THE PLAYMAKERS: Bringing in the new year powered by UTMB Health

Jordan Buckner, South Houston Basketball

The Trojans were expected to be a contender prior to the season starting, and they have certainly lived up to the hype.

Most recently, South Houston competed in the platinum division of the Lee College Classic, in which they advanced through the brackets to end up as the third-place finishers, despite facing some stout competition.

It's only natural that one of the team's captains, Jordan Buckner, would play a key role in their success.

The junior guard led the Trojans in scoring throughout the tournament (23.3 ppg), which is indicative of how he's performed in the Winter thus far.

South Houston currently boasts an impressive record of 18-6 and are 2-0 to begin district-play. If Buckner and company keep clicking this rate, they should once again battle for another district title before they enter the playoffs.

Da'Niyah Lewis, Shadow Creek Girls Basketball

Shadow Creek is already well-within the mix of district competition, and while they may have experienced their fair share of trials and tribulations, that can be expected of a comparatively young team.

Despite their youth, however, the Sharks still remain in the third seed of their division (14-10; 2-1) and have shown that they are capable of getting the big wins with the talent on board.

Speaking of, sophomore Da'Niyah Lewis has stepped up considerably alongside fellow play-maker Krislyn Biscette to accomplish this feat.

Lewis has scored the second-most points on the team, while leading Shadow Creek in assists from the point guard position. This kind of performance will be essential moving forward, as this scrappy group contends among some tough district counterparts.

Jason Scott, Westbury Christian Basketball

Westbury Christian is packed with talent, which was put on full display when they competed in the VYPE Invitational this past week.

The bread-winner for the Wildcats is unquestionably Jason Scott (Jr. PG) who leads the group in nearly all major categories (22 ppg, 8 rpg, 3 apg) which continues to propel WCS forward.

With district-play coming up, Scott's proficiency and connection with the other key contributors on the team -- Sebastian Mackey (Sr. G), Jayvien Cummings (So. G), and Cooper Harsworth (Sr. F) -- will be imperative to Westbury Christian's campaign to return to the TAPPS-3A title game.

Shiloh Grays, Pearland Girls Basketball

As the new year begins, the Lady Oilers are picking up steam.

Their recent victory over district opponent Alief Elsik brings Pearland's win-streak to eleven, and their overall record to 22-4 (3-0 in district) with the remaining schedule seeming all-the-more favorable.

The emerging presence of Pearland's leading-scorer A'zyua Blair (Fr. G) cannot be overstated. However, fellow freshman Shiloh Grays been a game-changer in her own right.

Grays has been a contributor in all facets of the game, particularly in the rebounding department as she leads the team with nearly 200 on the year.

The district title is within the Oilers' grasp, and all signs point to a bright future for this growing program.

Aiden Mohammed, Yates Basketball

Yates continues to prove that they are a genuine contender in the Class 4A race.

Despite competing in perhaps the most stacked district in the conference, that hasn't stopped the Lions (11-5; 4-2) from making splashes into 2024.

Most recently, Yates claimed first place in the gold division bracket of the Houston ISD tournament, which can be attributed to the stellar roster under coach Greg Wise's direction.

Aiden Mohammed, in particular, has been as proficient as they come.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore forward will certainly be one to watch for as the Lions seek to surpass last year's mark of reaching the Regional Quarterfinals.