GAMES
RANKINGS
The Jordan Warriors are emerging in th Regional Tourney
SUPER TUESDAY: Huge Night For Girls, Boys Basketball Playoffs
On the girls’ side. The State Semis will see a trio of Houston-area teams vying to for the Alamodome in San Antonio.
VYPE will be on site at the Campbell Center for the Summer Creek vs Cibolo Steele Class 6A DI State Semis at 5:30.
Summer Creek fell to State Champ Duncanville in the State Semis last season 39-31 in overtime and is back under the bright lights tonight against Steele (27-7 overall).
Bulldog Kennedy Simpson is the alpha for first-year coach Kiara Marshall, who came over from Chaparral High School. Summer Creek has been to UIL State four times in six years. Addison Martin, Endia Thomas and Taiya Kikunga will need big games to advance.
In Class 6A DII, Hightower will face Churchill in Victoria, Texas tonight. Coach Jasmine Brewer’s squad is LOADED and deep. Kailee Beaudion, Ogechi Okeke, Chandler Caver, Breonna Shelby and Sydney Thomas lead the way, but the bench is deep and ready. Churchill is loaded too, with Alina Hernandez, Rakiya Nelson and Daphne Zuniga as the Chargers Big 3.
Up the road at College Station High School, it will be the Barbers Hill Eagles facing Liberty Hill for the right to go to State. Coach Bryan Harris is an elite coach and has Jayci Lackey, Brooklynn Roberson and Rachel Glynn running his system. Liberty Hill runs a college style offense and a slower pace. Possessions will be key in this game.
THE GALLERY
The boys playoffs enter the third-round of the postseason all over the city.
Class 6A Region III have some serious matchups, starting with Seven Lakes vs Atascocita and Bellaire and Summer Creek in DI. These are some of the biggest brands in Houston. The star power is legit with Spartan Isaiah Santos, Duke-signee Shelton Henderson (Bellaire), Atascocita’s Jaylen Fenner and a balanced Summer Creek squad who plays connected as a team. Their could be a match-up between District 23-6A powers Summer Creek and Atascocita in the finals.
In Class 6A Region III DII, Jordan faces CE King, while George Ranch plays the No. 1 team in Houston - Shadow Creek. The Sharks face George Ranch, who is led by Cayden Munnilal. Shadow Creek is led by super-duo Michael Collins and UH-signee Bryce Jackson. Prediction for this Region is for Katy Jordan and Shadow Creek to face off in a potential instant classic. Jordan is blessed with a senior-laden squad and an elite backcourt.
The Aldine Mustangs and Grand Oaks Grizzlies are two of the biggest stories in the State. Both have advanced to the Class 6A Region II, DI Regional Semis. Aldine first-year head coach Christopher Ceaser took over a team that went WINLESS in 2024 and is now in the third round of the postseason. Trae Lewis, Michael Rosario and Kevin Waddell run the show for Grand Oaks coming out of the Conroe ISD, in which they were district champs. Aldine faces Rockwall and Grand Oaks plays Duncanville, two very tough DFW schools.
In DII, College Park and Willis are in the Conroe ISD as well and have also advanced to Regional Semis. The Cavs face Wylie East and Willis plays Horn. Willis is led by SJ Young and his 20 points per game, followed by Chandler Beasley. College Park is driven by Colorado-signee Ian Inman and Aiden Buckmon. The district-mates have a legit shot to face each other for the right to go to the State Semis.
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In Class 5A, No. 1 FB Marshall faces Barbers Hill and Randle faces Port Arthur Memorial tonight, while Stafford, Yates, Wheatley, Washington and new Fort Bend school Crawford are still in the Class 4A mix in Region III, while La Marque, Brazosport and Wharton are stll alive in Region IV.
Back-to-back State Champ Hitchcock faces Mexia tonight to continue their run to a return trip the the Alamodome.
Ayla McDowell of Cy Springs
THE HISTORY LESSON: Cy Springs leads VYPE's Top 5 State Contenders; the brackets
Cypress Woods, under the direction of Cy-Fair ISD athletic director Virginia Flores, won it in 2015 over Dallas Skyline. Erica Ogwumike was the game’s MVP and Nancy Mulkey was on the all-tournament team.
A year before, the Manvel Mavs beat Duncanville with Brianna Turner leading the way. She starred at Notre Dame, where she would win a National Championship.
In 2008 and 2010, Cy-Fair won State with the likes of Nneka Ogwumike and Chiney Ogwumike. Both were stars at Stanford and overall No. 1 picks in the WNBA.
So, what gives?
Over nearly 20 years, four teams have won State… three being from the Cy-Fair ISD.
Ten years after Cy Woods won the last H-Town title, there is a team that looks the part of a State Champion.
Shockingly, from the Cy-Fair ISD - Cypress Springs. The Panthers are blessed with a pair of national stars in Ayla McDowell and Jemini Mitchell. McDowell is a McDonald’s All-American and headed to super-power South Carolina, while Mitchell is one of the top sophomores in the country.
Looking ahead in the Class 6A DII Region II bracket, the Panthers are on a collision course with state-ranked Lancaster out of Dallas to get to the State Final Four.
Yes, DeSoto is in there, but the Eagles aren’t the Eagles of old.
With Cypress Springs as the No. 1 team in H-Town with realistic State Title dreams, who else has a shot as the playoffs have expanded into two divisions per classification?
THE GALLERY
Ayla McDowell of Cy Springs
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THE TOP 5 CONTENDERS
No. 1 Cy Springs - A lock for the State Final Four in Class 6A DII Region II. Too much star power.
No. 2 Hightower - Coach Jasmine Brewer has a balanced lineup with great guards and a talented young post in Okeke. Only CE King and Alief Taylor stand in the way in Class 6A DII Region III… kind of.
No. 3 Dawson - Journey Lovett, Jaycee Ingram, Kendall Ford, Mia Barre and Jaylynn Perez-Richard are connected as a team and ran the table in a competitive district. Summer Creek, Pearland or Cinco Ranch will challenge the Class 6A DI Region III State Final Four spot. Clear Brook has a “Big Three” as well.
No. 4 Summer Creek - the Lady Bulldogs have played a BRUTAL non-conference schedule that may have them prepared for a run. They have the playoff experience and a bona fide star in Kennedy Simpson. They can win every playoff game in Class 6A DI Region III… but on the flip… they can lose them all too.
No. 5 Alief Taylor - The Lions have a special talent in Nataliyah Gray (Miss. State signee), but don’t sleep on Madison Bush-Lewis and Samyra Williams in support. If they BELIEVE they are supposed to be in this conversation, they have a shot.
SLEEPER ALERTS - Klein Collins is well-coached with young stars who are hungry. Grand Oaks and Bree Riley can run, run, run. Cinco Ranch has a bucket in Foye, while Clear Brook has McLauren, Castillo and Terrell balancing the floor. Wheatley and Willowridge are the top teams from Houston in Class 4A. Barbers Hill and Friendswood lead the way in Class 5A.
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THE BRACKETS