GAMES
RANKINGS
Dawson Sr. CG Kendall Ford
THE PLAYMAKERS: Eyes on the Prize // Powered by UTMB Health
Here are the UTMB Athletes of the Week, as we ring in the New Year and the stakes begin to rise.
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Khloe Yarborough -- Manvel Girls Basketball
Doug Brown (VYPE)
Manvel has shown no signs of slowing down this winter, finally cracking the Top-10 in the TABC Girls 6A rankings and climbing into the state’s Top-20 per MaxPreps. Tipping off 2026 with a 23-3 composite record — including a 6-1 start against their foes in District 22-6A — all the pieces appear to be falling into place for the Lady Mavs.
On the topic of pieces, guard play is a critical asset at this juncture, but most championship-caliber rotations also require imposing physicality — exactly what Khloe Yarborough brings. While fully capable of performing as a guard, Yarborough inflicts her most damage at power forward. The junior can score when called upon, but it’s her defensive prowess and ability to grab boards that continues to shape Manvel’s identity.
As District 22-6A intensifies, Yarborough remains Manvel’s most imposing equalizer — powering a contender that looks built for January urgency and March potential alike.
Daniel Green -- Shadow Creek Basketball
Doug Brown (VYPE)
It would appear the Sharks are impervious to regression. In head coach Brandon Gay’s first season at the helm, Shadow Creek has surged to a 13-5 start, including a spotless 5-0 mark in district play. The Sharks most recently finished as runner-up at the Allen Invitational, adding another data point to a season defined by momentum rather than fluctuation.
Remaining at the forefront of H-Town hoops has been a combined effort. The comprehensive athleticism of freshman BJ Lafell, sophomores Jaylen Addai and Stanford Wiley IV, and junior guard/forward Braylon Caldwell already positions Shadow Creek among the rapidly trending squads in the city.
Still, point guard Daniel Green provides integral experience to the dynamic. One of the more seasoned individuals on Gay’s roster, Green has been a model of consistency. The junior is consistently knocking on the door of 20 points a night while forcing turnovers and distributing the wealth with a poised, unselfish tempo that steadies possessions before defining them.
With no clear weaknesses and talent to spare, the Sharks look built for more than early-season intrigue. If a leap is coming, Green will be the hand on the controls — guiding a contender whose potential is only just beginning to develop.
Kendall Ford -- Dawson Girls Basketball
Isaiah Vela (VYPE)
Dawson assuredly knows how to make statements, as evidenced by its D1 Gold Bracket championship at the Aggieland Invitational to cap off 2025. At 23-2, and ranked 4th in Texas by MaxPreps — while remaining comfortably within the Top-10 of the TABC’s 6A rankings — it’s becoming clear the Eagles are peaking at the perfect time.
Make no mistake: this roster is loaded with alpha-caliber players who all deserve credit for the run the team has experienced thus far. But it’s hard to argue against the early outlook that Kendall Ford could ultimately be named District 22-6A MVP for the second year in a row.
Ford is her. Whether the Tarleton State-bound senior is orchestrating the offense from the point guard spot or lighting up the scoring in tandem with fellow senior Journey Lovett and junior Faith Etienne, Ford remains the engine driving Dawson’s ascent.
If January reveals contenders, March crowns them. And if Dawson reaches its inaugural appearance in the State Final Four, Ford’s fingerprints will be all over the breakthrough — not just fueling a moment, but powering a movement.
Valin Idusuyi -- Dickinson Basketball
Doug Brown (VYPE)
While the Gators didn’t conclude the VYPE Holiday Invitational as they envisioned this past week, it’s hard to fault the team too much, considering it fell in the tournament semifinals to the top-ranked team in Texas, per TABC, Seven Lakes.
Even so, Dickinson begins the new year with a noteworthy 15-5 record and as much momentum as one could ask for, now turning its attention toward a district slate that will demand its best, but already appears within reach.
In the semifinal clash, senior guard Valin Idusuyi led the Gators in scoring, pouring in nearly 30 points toward the 92-63 final. For his efforts, Idusuyi received all-tournament second-team honors — a performance that underscored his broader influence on the group this winter. Though he typically hovers around 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals per contest, Idusuyi impacts possessions beyond the averages, offering stability on the glass, pressure in passing lanes, and scoring punch when called upon.
He trails only teammate TroyNelle Belle, a first-team selection who racks up 24 points a night on average, giving Dickinson a tandem dynamic capable of tilting games through balance rather than burden.
The Gators remain one of the more dangerous units in Houston, as Dickinson approaches district play not as a hopeful spoiler, but a legitimate mismatch threat when fully realized.
Kyndall King -- Clear Falls Girls Basketball
Alex Hinson (VYPE)
The Knights are in the midst of one of their fastest starts in years. The Coach Mary Graves-led squad currently flexes a 17-6 record, bolstered by a six-game winning streak as district play ramps up.
Much of that success stems from the undeniable impact of senior forward Kyndall King. From a statistical standpoint, King is averaging nearly 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals per game — all team highs, and numbers that only partially capture her influence. Her defensive pressure sets the tone, her activity on the glass steadies momentum, and her scoring arrives with a reliability that has quietly reshaped Clear Falls’ identity this winter.
District 24-6A is never an easy slate, but with King operating at this rate, Clear Falls is well on its way to securing its first playoff berth since the 2021-2022 campaign.
Manvel's Peyton Cooks (Sr. CG)
THE PLAYMAKERS: Looking Fresh // Powered by UTMB Health
Here are the UTMB Athletes of the Week, as the opening stages of this winter have already featured a multitude of stylish shooters.
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Courtland Cloud -- Shadow Creek Girls Basketball
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
There was no time wasted by surging shooting guard Courtland Cloud, who has quickly asserted herself as one of Shadow Creek’s most enthralling new additions. The former St. Pius X standout arrived fresh off a sophomore season that earned her first-team, all-state recognition in TAPPS-6A — and she’s carried that momentum straight into 2025.
Now a junior, Cloud has become a seamless fit within an already well-established Sharks program that has stormed out to a 13–1 start. A constant double-double threat, she’s pacing the team with 17 points and 7 rebounds per night, setting the tone on both ends.
For a squad that drew a tough opening-round matchup with Hightower in last year’s postseason, Cloud’s arrival feels like more than just roster enhancement. It’s a sign that Shadow Creek may be positioning itself for something bigger this time around.
Peyton Cooks -- Manvel Girls Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Among the numerous Houston-area programs to enjoy hot starts to the winter campaign, Manvel has steamrolled its way to an 18-2 record under sixth-year head coach Jhared Marshall. Those impressive numbers aside, it’s the quality of opponents the Mavs have already dispatched – including district rival Dawson, Barbers Hill, Klein Collins, Cy Ranch, and Fulshear – that makes their upswing even more noteworthy.
And while this Manvel roster is equipped with exceptional balance and depth, it certainly isn’t without its alphas. Few have been quite as impactful as Peyton Cooks, a senior who has already built a strong résumé. Following a first-team, all-district selection last winter, Cooks not only continues to score well into the double digits, but has also shown her ability to keep teammates involved from the combo guard spot.
District 22-6A will be a gauntlet, but the rapid progression this group has displayed suggests the Mavericks are built to withstand it.
Chase Richardson -- Friendswood Basketball
Matt Powell (VYPE)
In the early stretch of winter play, Friendswood (11–4) has proven to be every bit the contender it was projected to be. That promise crystallized last week in San Antonio, where Danny Russell’s group went 4–1 at the South San Tournament — falling only to eventual champion Cibolo Steele. More than the wins, the trip offered a meaningful barometer for a roster that continues to show it can thrive just as comfortably in hostile territory.
At the heart of that rise is Chase Richardson, the most staggering weapon in Russell’s arsenal. One of the more fascinating blue-chip talents in Texas, Richardson brings a skillset that opposing defenses rarely contain, much less counter. His pin-point shooting, dynamic driving ability, no-look vision, and explosive bounce make him a matchup problem on every possession. A 2025 first-team, all-district selection, Richardson is firmly positioning himself as a legitimate 20-5A MVP candidate if his trajectory holds.
Journey Lovett -- Dawson Girls Basketball
Isaiah Vela (VYPE)
The Eagles haven’t skipped a beat in head coach Gary Douglas’ first year at the helm. Recently named the GHAGBA (Greater Houston Area Girls Basketball Association) Team of the Month, Dawson has been nothing short of mesmerizing through the tournament portion of its schedule.
As district play arrives, the Eagles (13-2) close November with a championship at the inaugural Hoopfest Invitational and a runner-up finish in the gold bracket of the McDonald’s Texas Invitational. With Duncanville, North Crowley, Cy Springs, C.E. King, and Houston Christian all left in their wake, it’s increasingly evident that this roster is constructed to contend.
Identifying just one standout from a group this deep is no small task. Last year’s 22-6A MVP Kendall Ford (Sr. CG), Ellison-transfer and reigning 16-5A MVP Faith Etienne (Jr. G), and first-teamer Mia Ibarre (Sr. G) all have legitimate claims to the spotlight.
Even so, Journey Lovett has more than earned her share of it. Having signed with Bradley University last month, the senior shooting guard continues to showcase the scoring punch that has long defined her game. Whether it’s her 25-point night against Angleton or a 30-piece versus C.E. King, Lovett seems magnetized to the scoreboard — a trait that will only elevate a Dawson squad aiming to build on last year’s run to the 6A-DI Region III Final.
Devan Brown -- Pearland Boys Basketball
Matt Powell (VYPE)
Momentum has quickly become Pearland’s calling card, as the Oilers have strung together 10 straight wins heading into their district slate. That surge was punctuated by an undefeated run at the Gulf Coast Classic, where they secured the championship with a 56–44 victory over Barbers Hill just a week ago.
Now sitting at 11–1, Pearland shows no signs of easing off the gas — due in large part to the steady brilliance of senior Devan Brown. Fresh off being named Tournament MVP of November’s Maroon Classic — another event the Oilers swept at 5–0 — Brown continues to anchor the offense with an efficient scoring touch that hovers around 20 points per night, often more.
Expectations were already substantial for this group, but the way Brown and Pearland have navigated their early schedule suggests those aspirations are well-founded. A run at the 22-6A crown would only reinforce the hype they’ve been building.