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Cy Springs' Ayla McDowell is VYPE Player of the Year for public schools
I'M LOVING IT: McDonald's All-American McDowell takes home POY; All-VYPE teams announced
Ayla McDowell of Cypress Springs was the brightest star in Greater Houston over the past several months.
The McDonald's All-American was elite her senior season, building her resume as she heads to the University of South Carolina in the fall. Her team fell just short of the State Final Four, but her legacy was already cemented.
Summer Creek took home the State trophy for the first time in school history with the help of junior Kennedy Simpson, while Hightower was loaded with stars en route to the State Finals.
Here are the All-VYPE 2025 Girls Basktetball Public School Teams.
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The VYPE 2025 Public School Player of the Year
Ayla McDowell, Cypress Springs
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FIRST TEAM
Aniya Foy, Cinco Ranch
Nataliyah Gray, Alief Taylor
Jemini Mitchell, Cypress Springs
Chandler Preston-Caver, Hightower
Kennedy Simpson, Summer Creek
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SECOND TEAM
Kailee Beaudion-Foliaki, Hightower
Jayci Lackey, Barbers Hill
Kendall Ford, Dawson
Bree Riley, Grand Oaks
Andrea Sturdivant, FB Austin
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THIRD TEAM
A'Zyua Blair, Pearland
Kara Hart, Katy Taylor
Kamryn McLaurin, Clear Brook
Ruke Ogbevire, Fulshear
Ogechi Okeke, Hightower
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HONORABLE MENTION
Rezia Castillo, Clear Brook
Marc'Kalia Celestine, Klein
Jazmine Hansley, Dickinson
Addison Martin, Summer Creek
Aniya Richard-Holmes, Nimitz
Cy Springs' Jemini Mitchell
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Nationally-recognized Mitchell continues to make name for herself
IT TOOK NO TIME AT ALL FOR AUDIENCES TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME JEMINI MITCHELL.
Standing at 6-foot-2, Cy Springs’ newest star made one the most utterly dominant freshman debuts that the state has seen, having scored 538 points, with 219 rebounds, 70 assists and a team-leading 46 blocks.
This would obviously result in a District 16-6A Newcomer of the Year selection, but she’s much more than just a big body.
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“Most people might lean more towards their shooting ability, which I do think I’m skilled in that area,” said Mitchell. “But, I like to think that my greatest strength relates to my versatility as a player. Sure, I have the size, but I’m able to play inside and outside the paint and I feel that my defense has gotten better over the years.”
Entering her sophomore year, Mitchell is listed as a five-star recruit who’s the No. 1 ranked player in Texas and No. 13 in the nation in the Class of 2027.
That instantaneous level of success, coupled with her growing confidence, could arguably be attributed to the landscape she’s developed her game in.
“Being in this program has really allowed me to grow as a person, even though I’m only entering my second year,” she said. “On and off the court, I feel like my coaches and teammates push me to be better. You have to mature at a rapid pace in order to compete at this level, which is something that really sticks with me.”
Teamwise, the Panthers enjoyed yet another tremendous season this past winter, going 30-3 overall, which included an undefeated district title. They reached the UIL Class 6A Region II Semifinals.
However, they were ultimately thwarted by the eventual State Champs Duncanville, in a tight 48-40 defeat, clearly fueling them for this season.
“I don’t want to go back into the locker room like we did last year,” Mitchell said. “I hated the feeling after what happened in Round 4. If we want to improve on last year’s result, we need to take everything seriously, whether it be in practice or the classroom. There’s some unfinished business here, so it’s going to be about going hard every rep, and doing what we need to do.”
Given the unquestionable talent returning for coach Taneisha Rogers in 2024 – particularly Mitchell and South Carolina-commit Ayla McDowell – it’s likely that the vision they’ve set for themselves might very well come to fruition.
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