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Unfinished Business: Cypress Creek's Harmon is ready for senior season
Nov 19, 2020
THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT TEENAGERS THAT IS… WELL… UNPREDICTABLE.
Cy Creek's Rori Harmon has been a national basketball recruit since she was in middle school. The spotlight has been white hot as she has exceeded everyone's expectations as a 5-foot-6 point-guard.
Last year, the Cougars rolled through the regular season all the way to the state finals against super-power Duncanville.
Harmon was sent home before the state championship game for violating team rules – a tough pill to swallow for coach, player and team.
"It was very upsetting and it was a big deal for me. I've learned a lot from that situation," Harmon said. "I just had to move on and not let it define me as a person and I've followed through with that."
<p>Harmon is a magnetic force on and off the court. She's a great student. She's a leader. She comes from a great family. She's a good teammate. But she's a teenager, too. </p><p>"My teammates know it's a different mindset and a different approach I'm taking this year," she said. "I think my teammates still trust me after what happened. I come to practice and work 110-percent. We are on the same page and I'm always going to be there for them. </p><p><ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-9787720712654893" data-ad-slot="8738871937" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>
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</script></p><p>"Coach (Jennifer) Alexander has taught me how to be a better leader ever since I've been here as a freshman. She wants me to take care of my teammates, not just on the court. I really care about them and I want to know how their emotional state is, not just what they do on the basketball court." </p>
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<p>Harmon's journey started back before high school. She got her first offers in the eighth grade and her legendary status was already in place when she entered Cy Creek. <br></p><p>"My parents told me if you want to do something in life, go do it," she said. "I've always had that competitive side, but they know how to motivate me to keep me going. When I got that first offer, it really gave me confidence that this was my future." </p><p>As a freshman, she and her running-mate Kyndall Hunter led the Cougars to the State Tournament. Two freshmen led a school which opened in 1977 to its first state tournament in its nearly 40-year history. Something special was happening. </p><p>"When I got here, I thought that you just won district and that was it," she laughed. "I didn't really think about the playoffs or going to state. We were excited to get there when we figured it out." </p><p><ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-9787720712654893" data-ad-slot="8738871937" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>
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</script></p><p>As sophomores, Harmon and Hunter led the Cougars to the Regional Finals but fell to Summer Creek. However, their star-power was on X-Game mode for their summer showcase performances. </p><p>The pair would crack the ESPN Girls High School Rankings. The offers began pouring in along with the state and national accolades. To date, Harmon is No. 10 in the country and Hunter is the nation's No. 25 player. </p><p>On April 24, Harmon would make it official and commit to the University of Texas. On October 4, Hunter would also commit to the Longhorns. On November 11, Hunter and Harmon both signed with Texas. </p><p>"I just knew that the coaches and program were going to take care of me as a player and person," she said. "They are doing everything they can to help me lead them to a National Championship and that's all I can ask for. I want to take over right away."</p><p> Harmon has that big, perfect smile of a killer on the basketball court. She has bright eyes that see things developing three steps before you do. But she's still 5-foot-6 … maybe. </p><p><ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-9787720712654893" data-ad-slot="8738871937" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>
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</script></p><p>"I don't think about being small on the court," she laughed. "Most people say I play bigger than I am. Getting rebounds is a little harder but I'm pretty good at it. I just work on my speed to create space. I can't have people blocking my shot." </p><p>It's no wonder her favorite players are Allen Iverson and Kyrie Irving, both under-sized but play with a huge chip on their shoulders.</p><p> "Yeah, I get everyone's best game all the time," she said coyly. "Sometimes, I've got to remind them who they are guarding." </p><p>With all the pressure of recruiting and the spotlight of leading Cy Creek to state again, is she still having fun? </p><p>"It's probably more fun now, than ever," she said. "That feeling of winning…the adrenaline of playing basketball is just really good. There's nothing like it." </p><p>There's nothing like a second-chance story either.</p><h4><em>ORDER your very own copy of the 2020 VYPE Houston Basketball Magazine for $4.99 and have it delivered to your mailbox! - <a href="https://www.shopvype.com/collections/vype-magazine/products/2020-vype-houston-magazine-vype-basketball-preview-volume-13-number-3" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO ORDER</a></em></h4><h4><em><a href="https://www.shopvype.com/collections/vype-magazine/products/2020-vype-houston-magazine-vype-basketball-preview-volume-13-number-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.shopvype.com/collections/vype-magazine/products/2020-vype-houston-magazine-vype-basketball-preview-volume-13-number-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>Also <a href="https://www.vypephotos.com/p458387040" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE </a>to view and order any photo taken at the 2020 VYPE Houston Basketball Photoshoot powered by Whataburger.</em></h4>
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THE SERVE: SBS Volleyball ready to make a run behind talented junior class
Oct 28, 2020
With a global pandemic bringing the nation's sports to a complete halt at one point, many didn't know how this fall would look.
Slowly but surely a sense of normalcy has returned. For Second Baptist School, that came on September 15, when the women's volleyball team hosted Emery/Weiner.
"I'm so thankful for the Second Baptist School administration and all the hard work they have put in so we can have our season and have school on campus this fall," Second Baptist School senior Bailey Ireland '21 said adding, "I'm really grateful."
<p>The Eagles swept the Jags 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-22) for their first win of the season in September and concluded the first game played on the Second Baptist School campus since March. </p>
<p>"I'm very thankful that we are able to play," Second Baptist School volleyball coach Sue Berg said. "I really just wanted us to go out and play and have fun; coming out with a win was just icing on the cake for us."<br><br>When looking at this Eagles' volleyball team roster heading into the year, Berg didn't have the luxury of a large senior class to lean on. It is a 2021 group with two players. </p><p>There will be production and leadership from that group, but it is the Class of 2022 that dominates this roster. </p><p><ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-9787720712654893" data-ad-slot="8738871937" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>
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</script></p><p>"We are really cohesive. I have been with them since freshman year on varsity," Alexis Gill '22 said. "We are all working to help with leadership since we only have two seniors." </p>
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<p>Led by first-team, all-district pick Julia Sauvageau '22 and second-teamer Gill '22 this junior class is loaded with talent, which is something Berg is not surprised about. </p><p>"The class of 2022 has always been a volleyball group," Berg said. "Seeing them grow up as kids, they've always enjoyed the game. Some play other sports but a lot of them do just play volleyball. They are really the core to what we've had the last couple of years on our team." </p><p>Last season, the Eagles finished third in district before making it a couple of rounds in the TAPPS 5A Playoffs, and there were lessons learned from it. </p><p>"I think we all learned how to work together and play as a team, because as things got harder through the year, we had to depend on each other," Sauvageau '22 said. </p><p>Berg, who has coached at Second Baptist School since 1992, has seen her fair share of teams make runs. Under her tutelage, the volleyball program has made nine state tourney appearances and won four state championships. </p><p><ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-9787720712654893" data-ad-slot="8738871937" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>
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</script></p><p>Coach Berg, as a member of the 1988 University of Texas volleyball national championship team, knows more than anyone, if you can get in, anything can happen. </p><p>"Our goal is to win district," Berg said about the expectations for the team. "Once you win district and get to the playoffs, really anything can happen. I really love to outsmart people as we are playing. I love the mental side of volleyball. There's always that skill side but it's the mental side I really enjoy." </p>
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