"A Foundation of Excellence and Greatness": Cypress Creek seniors leave behind strong legacy

SAN ANTONIO – Jennifer Alexander dropped to a knee in front of her team's bend and wrapped her arms around Rori Harmon and Kyndall Hunter.

Overwhelmed by emotion, the three just embraced for a while.

That duo, along with Taylor Jackson, have been pulling on a Cypress Creek uniform for four years since their freshman campaign.

Inside the Alamodome on Thursday night, their four-year journey came to an end in the Class 6A State Championship game, falling short to DeSoto, 53-37, ending their season at 32-1.

"Going 32-1 is challenging for a team like us," Harmon, a McDonald's All-American, said while holding back tears. "Everybody is after us and to know we worked so hard to get to this point and to get second place it does hurt a lot. Just knowing that we got here is a great honor."'

This group of seniors – Harmon, Hunter, Jackson, Ri'yah Francis and Haleen Harris – won't be soon forgotten on the corner of Grant and Perry Road in Houston, Texas.

"This group has laid a foundation of excellence and greatness," Alexander said. "Not just what we do day-in and day-out when they are with us but what they do on their own and the time that they put into their craft. I think they're role models for little girls at Bleyl, Campbell and Hamilton coming to Cy Creek. I'm just so proud of them."'

That foundation is a strong one.

Add up the numbers and it is undoubtably one of the greatest four-year runs by the numbers in Houston girls basketball history.

Over the past four years, Cypress Creek has gone 141-13, reaching the UIL State Tournament three times (2018, 2020, 2021) and the state championship in each of the last two seasons. In the past two seasons, the Cougars went 73-2 with those losses each coming in the Class 6A State Championship game.

"It's just an honor to know that we're creating a path for our teammates behind us and we couldn't have done it without them," Hunter, who scored 17 points in the state title game, said. "I know they're going to do great things when we're gone."'

Of course, since their freshman year, Hunter and Harmon have been connected at the hip.

The duo led the team in scoring each of the last four years and were both selected as McDonald's All-Americans this season. They aren't done being teammates as the next stop is Austin.

"We have to continue to train and stick together everyday since we're going to play college together for the next four years," Harmon, who score eight points and grabbed 11 boards in the title game, said. "I'm really excited that it's Kyndall. We just have to stick together mentally."

So, what is Texas getting?

"These two are outstanding on and off the court," Alexander said. "Great teammates. You're not going to find two better young ladies than these two right here. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Their leadership and their character on and off the court is something special. I'm excited to see them grow and see them at the next level.

"They're probably going to get tired of me being a fan all the time coming to Texas but I'll be there with them every step of the way and rooting them along."