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THE STATUS: VYPE DFW Basketball Rankings amid tournament season; Lake Ridge soars into Top-3
With the holidays upon us, we're in the heat of the tournament stage of this year's Texas high school basketball season.
Just as they were placed in our preseason rankings, the Allen Eagles continue to perform at an exceptional level, which means they retain their top spot in the Dallas-area.
Although, the No.1-ranked team in the state (MaxPreps) certainly has their work cut out for them in District 6-6A, as Plano East, Prosper, and Plano West are as formidable as they come.
Lake Ridge has continued where they left off a year ago, reaching the State Semifinals and now boasting an impressive 18-1 record as they rise through the ranks.
However, the likes of North Crowley, Denton Guyer, and Duncanville are not to be underestimated, while Mansfield Summit makes considerable strides within Class 5A.
With that in mind, see how the top squads in Dallas are shaping up as we head into the final stretch of the 2024 tournament stage.
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VYPE DFW BOYS TOP-10 (Class 6A-4A)
*Last section indicates current overall record/district record
1. Allen Eagles (6A) -- 14-1; 4-0 in District
2. Lake Ridge Eagles (6A) -- 18-1
3. Plano East Panthers (6A) -- 15-1; 3-1
4. North Crowley Panthers (6A) -- 17-2; 1-0
5. Prosper Eagles (6A) -- 16-3; 4-1
6. Denton Guyer Wildcats (6A) -- 14-5; 1-1
7. Lake Highlands Wildcats (6A) -- 15-3; 2-0
8. Duncanville Panthers (6A) -- 7-3; 2-0
9. Mansfield Summit Jaguars (5A) -- 14-4; 2-0
10. Marcus Marauders (6A) -- 13-4; 1-1
Honorable Mentions: Kimball (4A), Lancaster (6A), Plano West (6A), Richardson (6A), Little Elm (6A), DeSoto (6A), Aledo (5A), Dallas Carter (4A), Braswell (6A), Timberview (5A), The Colony (5A)
VYPE DFW Football Game of the Week: North Crowley vs. Allen (6A-D1 Region 1 Final)
Everything has gone according to plan for North Crowley this Fall.
The Panthers are firing on all cylinders in every facet of the game, which has earned them the distinction of being ranked as the No. 2 team in Texas (No. 9 in the nation), according to MaxPreps.
Following yet another undefeated regular season -- and their third-consecutive district championship -- coach Ray Gates and co. have steam-rolled their way to the Regional Final, with wins against Byron Nelson (56-21), Permian (72-14), and Coppell (35-24) over the past three weeks.
Now, North Crowley (13-0) has the opportunity to make back-to-back appearances in the state final-four.
The connection between quarterback Chris Jimerson (North Texas-signee) and senior wideout Quentin Gibson (Colorado) has been virtually impossible for opposing secondaries to contain.
If the passing game isn't enough, Cornelius Warren III (UNLV) and Daniel Bray (Utah) are always a threat to score from out of the back-field, behind a formidable offensive line -- anchored by Henry Fenuku (Missouri) --that's allowed the unit to average a ridiculous 57 points per game.
Defensively, the Panthers have limited their opponents to just 17 points a contest, which is a testament to the equally capable athletes they have on that side of the ball -- Jonathan Cunningham (Texas), Ja'Brelle Asberry (Sr. MLB), Gaylon McNeal (Washington State), and sophomore Avery Dotson being chief among them.
NCHS was eliminated in the State Semis of last year's postseason, at the hands of eventual 6A-D1 champion Duncanville. Suffice it to say, they'd love to get the chance to return the favor a week from now.
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However, No. 7-ranked Allen won't just stand idly by and give up a spot in the final-four.
With coach Lee Wigington at the helm, the Eagles (13-0) haven't dropped a game this Fall, either -- most recently outlasting Trinity in a 22-21 nail-biter last Friday -- which advanced them to their first appearance in Round No. 4 since 2021.
The offense's aerial attack has been incredibly sufficient with 2023 Offensive Newcomer of the Year Brady Bricker behind-center, along with the various targets he has in the WR room -- Donnell Gee Jr. (Tulsa-signee), Carter Harris (Sr.), and freshman break-out player Josyah Johnson.
Furthermore, Allen possesses not one, not two, but three explosive running backs -- Jaden Hambric (Jr.), Micah Ellis (Sr.), and Lyndon Spriggs (So.) -- who can keep defenses honest.
But, it can be argued that the most valuable asset towards the Eagles' success in 2024 has been their lock-down defense, which is averaging a mere 11.3 points allowed per game.
Its leading figures include second-team, all-district selections Kai Wheaton (Sr. CB), Mitchell Neu (Sr. LB), and Camden Clark (Sr. S).
This is the best that Allen has looked in years. Can they punch their ticket to the State Final-Four, marking the first time since 2018 they've done so?
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The battle of the undefeated will take place this Saturday (2:00 PM) at Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield, TX. The victor might just become a favorite to reach AT&T.