under him, we got to see why he is labeled one of the best 2-guards in the 2021 class.

“When I was out for a while, it took some time for me to get my legs back under me and get used to playing a fullcourt game. I’m getting back to normal,” Lake said.

Against Texas Hardwork on Saturday, he produced a 13pt 3reb 2asts outing on 83% shooting. Jalen has added to his offensive repertoire, not being just a spot-up shooter but someone that can attack closeouts and generate a clean look when operating off the bounce.

Recruitment Notes: Colorado State has been recruiting him the hardest. Been on Zoom meeting with them essentially every week. Tulsa has also been recruiting him hard. Took a virtual tour with Tulsa a couple of weeks ago. Has a scheduled zoom meeting coming up with VCU & Oklahoma State (Who have also offered).  Plans to cut the list down in the next few weeks and make an announcement in the fall.

‘21 Damon Nicholas

Stats: 7ppg 3.3rpg 2asts on 47% Shooting

Analysis: Again, are those averages sexy? Nope, but Nicholas made an impact in the games that went beyond the stats. A switchable defender that’s capable of guarding three positions and Damon moves consistently off the ball which generates scoring opportunities for himself and teammates. Let’s take a look at Damon’s game vs Next Level Raiders where he strung together 16pts 3rebs & 3asts on 64% shooting. He showed ability to hit shots off the dribble, move, and spotting up due to his pre-shot footwork and smooth shooting mechanics. Defensively was very steady and even held his own when switching on post defenders and battling inside.

Recruitment Notes

Sam Houston State recently have offered Damon and last week a zoom meeting was conducted with the whole staff.

“They feel I can be someone that contributes in many ways. Shooting, passing, defending, rebounding. Just be an overall player for them,” Nicholas said.

SMU, UNT & Oral Roberts have offered Nicholas as well and he told us that Arizona State has shown strong interest and heard from them every week. Plan for a decision to be made during the middle of the scholastic season.

‘22 Shawn Jones

Stats: 9.3ppg 5rebs 2stls on 50% Shooting

Analysis: Very solid numbers for Mr. Jones as he utilized his length and athleticism to make plays inside. Ball-skills have definitely improved as he’s able to attack straight line with either hand to get to the basket.

“I’ve really put focus on my offensive game. Getting quicker so I can get past the defender and also putting a lot of shots up so I can extend my range,” Jones said.

Still, at times he was careless with it which led to turnovers. Jones is an athletic forward that brought versatility on both ends and his strong intangibles to go along with a high ceiling of being a more offensively efficient threat keeps us intrigued. Below is a link to a video of Jones collecting an offensive rebound & finish with a putback to secure the win for Hardwork.

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Recruitment Notes: TCU, LSU, Houston, Tulsa & McNeese State have offered. Houston has been pursuing him the hardest out of the bunch so far. Expect more to check-in, in the next couple of months.

‘21 Mason Gibson

Stats: 8pts 2.5rebs 2asts on 50% Shooting

Analysis: One of those players that holds strong intangibles. Defensively is a pest by being able to get in personal space of the ball-handler and making them work bringing it up the floor. He dives for loose balls, will go get a key rebound late in games. At the end of the day your getting a winner with Gibson. Shot it well in spot-up situations from deep and has made improvements as a decision-maker off drives. Not getting too deep in and getting stuck as much as he would get in the past.

Recruitment Notes: Holds an offer from Central Arkansas and he hears from them every week. Sam Houston State & UTSA have shown interest and Mason has been receiving strong interest from Wofford & South Dakota State.

In His Words

Wofford: “I get a text or call from (Head) Coach (Jay) McAuley or (Assistant) Coach (Dwight) Perry every week. They love my game and just want to see me in person.

South Dakota State: (Assistant) Coach (Tramel) Barnes and I talk a lot. He watches a lot of my film and just wants to see me in person.

‘21 Jimel Cofer

Stats: 8.6ppg 5.3rpg 2asts on 47% Shooting

Analysis: The lefty guard is one of the top point guards in the 2021 class. Explosive athlete that has a strong handle and is equipped with good vision. His jumper from deep still needs a little cleaning up but I believe it will be manufactured and polished in due time. Jimel thrives getting downhill and generating attention from the defense in which he will make the right play. One college coaches should take tabs of.

Recruitment Notes

Has heard from New Mexico and schools have been calling the staff about him. His mix of positional size, athleticism, and ability to create space off the bounce is a reason we are high on his game. Expect his phone to be ringing with much consistency as the season rolls.

Tim’s Playmakers from ASAK Elite tournament

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Tim’s Playmakers from ASAK Elite tournament Cason Wallace (TAZ Elite) Solid!!! 2 way guy who was smooth and efficient all day. Real good with the ball. Hurts you at multiple levels. Defensively can take away your best player. Long, athletic to go along with good foot speed . CJ  Noland (TAZ Elite) Strong!! Shot it ... Read more

Rylan Griffin, Avery Jackson Shine On Day 1 of The Circuit League

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When you read this I'll already be in Austin for the Urban ASAK Classic but my Friday evening was spent at Drive Nation for "The Circuit League Session II." Friday was considered an appetizer for Saturday but there was a strong amount of recruitable prospects on hand and some good evaluation games occurring as well.  ... Read more

Freshman Report – Welcome The 2024 Class

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Each year, we at TBB construct four to five editions monitoring the current freshman class in the state of Texas. 2023 players graduated from the freshman list, so now it's time to look at the 2024 class. At just a glance, this rising freshman group is talented. Strong backcourt play, very interesting prospects at the ... Read more

‘21 Daimion Collins Talks Playing In Pandemic & Recruitment

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Not only one of the best in the state but someone that has rose in the national ranks and established himself as one of the top prospects in the county; Daimion Collins updates TBB on his recruitment. First though, we talked to Daimion about the summer. With the pandemic effecting the everyday function of living, ... Read more

7 Day Notes: Who Wanted The Smoke? Recruitment News

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The past 7 days, the TBB staff got a chance to look at a plethora of prospects. From "Who Want The Smoke" Showcase presented by Kellen Buffington or the "Pangos Best Of Dallas" League. We got recruitment notes, analysis, and content that's coming from Texasboysbasketball.com. Let's dive in Jaylon Tyson More Than Handled His Own ... Read more

2 Day Analysis Of Pangos Best Of Dallas

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This summer marks the inaugural Pangos League manufactured by the man himself, Dinos Trigonis. Pangos comes to Dallas for 5 days and some of the premier talent the city has to offer have participated. We took a dive on the top performers & stats from both days. Odunewu Has Been Dominant Who has seen his ... Read more

Part 2 – Dallas Session III Statistical Outlook

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Circling back to this previous weekend at the Drive Nation Complex, we hosted our third session of our TBB Mini Camp. Yesterday we gave an evaluation on the top underclassmen performers and Trae Clayton's progression on his perimeter game. Today we take a deep dive into the 2022 performers and their stats. Arkansas Native Earns ... Read more

Tim’s Playmakers: Jordan Clarkson Summer Showcase

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With the Covid 19 pandemic taking a toll on the Grassroots basketball scene, Jordan Clarkson and his foundation chose to step up, do their part and help out the kids still seeking exposure in hopes of extending their basketball careers beyond high school by getting scholarships. The vision was simple; create a platform with good ... Read more

TBB SA Mini Camp Thoughts: KJ Lewis

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It’s generally when a class heads into their sophomore campaign where you normally have a good feel of the volume & quality of talent each recruiting class possesses. Albeit, maneuvering through a pandemic and working to be able to catch a vast array of players, our TBB Mini Camps have allowed us to do just ... Read more

Tim’s Playmakers: SA Session II

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Texasboysbasketball made its way to San Antonio for Session II of the Mini Camp Series. Lot of versatile talent in the building from multiple cities across the state. Guys who made plays multiple ways and shined through your the day. Here are my playmakers of the day: ‘21 Jerrell Colbert (Tx Hardwork) - He is ... Read more

Quick Look: Notes From #SessionIII Dallas

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Our Mini Camp Series has come to a close and the finale in Dallas bolstered names that will see their names in our updated fall rankings. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling the Lonestar State and discovering talent and there will be a plethora of overall content coming your way. Lets look at the notes from Dallas. ... Read more

Tim’s Thoughts:ACH CenTex Hoopfest Analysis

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I had a chance to take in 3 days of action at the Alamo City Hoops Centex Hoopfest. Loads of talent in multiple classes were in the event and it gave me a chance to get a good eval on some old and some new ones.Here are some of this past weekends playmakers. ‘22 Vince ... Read more

3 Cities in 3 Days: Traveling With Ani

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It was an adventurous three days, which started last Thursday and finished with me limping through the finish line on Saturday. I traveled to three major cities in Texas (Houston, San Antonio, DFW-albeit I live in the DFW) to catch a bevvy of prospects from around the Lone Star State. Thursday - San Antonio, TX ... Read more

Tim’s Thoughts: #Session1

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Texasboys basketball kicked off the 1st of 3 mini camps this past weekend in Houston. 70 plus participants in the classes of 2021-23 chose to take advantage of the opportunity to put their most recent work to the test. The day started out with several drills with game like situations leading up to game play ... Read more

Terrance Arceneaux Shined at #Session1: Talks Recruitment

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Mini Camp Session 1 (Houston, TX) is complete and the TBB Staff would deem it a success. High level players, high level staff, excited for what Session 2 (San Antonio) has in store. Speaking of high level players, 2022 Terrance Arceneaux (JL3, Beaumont United) was one of the premier participants at the camp. He talked ... Read more

Obaseki, Yancy Highlight Texas Hardwork Scrimmage Performers

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With Covid 19 putting any chance of a live period to bed; Texas Hardwork is trying to do their part to still create a platform to help get kids some type of exposure. Using technology and connections to their advantage; A scrimmage was set up with some well respected organizations like Cooz Elite from Houston, ... Read more

Big Kendrick Receives BIG offers

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 I had a minute to catch up with ‘23 Big Man Kendrick DeLuna about his recent offers and also his time with the Houston Hoops. Kendrick was quick to point out how playing with the Houston Hoops has benefited him tremendously thus far. “The practices have been really good and have challenged me a lot. ... Read more

Friday Night Journal – GASO Duncanville

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Basketball is still being played and we at Texasboysbasketball.com have you covered with well.... coverage. I wrote a beavy of notes (well not paper but on the notes app on my phone) and wanted to share my thoughts from a Friday night of hoops at Duncanville Fieldhouse. Lets start with the matchups. TX  Legion vs ... Read more

Get To Know: Closing Thoughts From Showtyme Classic

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Took some time to review this weekend at Duncanville Fieldhouse for the Showtyme Classic. We talk about multitude of players that grabbed our attention and ones we gathered notes on. We took a quick dive on players in the 2023 class so let’s get to it! Cooper Sisco, Wing - Southern Assault: Shot it at ... Read more

Storylines From Friday At The Showtyme Classic

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BASKETBALL.HAS.RETURNED! 2020 isn’t shaping to be one of my better years on earth and I don’t believe I’m alone at all when I make that statement. But amid being in a pandemic and the loss of a basketball Legend such as Jazzy Hartwell, basketball being played again has been a bright spot. And of course, ... Read more

Introducing Mason Docks From East Lansing, Michigan

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Monday marked the first day D1 Coaches can contact players from the 2022 class. In Texas, the crop of rising juniors that inhabit that group, has the opportunity to be one of the best we’ve seen in Texas. Well that class has gotten stronger with the addition of point guard Mason Docks who is coming ... Read more

2021 KJ Adams Talks Top 10, Recruitment to TBB

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A little over a week since premier 2021 prospect KJ Adams announced his Top 10 Schools which included Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Georgetown, Arkansas, Kansas, Baylor, Iona, Texas & UCF. KJ talks to the staff about the ones that have been pursuing him the hardest and gives us some notes on his recruitment.  Kansas: One ... Read more

Ed’Xavier Rhodes Talks Recruitment to TBB

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In the department of just evaluating talent, Dallas Skyline’s Ed’Xavier Rhodes has been in the top tier in 2021 for years. Things seem to be really coming together for Rhodes and his recruitment has elevated as well.

Kansas, TCU, Texas A&M & Austin Peay have offered as Virginia Tech, Texas Tech, UNT, Oklahoma State & Texas have shown interest.

Rhodes talks about the schools that have contacted him the most.

Texas A&M

They see me as a all-around player that can shoot the ball. Believe I can play some on the wing and in the post. They reach out to me a lot, every week.

TCU

They feel that I can really be apart of the team. Help them win the Big 12. Mike Miles (2020 Signee) will be there and they feel me & him can be a duo.

Kansas

They came to a practice and they loved my game. Liked how I ran the floor, that I’m a lefty and believe I can help the program. Marcus Garrett is there and he’s been successful at Kansas. I remind them of him and they believe I’ll be successful with them also.

*(Side Note) Rhodes has taken a virtual tour of Kansas

 

Skyline’s Head Coach Paul Graham has been not only a coach for Rhodes but a big-time mentor for him.

“It wasn’t easy at first. Coach gets on us hard and the first year I had a hard time taking coaching. Each year I knew how to take it and I’ve become a better player from it,” Rhodes said. “He talks to me about being a man. He tells me stories about how he came from the struggle. Talks to me about how to direct my life.”

What motivates Ed”Xavier?

“My mom.. She goes to work around 4 in the morning and I just want to repay her for the work she does.”

Notes

Rhodes hit on a few factors in his recruitment.

  1. Location isn’t a huge deal but he does want to be at a school where his family can come see him play numerous times
  2. A school with NBA pedigree that can help him reach his potential and help him be prepared for the level after

There’s no timetable in regards to Rhodes making a commitment as more schools are calling and he wants to go on in-person visits prior to making a decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trinity League All-League Teams

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Talent was of a plenty in the Trinity League. The staff at Texasboybasketball.com followed each program all season, so we constructed two All-League Teams. Universal Academy arose as champions as they defeated a strong & rising Legacy School of Sports Science Team. Performances were based off what we saw throughout the season and during league play. Lets dive in!

Superlatives

MVP: JaQuan Scott, 2020 PF – Universal Academy: Scott was the most imposing player all season. Averaging an impressive 22pts 14rpg a night, Scott led the way for UA with his dominance inside.

Coach of The Year: PJ Couisinard – Legacy School of Sports Science: A huge turnaround for Coach Couisinard as Legacy’s 2019 record wasn’t anything to write home about. 365 days later and the fortunes turn with a 20plus win season and a TXTL Title shot. The improvement from year 1 to year 2 was very impressive.

1st Team

G – PJ Neal, 2021 – Legacy School of Sports Science

G – Misiel Teklai, 2020 – Universal Academy

F – German Plotinkov, 2020 – Spring Creek

F – Nate Lacewell, 2020 – Legacy School of Sports Science

F – Jaquan Scott, 2020 – Universal Academy

6th  – Will Shepherd, 2021 F – Universal Academy

Summary

Neal showed steady improvement throughout the year, adding to his ability to playmake with the capabilities of knocking down shots. PJ is a D1 prospect that the staff is high on. Averaged 15pts in the TXTL State Tournament. Sharing the backcourt with Neal is Misiel Teklai of Universal Academy. A quick, scoring guard that generated offense for UA throughout the season. Teklai is still available and is definitely a next level prospect. In the front court we begin with German Plotinkov of Spring Creek. The Collin County signee, German has good positional size and can bomb it from deep. Plotnikov concluded his senior year with a 22pt performance vs Legacy School in the State Tournament as he showed his versatility as an offensive player. One of the top availables in the state, Nate Lacewell’s improved game was influential in Legacy’s run to the state title game. His size mixed with skill and shooting capabilities has attracted college coaches. averaged 11pts 7rebounds a game in TXTL State Tournament. Will Shepherd deserves to be on the First Team All-League Team. Produced big in big games all season, most notably vs teams such as Pottershouse and Victory Rock out of Florida. An intriguing collegiate prospect that shoots it, has good IQ and a solid team defender. Averaged 13ppg in the state tourney.

 

2nd Team

G – Jathen Mills, 2020 – Southwest Christian

G – Roderick McGarthy, 2020 – Cy Fair LC

G – Ty Cox, 2023 – Universal Academy

F – Roland McDougal, 2021 – Legacy School of Sports Science

F – Tim Krupihja, 2020 – Spring Creek

6th – Jalen Nettles, 2022 G – Southwest Christian

Summary

Jathen Mills was steady all-season for SCA. The primary ballhandler that excelled in one on one offensive scenarios. Mills engineered a 16pts vs Universal Academy in the State Tournament as he showed a strong floor game and the ability to make shots in key moments. For Cy-Fair, Roderick McGarthy was their most talented player. Size mix with three-level scoring capabilities makes him an intriguing perimeter prospect. Consistency wasn’t where it needed to be but nonetheless the talent is there. The only freshman on the list, Ty Cox more than held his own in high-level varsity play. Cox holds a strong frame, good feel for the game and a solid stroke from beyond the arc. One of the top players in his class. Roland McDougal is a physical, strong forward that makes plays due to effort. Averaged 10ppg in three games at the TXTL State Tournament but was making plays on the glass and collected multiple steals in the backcourt. Joining his high school teammate at Collin County, what Tim Krupihja brings to the table is a post-man that walls up driving lanes and bangs inside. A throwback big that has touch around the basket. Joining Ty Cox as the other underclassman on the All-League teams, Jalen Nettles is a off-guard with length and promising scoring capabilities. Sharing the scoring load with Jathen Mills, Nettles also accumulated 16 points in SCA’s lone game at the TXTL Tournament. A Rising junior with a D1 chance.

Duncan Powell Recruitment is Open Again, Talks To TBB

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Duncan Powell re-opened his recruitment after decommitting from Arkansas last week. The rising senior has received a slew of phone calls from college coaches  as Powell talked to the staff on who’s been heavily recruiting him early on.

He touches on his de-committment

“I wanted to make sure I’m making right decision. Arkansas is still high on my list. Coach (Chris) Crutchfield and I still talk a lot and they still want me there.”

Powell said that he has received over 30 calls since his announcement and has heard from a wide-range of schools. Auburn, UTSA, Richmond, Dayton, UNLV, Murray State, Creighton, UNCG and has received an offer from Texas Southern, North Carolina A&T, Tulsa & Tennessee Tech and several others. He breaks down the schools that have been pursuing him the hardest.

 

UTSA: They have been pursuing me hard. I talk to Coach (Scott) Thompson a lot and they see me as a player that they could build around. Their guards will have graduated so they’ll need guys that they can build around. They like my versatility, believe I can play right away if I were to join.

North Carolina A&T: I’m from North Carolina so it would be good to play at home. Also they are an HBCU and that would be big for me to go there. Coach (Willie) Jones & Coach (Ahmad) Dorsett reach out to me. The staff seem real cool, they want me at their program. I could see it as a good fit for me.

Richmond:  Rob Jones is who I talk to from there and I also was working out with TJ Cline (Played at Richmond from 2014-2017. Also Plano West standout, 2012). Good people and want to learn more about the staff and the program.

Arkansas: Like I said Arkansas is still high on my list and I like how Coach(Eric) Musselman runs his offense. More of a pro-style offense where he uses big wings and lets his guys play.

Tulsa: Tulsa I would say has been the most active. Coach (Shea) Seals and I talk a lot and  (offered). They won the American Conference this year and Coach Frank Haith is from North Carolina so there’s a connection there.

Texas Southern: Coach  (Brandon) Chambers and I talked for a good hour when they offered me. We didn’t really talk much about TSU but just life and other things which was good. I would definitely like to take a visit there at some point.

Texas Southern is listed as one of the four schools he would like to go on a visit to this day with North Carolina A&T, Richmond & UTSA.

The world is essentially at a pause with the ongoing fight against Covid19, and in this context with the cloudy skies of any club season resuming, Duncan talks about the potential effects this may have on his recruitment.

“It’s always great to be wanted and I’m not taking anything away from the schools that are recruiting me but I did feel this was going to be a breakout summer for me and we’ll still be able to get back to playing at some point. I just felt ready to make some noise and show I can make plays consistently on the perimeter. Things will get back to normal and I’ll be able to showcase what I can do.”

Ending Note

Duncan talks about planning on making a decision during the middle of his school season and to hopefully have a top 5 prior to the scholastic school season all the way revved up. Biggest factor for Powell will be playing and especially right away. Duncan’s mix of strength, size and capabilities as a lethal inside/out threat makes him a priority for college coaches. Time will tell where he commits to but to keep track of Duncan’s recruitment and other in-state news, log onto Texasboysbasketball.com!

A Week Of Playoff Basketball – Ani’s Anatomy

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(*Slightly Off Topic) What’s ironic about ‘Ani’s Anatomy’ is I had a disdain taste for studying the human body in school. However, there weren’t very many classes that piqued my interest period but anytime I can inject basketball into the subject, I was attentive.

Any-who, lets get to the topic at hand and that was my week of covering playoff basketball in the Lone Star State. From Dallas to Houston and not only just covering UIL solely, I also had the chance to take a look at the Trinity League Championships going on during the week. So let the examination begin.

Head

Heading into last week, I knew I would catch a slew of games as the first stop was to Naaman Forest to catch the at-the-time undefeated Carrolton Newman Smith vs Kimball. Then started my Friday with 2 games at Trinity Basin Prep, continuing with 5A Regional Double Header at the Curtis Culwell Center. A smooth drive to Clutch City for John Lucas All Star Weekend (More on that soon) as I was also able to catch the highly anticipated regional final match-up between Fort Bend Hightower & Shadow Creek

Eyes

This section will have two functions for the eye. First is who really caught my eye and that was ’20 Jamarion Brown of Mount Pleasant. In a Regional Semi’s bout with Kimball, Brown took the lead in a comeback attempt vs the Knights. A high-energy, athletic forward that possesses strong intangibles. He finished in the open court, took the ball to the teeth of the defense and defensively utilized his length to collect steals. A player that will/should be rocking a collegiate uniform next basketball season.

Junior Corey Flowers also impressed me. In Kimball’s Regional Quarterfinal match-up vs Newman Smith, Flowers was influential in the victory. He played with a lot of energy which allowed the forward to gain offensive rebounds and generate baskets inside. When Corey is playing with a vast amount of effort and looking to effect shots inside, he becomes a difference maker for his team. Will be the theme on how his Spring/Summer outcome goes.

Next with the eyes is vision and look (No pun intended), Bryce Griggs is heralded for his scoring and rightfully so, especially when 40pt outings become another day in the office for him. However, Bryce’s vision and passing is on par with his scoring capabilities. Being able to make pin-point passes in tight spaces, seeing the play develop early and making the right read, Griggs can effect the game with his passing which opens the game up for him to score.

Legacy School of Sports Science’s season is night and day compared to last year. With 1. A singular win season and  2. An early exit in 2019 at the Trinity League Tournament, Legacy’s fortunes turned as they 1. Reached the championship game this year and 2. The win totals more than doubled. The addition of PJ Neal was a key piece to the puzzle as his ability to make plays for others was definitely noticeable. Neal has always been a very willing passer but now has shown more of an intent to get downhill and put pressure on the defense which has allowed him to find the open man more often.

Ears

A piece of advise that Alan Branch gave me when I started working for TBB was, “If you do more seeing and hearing and do less talking, you’ll have a chance to be successful in this industry.” That’s something I still try to apply to this day but where I’m getting at is with the two freshmen from Mount Pleasant. Payton Chism  and Kelcey Morris held their own in a large stage at Curtis Culwell Center for the Regional Semis against Kimball. Chism didn’t hit shots efficiently but was the primary ball-handler and did a solid job managing pace and handling pressure. Morris is a speedy guard that packs a scoring punch in which jump-started the Tigers in the third quarter to condense a 15pt lead to 5 going into the fourth.

Honestly, ears & eyes are intertwined here but they’re young, equipped with talent/upside and I believe both guards have a chance to be next level players once their high school careers are over. A lot of listening to the right guys, watching basketball and compound that with work in the gym, will have both of them to their destination at the end.

Shoulders

Albeit the game not ending in their favor, Shadow Creek’s 2021 Duo in Ramon Walker (25pts) & Will Young (30pts) shouldered the load and kept the Sharks within striking distance vs Hightower. Young was connecting on shots from deep, which also created driving lanes for himself and his teammates. Walker utilized his size mixed with steady handle, plus feel & touch to finish inside as he also made shots from 15ft out. Walker Received an offer from University of Houston the next day as we expect both players to have big grassroots basketball seasons this year.

We did a recruitment look at Arterio Morris here and he talked about being in a leadership role in his first year at Kimball. We got to catch two games in his team’s playoff run and ‘Terrio’ did a sound job helping shoulder the offensive load for the Knights. A premier guard that was able to capitalize on one on one offense due to his explosiveness, ball-on-a-string handle and capabilities as a shooter from the perimeter. One of the best players in his class, when things are clicking for Morris, he isn’t only dynamic as a scorer but also as a passer. Another player to note is Senior Marcus Bonner who orchestrated two very solid scoring outputs in both games I watched. Definitely a player that fits the mold of a wing we see at Region 5 or Region XIV level.

Universal Academy secured a Trinity League State Title and the top available player in JaQuan Scott was a difference maker for UA. He was active on the glass, utilizing his athleticism to sky for the ball over the out-reach of defenders. He also used his size to gain position inside and finish. Scott displayed a very polished game on Friday and continued his performance the next day in front of our staff subsequently earned him MVP of the tournament.

Heart

We’ve been evaluating 2020 Nate Lacewell for several years now and as mentioned on our social media platforms, we were impressed with the improved toughness he displayed on the court on Friday at the Trinity League State Tournament. His improvement is one reason for Legacy’s improvement as he’s starting to embrace contact better, hunt for rebounds and not get rattled by physicality. He’s by no means a finish product but he’s playing with more heart and his best basketball is ahead of him. Arkansas Little Rock and Collin County came to see him play this past weekend.

Chest

Typically in journalism the inverted pyramid is applied as the ‘main course’ is served in the beginning of the article but I wanted to be a tad unconventional and save the best for last.

I’m going to get this off my chest;  If I had to pick a 2022 player  in Texas today to win me a basketball game, I’m picking Bryce Griggs. There hasn’t been a stage too big for the sophomore guard as he embraces the challenges in front of him and orchestrates a high-level performance. Either that was in Dallas during the Thanksgiving Holidays in which  he scored 40pts and the game-winner vs Lewisville or even more recently vs Shadow Creek in which he scored 43 points, recorded 8 dimes and put his team on his back in order to make the Final 4 of the 5A State Tournament. As a whole, the staff has seen more of these outlier performances from Griggs but have seen him struggle as well. Regardless, Bryce deserves to be in the conversation as the top 2022 player in Texas.

 

*Live Period news

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Ani’s Anatomy: Super Sophs Shine In Playoffs

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We’re back with a second edition of Ani’s Anatomy and although I drove over an hour long in traffic, the games were worth the drainage of miles. Let’s examine and dissect. 

Head

Was a 6A doubleheader in Forney High School for the first round of the UIL State Playoffs. The first contest consisted of a highly anticipated matchup between Richardson vs Desoto. Side-note: Although I don’t partake in any Twitter squabbles, I did enjoy looking at the back & forth jawing between the students of both programs and that honestly generated added excitement for me to this game. Any-who, back to the players. Richardson sealed the game at the end as the super sophomores of Cason Wallace & Rylan Griffen put on their capes and made clutch plays down the stretch. 

The second tilt was between Longview and Waco Midway with the Panthers pulling out a 62-54 win vs the Lobos. Big offensive contributions from 2020 duo Anthony Scott and UIW Signee Gods Gift was instrumental in Waco Midway being able to keep marching on. 

Eyes

Definite eye opener for me in regards to senior Tavion Carroll of Desoto. A 4-Man with offensive versatility that displayed a sound inside/out game. Size fused with skill & strong frame makes him a player that holds a translatable skill-set. 

Chest

I don’t know if it’ll be a continuing theme for me to get something off my chest but here goes another one.

2021 Duncan Powell provided a double-double for Desoto. His size, strength, rebounding instincts and capabilities as a stretch guy was showcased but Duncan physically was a man amongst boys and didn’t consistently impose his will in the paint. In stretches he settled for contested jump-shots and albeit knocking down a few, I felt that Duncan should’ve exploited the size mismatch he had all game. One of the top forwards in the ‘21 class, In knowing Duncan, he will be using the lost as fuel for a strong club season.

But getting something off my chest isn’t always me critiquing. Midway’s Caden Powell is intriguing. Having grown what seems like 7 inches in the past year, the staff knows his best basketball is ahead of him. Did he make a huge Impact in this game? No. But he did show some toughness out on the floor and made small instinctual plays that we believe will pop-out once his game grows.

Heart

No denying how much heart ‘20 Anthony Scott possesses. He leaves it all out on the court. Having a sense of urgency to keep the opposing guards in front of him, coming victorious in 50/50 ball scenarios and fearless enough to attack and finish at the rim against big-time length. Let’s not forget, he’s only 5’9. Size isn’t ideal in regards to next-level play but we believe Scott will figure out how to niche a role with his translatable speed, toughness and just his strong intangibles. 

Generally the point totals catch the eyes of the audience but what really impressed me with Cason Wallace was his rebounding. The staff here at TBB loves guards that rebound and Cason fought amongst the trees Desoto possesses and secured a multitude of rebounds. We also saw him numerous times fighting post players for position on the block and forcing them into tough, contested shots and honestly, that shows a lot of heart in my opinion. 

Elbow 

Every time I saw George Mason Signee Malik Henry sky for a rebound, his elbows appear to be above the rim. Henry’s ability to get to the apex of his jump quickly allowed him to secure a plethora amount of rebounds, modify shots around the basket and excel in a clean-up duty role after recovering miss shots and finishing it with dunks. 

Continuing to talk about elbows above the rim, ‘21 Chrisdon Morgan for Desoto utilized his length to snatch rebounds and alter shots. The next 12months will be a big one for Morgan because he still hasn’t put the pieces together yet but slowly, the picture has started to form. I believe he’ll have a Jonathan Sanu’ish type year where his recruitment will heavily pick-up during his senior yr with coaches searching for a bouncy big with plus length. We’ll take a look back at this article in a year and hopefully I look more like a fortune teller than a dummy. 

Hands

Oooooohhhhhweeeee Rylan Griffen had the hot hand in Richardson’s win. The standout guard finished with 29pts and he showcased his ability as a 3-level scorer. Connected on shots from beyond the three point arc, exhibiting a nice mid-range game & finishing in traffic when the lanes were present. Griffen is a no brainer top 5 player in his class and it showed on Monday night. 

Toes

Richardson kept their toes down as they weathered the early storm Desoto casted on them. Earlier we talked about the dynamic duo of Cason Wallace and Rylan Griffen but it was the last two minutes that was the most telling. They went on their own 14-2 run in the last two minutes of the game in which the match was tied 49 all. The old adage goes ‘Big time players make big time plays’ and that’s what those boys did in the crunch time of the playoffs. 

Ani’s Anatomy: Examination Of Ischool v Universal Academy Matchup

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The school season is in its final stages as it’s playoff time in the Lone Star State. In the first ever edition of ‘Ani’s Anatomy’ I hand out my thoughts through a competitive contest between Ischool & Universal Academy in which there was no shortage of recruitable prospects on hand. 

The Head

As UIL playoffs loom and a day where the seniors were honored by their respective home crowds, one of the headlined matchups in the DFW on Tuesday night  featured two of the premier teams in the area. The first go-around needed 6 quarters to peg a winner as Ischool secured a victory. This second tilt required one overtime as Universal Academy held on for a 65-61 win. Assistants from St. John’s & Dallas Baptist we’re in attendance.

Shoulder

A group of players helped shoulder the load for Universal as 2020 Kylil Anderson led the way with 16pts as he attacked in the open court and finished through contact. Junior Will Shepherd tallied 12pts and is a prospect that is showing a game that translates. A player worth tracking from now till summer’s end. 2021 post Shakiru Odenuwu provided 9pts 3blks and was the most impactful post-man tonight. “Shaq” as he’s called by his teammates has improved noticeably. Moving better, getting up and down the floor, utilizing size and generating gravity from the defense with every touch he secured on the block. The depth of big men in the ‘21 class isn’t very strong compared to previous years but a player like Odenuwu with a big frame and can pin his man deep on the block is intriguing. 

For Ischool, Indiana State Signee, Julian Larry shouldered the offensive load especially with 2020 Wing Quevian Adger in foul trouble. Finishing with floaters/runners over the outreach of the opposing big men. Julian‘s definitely has good feel as a passer, seeing the play develop before it develops and finding his teammates in stride. Will be a good piece for Greg Lansing.

Early scoring was provided by senior big man Austin Lewis. A stretch big that showcased touch around the rim and beyond the arc. An available player with legit size and promising skill. Also worth noting was 2020 Jay Wilson. A stocky forward that was mixing it up inside. Jay’s motor and toughness has taken a 180 and its equating to production. 

Chest 

I want to get this off my chest and the first part of the statement is fairly obvious. When it comes to pure talent, just the physical tools their equipped with, seniors JaQuan Scott (Universal Academy) & Quevian Adger (Ischool) can play at a higher-end division one level. 

Albeit Ischool & Universal Academy having only battled it out just four times…. ever, this game already has a rivalry feel to it. Intense crowds, the jawing back and forth amongst the players, the contests going down to the wire to decide a winner, so with that being said, I was looking for both players to impose their will. I left wanting more. 

Spurts was the theme here. As mentioned earlier, Quevian was in foul trouble and ultimately fouled out. First half was forgettable but was instrumental in a 9-0 run to start the 2nd half for the Cougars in which all 9pts were collected by him. A natural scorer from the perimeter that‘s one of the best one on one offense generators in the 2020 class. 

Scott just made plays here and there. Either that was finishing above the rim inside, skyrocketing for a rebound outside of his area, or attacking off the top of the key and producing a clean look. His broad frame combined with his athleticism and touch from 10-15ft out makes Scott a handful to guard inside. 

In hindsight, it’s one game and at this point I could guesstimate that I’ve seen both players perform 100x so Ive seen them at their best and at their worst but with the scholastic season in its “Curtain Call” phase I selfishly did want what could potentially be my last viewing of them to be memorable. 

2022 Arterio Morris Gives TBB A Look At His Recruitment

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A name that has seen a turbo charged up-stick in his rankings not only statewide but also nationally has been 2022 Arterio Morris. In-state programs such as Texas Tech, TCU, SMU, SFA & Texas A&M have offered as well as Big12 Powerhouse Kansas & #13 ranked Oregon. We caught up with the premier guard after leading Kimball to Regional Quarterfinal win vs Newman Smith

“I know last year they lost in the third round so I wanted to make sure we advance past this point and go win a state title.”

Arterio got on a roll early, connecting on two triples, unleashing his speed in the open court which either finished with him laying the ball up or finding his teammates in stride. Morris’ positional size, court vision mixed with shifty handle & explosiveness was on display Tuesday night. 

The Kimball guard talks about consuming the role as a leader and how it was something new for him. 

“It wasn’t a role I thought I would be in coming in my first year but I know the guys look at me when we really need to score,” Morris said. “I know they play off my motor so if I’m engaged, the team really gets going, if not, we don’t play as hard.”

As said earlier, Arterio’s recruitment saw a large spike in the past 4 months.

“I kinda was an unknown in my 9th grade year and now as a sophomore a lot of schools have shown interest and offered. I’m happy I’m able to show my game and people have taken notice.”

Morris talks about Memphis, Texas A&M, & Kansas. 

Texas A&M

Texas A&M reached out to my coach before the last game and wanted me to “ball out for the Aggies,” and that was some motivation but I feel like i did just that (Scored 36pts in 2nd Round game).

Kansas

Kansas reaches out to my coach a lot and they are a place I would like to go visit. They are #1 in the country right now and I could see myself playing there.

Memphis

They haven’t offered me yet but they have shown interest for a while. They send my coach pictures of their facility and their program. I want to go visit there and it would be great playing out there. 

Morris received news that he was invited to USA Basketball Mini-Camp this April during Final 4 Weekend and he talks to TBB about his reaction. 

“My mom actually ‘pulled up’ on me and told me. I didn’t think I would get an invite but she came up to me and told me that this is what my hardwork has turned to.”

It’s still too early to tell in regards to recruitment for Arterio. A to-this-day prediction is If Memphis makes a hard push they’ll definitely be near the top. Kansas and also In state programs such as Texas A&M, TCU & Texas Tech we foresee will be right there for Morris also. 

 

*Live Period news

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Jalen Lake Embraced The Moment. Talks Game & Recruitment

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There’s no question about the talent ‘21 guard Jalen Lake possesses. Good positional size, length mixed with IQ & fluid perimeter stroke. 

In a premier matchup between two state ranked 6A programs last week, Jalen Lake’s 15pt 4blk performance vs Grand Prairie was beneficial in Waxhachie’s win. 

“My mindset was to come in aggressive and tough out the gate,” Lake said. “It showed on both ends today and we got the win.”

Jalen embraced the moment and constructed one of the most efficient and translatable games we’ve seen him orchestrate this season. Smoothness on his shot while showing versatility and a sense of urgency to make the right play was on display. 

Recruitment 

Lake offer sheet consists of UT Arlington, Troy, Buffalo & Oral Roberts. Belmont, Northwestern & Texas A&M have shown interests.

“Troy has been pursuing me pretty hard. They like my ability to shoot and they think I’m tough enough to play for them,” Lake said. “I plan on taking an official visit their after the season.”

“UTA also likes my ability to really shoot and think I’ve made strides in my ability to score off the bounce.”

The next 4-5 months will be very telling for Jalen as a consistent string of big-time performances could make Lake a priority for Power 5 Coaches. 

“I have to show more toughness and the ability to rebound. It’s big for me to make shots but also show other aspects in my game like my passing and ability to score off the dribble.” 

Waxhachie could make a big playoff push although the road to San Antonio contains a path of formidable foes on the way. We will keep track of Jalen’s performances along the way as he could hold a national label by summer’s end. 

TBB Prospect Look: 2022 Austin Nunez

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I had a chance to catch up with ‘22 Austin Nunez at SA Cornerstone. Austin is an explosive guard who has been putting it all together lately.

Has the ability to put pressure on the defense off the dribble as well as knock down shots with his quick release and deep range. He is also coming into his own as a complete guard making good reads in multiple situations and getting others involved.

Austin talked about the daily workouts he and his team would have to do. “I have to make 300-400 shots daily from multiple spots so it’s really helped with my consistency. I have to focus more when I’m here, can’t take plays off, Coach Casey holds me accountable and makes me focus on details, I can’t take days off either.”

 We also had a chance to visit about the upcoming Spring and Summer grassroots season and what he is looking forward to the most.“

 “Getting back to work with my friends and teammates from other schools and also the travel. I look forward to traveling and playing against all of the good teams and players we see on the Under Armour Circuit.”

Austin’s recent play and potential has him on multiple Div 1 recruiting boards. He holds offers from multiple schools Texas, Texas A&M, Georgetown, Baylor, Memphis, Texas, LSU, TCU, UTSA, Wake Forest. Host of others who have serious interest.”

 

TBB Catch-Up: 2020 Jordan Woods

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I had a chance to stop by and visit with ‘20 Jordan Wood about his season at SA Cornerstone Christian. Jordan is a 6’8 knock down shooter who has blossomed into a solid all around player.

He says his improved play is a result of the daily grind and practices he and his teammates would go through.

“Playing against and working with the high level caliber players on our team and on our schedule have helped me a lot. It has helped understand how to play faster and also the physicality it takes to play at a high level.”

Jordan created a lot of buzz for himself playing well in several events in Las Vegas and in the DC area. College Coaches have taken notice of his versatility of being able to play off the dribble with his size as well as knock down shots and rebound. As a result he has received some interest from some Pac 12 and Conf USA schools along with a host of others. He has been offered recently by Howard Univ, American and Tulsa.  He is set to visit Tulsa late February.

Colin Smith Emerging As Elite Prospect In 2022

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I’ve seen a spike in Colin Smith’s production & efficiency since the start of the new year as his sophomore campaign concluded with being instrumental in St. Marks capturing an SPC State Title. Smith has been playing at his own pace, knocking down shots from deep and showing defensive versatility. One of the top players in his class, Colin updates TBB on his recruitment.

Smith holds offers from Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, UCLA, Georgetown, Texas A&M, SMU, Stanford while as Purdue, Michigan & Florida State have sniffed around.

Smith has been on visits to Baylor and Oklahoma State but recently took visits to Stanford & Michigan.

“Stanford’s campus is beautiful. The coaching staff was great and I got to watch them come from behind and beat Oregon. Atmosphere was great and I can definitely get a quality education there.”

“Michigan had a couple players come for an official so I didn’t get to spend much time with the staff. The players seem to love playing for Juwan Howard and they are fun to watch.”

“I had a great time at Oklahoma State. I have a strong relationship with Mike Boynton and (Assistant Coach) Cannen Cunningham. Down to earth staff and it’s a real cool environment.”

“Baylor was fun. They are playing great right now and the best team in the country right now. They get the most out of their players.”
Kansas HC Bill Self came to a workout at St. Marks over a month ago.

“Coach Self was impressed when he saw me. Liked my IQ, athleticism and my ability to shoot. Great having a guy like him come to your gym.”

St. Marks’ academic standards are high and it’s very demanding academic institution. We asked Smith about how much academics will play a role in his decision.

“Obviously I want to go somewhere where the degree holds a lot of value but I don’t have to go to a high academic school either. St. Marks will prepare me to go anywhere in the country so it’s all a matter if it’s the right fit for me to play in.”

As mentioned earlier, Colin’s sophomore school season has come to a close and Smith has high expectations for the spring/summer period.

“I didn’t feel that I got to show all parts of my game last summer. I believe I’m one of the top players in the country and if I do my part it will be shown. I can score off the dribble, pass and make plays on both ends.”

It’s still too early to tell in regards where Colin will end up but we believe Stanford will be in the mix (Sidenote: Colin’s sister Leilah is a 2020 Stanford volleyball signee). Michigan, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Purdue (In which he’ll take a visit to Lafayette, IN in the next month or two) & Florida State, who has been in heavy pursuit as of late. A prospect with prototypical basketball frame and vertical athleticism, if Smith consistently brings it all together in the Spring, he will see an upward’s motion on his stock.

Obaseki Talks OU, Texas A&M To TBB

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High flyer, explosive, dynamic. All descriptions of ‘21 Manny Obasekii’s game. A strong spring/summer followed by consistent production in the school season are reasons Obaseki is a National name. We caught up with Manny after Allen’s Win vs Prosper in which he had a 12pt 4th quarter to seal the win. 

“We were down in the first half and I wanted to take over in the 2nd (half) but at the same time let the game come to me,” Obaseki Said. “The defense was spread out so it allowed me to attack and make plays.”

In regards to his recruitment, two schools have been making a heavy push for Obaseki’s services and that’s Texas A&M & Oklahoma. 

The guard from Allen took an official visit to Norman and talks about his experience. 

“The visit was beautiful. The people there are very sweet and very genuine. They showed a lot of love on my visit and the coaching staff have told me over and over that i can come in and fill in the scoring role that will be missing when I graduate. The players are really cool and funny and I enjoyed hanging with them and hooped some with them as well. I loved it.”

OU currently has a DFW based point guard in De’Vion Harmon who’s starting for the Sooners and averaging 7.6ppg 2asts & 1.2 stls as a freshman. Manny talks about watching Harmon growing up and having the ball in his hands at Oklahoma. 

“You know it’s crazy because I used to watch him growing up in person, on Ballislife, Overtime and just seeing his name on social media. Now I’m in the situation where I can do the same things and potentially better. He’s doing good at Oklahoma and he gets to make plays and I feel that plays a role in me liking OU.” 

“Texas A&M have been very truthful with me I feel like. They emphasize love, work & trust… trust in one another and competing for same team goal,” Obaseki Said. “I’ve built a great relationship with the staff and they believe my skillset and my work ethic can take me to the next level.” 

Obaseki talks about having the mentality to play for a Head Coach like Buzz Williams. 

“I know you have to be tough minded to play for Coach Buzz (Williams) but I definitely can and one thing I loved when talking to Coach was that he genuinely cares not just what goes on the court but off it for me and my maturation. He preaches love, work and trust like I said before and I think A&M is a place I would definitely thrive in.”

Manny plans on taking an official visit to Texas A&M in the upcoming months but also has been hearing some from Texas Tech, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, TCU and Oklahoma State was in attendance at his game vs Prosper. He’s also recently received interest from Oregon, Ohio State, Depaul & UCLA. A decision potentially can come in the summer but realistically will arrive in the fall. We believe Texas A&M & Oklahoma are ahead of the pack at this stage but stay tune for news and notes on Texasboysbasketball.com

Recap: Cream Of The Crop Southwest

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The Cream of The Crop has been a notable, annual event that We at Texas Grassroots Basketball have held for 6 years. 2020 marks the first year of the Southwest Edition in Kyle, TX as some of the top young players from the CenTex area manned the courts on Saturday.

Andre Starks, 2025 PG – Steele & Doble:  Andre had a solid day. Showed ability to score off the bounce. Showed ability to get by defenders and unleashing athleticism in space.

Cristin Good, 2025 PG – San Marcos: Savvy guard showed he could score it some. Good feel, creates space for himself with steady handle.

Jamie Vinson, 2024 Forward – St. Gabriel: Long arms, shoots it’s really smooth with a good clean release and rotation.

Cameron Walker, 2024 Forward – Bernal MS: Big Fella has a strong skill set to go along with his size . Moves well up and down the floor. Has good strong hands and overall just a solid all-around basketball player.

Kingston Fleming, 2025 PG – Luna Brennan: Kid can really play. Scored it all levels. Sees the floor well and makes good reads. HIGH IQ. Tons of play making ability along with getting others involved. Competed on deee defensive end as well. Got deflections and won 50/50 balls.

Ed Onwe, 2025 Wing: Huge Upside!! The lefty was efficient all day. Scored it multiple ways. Showed ability to put it on the floor and create for himself and others. Was solid on the Defensive end and rebounding as well.

Robert Conrad, 2025 PG – Cedar Creek: Real heady player who is crafty with the ball and attacked defenders frequently. Scored the ball from multiple levels.

Jaylen Brazzle, 2024 PG – Cele: Quick guard who shot pretty good at times during live action. Quick feet, solid defender.

Cam Cowgill, 2025 PG – Brennan: Solid, heady Player with a strong IQ and feel for the game. Sees the floor and makes good reads. Strong in ball screen situations. Good clean stroke.

Daniel Soukup, 2025 PG – Danville: Lefty who’s shifty and can create for himself and others. Shot it ok in a couple stretches. Good defender with quick feet and hands.

Karlon Hargrove, 2024 PG – Steele: Young man was on a mission.  Looked solid in drills and it transferred over into live action. Scored in bunches in a variety of ways. Quick off the bounce, got to his spots with relative ease.

Trent Medearis, 2024 PG – Hays: Really quick / fast guard. Can be tough on defenders in transition with his explosiveness. Finished around the rim and hit mid range shots.

Daryl Banks, 2025 Wing – Johnson HS: Nice size combo guard who scored it multiple ways. Looked good early on in drills and in games off the dribble.

Ora Williams, 2024 Forward: Big fella with extremely soft hands who finished well around the rim. Rebounded the ball strong as well. Played with a lot of confidence and was extremely vocal on defense.

Elijah Favela, 2025 Guard -Judson A School:  Scorer!!!! Had a solid day showing off his skill set. Was efficient from the perimeter. Scored it multiple ways during game action and showed ability to play through contact as well.

Roman Flores, 2024 PG -Jefferson MS:  High motor kid had a pretty good day overall.Scored it several ways. Was very aggressive on both ends trying to make things happen.

Hayes Pounds, 2024 PG – Penforth: Smart Heady player who can shoot it pretty good. Shot the ball well in drill action and knocked down several during live action.

Drew Basher, 2024 PG – Danforth: Had a pretty good day overall. Very aggressive and competitive. Won his share of 50/50 balls. Knocked down shots during live and drill action.

 

Going Up! CJ Noland Talks Recruitment, Performance

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Stock-riser has been appropriately coined for  Waxahachie product CJ Noland as his production in the scholastic season has upped his recruitment. The stocky, strong built guard has strung together high-level offensive outputs this season and deservingly pegged as one of the top guard prospects in the 2021 class. He talks to TBB about his performances and recruitment.

“I’ve been able to show I can hit shots and lead. We’re looking to make a statement run this season and the hard work I’ve been putting in is starting to show on the court.”

Noland’s offer sheet includes Oral Roberts, UIC, UNT, Sam Houston, UTA  and more recently from SMU & Colorado State. He holds interest from Kansas State and Vanderbilt as well.

Speaking of the latter two programs, both have been heavily recruiting him as well along with Colorado State.

The Breakdown

Colorado State: “(Assistant) Coach Ali (Farokhmanesh) reaches out to me twice a week. I plan on taking an official visit there after the season. They let their guards play so it’s definitely a school I really like.”

Vanderbilt: (Assistant) Coach (Adam) Mazarei and I talk a couple times a week. I will take an official visit there as well during the spring. They play in the SEC and I would love to play in the SEC.”

Kansas State: Kansas State has been reaching out for some time close to 2-3x a week. (Assistant) Coach Brad Korn is the one recruiting me. I’ll definitely take an official (visit) there and I can see myself playing there.”

Analysis
Noland has taken a few unofficial visits, such as with UNT in the fall, also has been present to a few UTA games and was present in Texas A&M’s matchup vs South Carolina. He plans to take an unofficial to SMU possibly in near future.

We project CJ to follow up a strong scholastic season with just as powerful club season. He’s tough, possesses good feel and a combination of athleticism, strength and sound vision makes him a menace in the open court.  It’s too early to tell where his collegiate destination is but there’s a few tidbits to add

-One school he wants recruiting is Alabama

-Kansas State is his father, Belvis Noland’s alma mater where he played his last two seasons from 1993-1995.

-He eyes making a commitment in the latter end of the summer.

We will continue to keep track of CJ throughout the season so stay tuned at texasboysbasketball.com for news & notes.