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THE PLAYMAKERS: Bringing in the new year powered by UTMB Health
The South Houston area is loaded with talented athletes who give it there all in their respective fields of play.
Welcome to the VYPE Playmakers powered by UTMB Health, where we’re highlighting five standouts from this past week who stole the headlines.
Here are the UTMB Athletes of the Month, as the Winter season heats up.
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Jordan Buckner, South Houston Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
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
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
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
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
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.
THE PLAYMAKERS: Tipping Off the Winter powered by UTMB Health
The South Houston area is loaded with talented athletes who give it there all in their respective fields of play.
Welcome to the VYPE Playmakers powered by UTMB Health, where we’re highlighting five standouts from this month who stole the headlines.
Here are the UTMB Athletes of the Month, as we transition into the Winter season.
...
Ciara Williams, Dickinson Girls Basketball
The Gators are off to a rapid start, as they currently maintain a record of 14-4 to begin the season.
This is largely due to the efforts made by junior forward Ciara Williams, who is coming off a stellar showing in the team's non-district matchup against Pearland Dawson, in which Williams racked up 21 points.
She, along with fellow contributors Mariah Jackson (Sr. G) and Jazmine Hansley (Jr. G), will be essential moving forward, with Dickinson preparing for the district portion of their schedule down the line.
Michael Collins, Shadow Creek Basketball
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
From the point guard spot, Collins has been the driving force behind Shadow Creek's 14-2 start, and it doesn't appear that they'll be slowing down anytime soon.
This past weekend, the Sharks dominated the competition to win the annual Cy Hoops Invitational, in which Collins was named the tournament MVP.
Shadow Creek finished second in district a year ago before making a playoff appearance. If this start is any indication, that should be the absolute minimum that Collins and company achieves this year.
A'zyua Blair, Pearland Girls Basketball
Laniah Thorton & Shiloh Grays of Pearland Girls Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
After losing Rylee Grays (North Carolina) to graduation this past offseason, there was a question as to who was going step up for the new-look Pearland Lady Oilers.
Well, those concerns can now be appeased, now that newcomer A'zyua Blair (Fr. G) has set the stage with style.
Through the opening stretch of the Winter, Pearland touts a 14-4 record, with Blair leading the team in scoring. She averages over 17 points a game, while also averaging three assists and four steals per match.
Along with fellow freshman Shiloh Grays, as well as veterans Nyah Hardy (Fr. G) and Laniah Thorton (Sr. F), these Oilers could once again make a run for the State Tournament.
Chris Jones Jr., Pasadena Memorial Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
All eyes have been on LSU-commit Robert Miller III when Pasadena Memorial takes to the court, and for good reason -- the dude is a beast.
However, Chris Jones Jr. has emerged as a legitimate star on the Mustangs' roster.
The junior guard is putting up some serious numbers (22 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg) thus far, which has led PMHS to an 11-4 start to the season.
With a duo like that, paired with the rest of the talented roster, a district title and more could very well be in store for Pasadena Memorial.
Krislyn Biscette, Shadow Creek Girls Basketball
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
Several of last season's playmakers, who led Shadow Creek the postseason have since graduated, which left a serious need for someone to step into the role.
Enter Krislyn Biscette.
As one the Sharks' top guards, senior Biscette has shown tremendous leadership on a relatively young squad.
She's averaging roughly 13 points a game to set the example and will undoubtedly continue to be called upon by coach LaToya Micheaux with playoff aspirations in mind.