GAMES
![1PM - Football: Tomas vs. Marshall [RADIO]](https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82ODYyNDA4MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTg1MTUyNTY3Nn0.AX2anDOFbSsSMemTfFTgs2FEjfJtfGpSOBNBAkvPNLs/img.jpg?width=600&height=600&quality=50&coordinates=280%2C0%2C280%2C0)
RANKINGS
The featured standouts of the 2026-27 Fort Bend Christian Academy volleyball team.
A REASON TO REJOICE: Bass Reignites FBCA’s Championship Ambitions Ahead of State Final Four
Bass inherited a skilled roster accustomed to change, making stability and trust immediate priorities upon her arrival. Drawing on her experience at Faith West Academy and Catalyst Volleyball, she sought to establish a player-led culture grounded in shared purpose.
FBCA Head Coach Danielle "Dana" BassPhoto by Doug Brown (VYPE)
“It was maybe a little intimidating, but also very exciting,” Bass said. “Nothing had really been steady for these girls, but we started to mesh pretty early. I think they connected with the passion my assistant coach and I brought. Since then, we’ve been very like-minded — one team, with one goal, for His glory.”
The transition wasn't without its challenges, but Bass wasted little time testing her squad's resolve, scheduling an August matchup with defending TAPPS 5A champion All Saints' Episcopal.
FBCA prevailed 3-1, marking an early breakthrough in the team's collective buy-in.
That confidence has since translated into a 19-9 record and a trip to the TAPPS 5A State Tournament, secured by last Friday's 3-0 Regional Final sweep of Legacy Prep Christian Academy.
Photo by Doug Brown (VYPE)
The Lady Eagles are no strangers to the state's biggest stage, having reached the Final Four every year since capturing their lone championship in 2021, apart from last season.
Their latest ascent has been fueled by a dynamic collection of playmakers.
Senior outside hitter Tanner Tell, an Arkansas-Pine Bluff commit and first-team all-state selection last fall, has recorded 311 kills this season, recently surpassing 1,000 for her career. Fellow six-rotation standout Madison Jinks, a San José State commit, leads the offense with 375 kills.
Senior middle Gabi James commands the net with a team-high 70 blocks and nearly 150 kills, while freshman setter Lucy Kaisharis has exceeded expectations with 307 assists and 40 aces. Junior defensive specialist Addi Crist and senior opposite Peyton Ford have also embraced pivotal roles in the backcourt and front row, respectively.
Tanner Tell (Sr. OH)
Photo by Doug Brown (VYPE)
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST TAPPS STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKETS
Still, unfinished business awaits.
FBCA faces district rival Cypress Christian in Friday’s State Semifinal at 1:00 PM at Robinson High School, seeking redemption after the Warriors eliminated the Lady Eagles in last year’s Regional Round and claimed both meetings during 2026 district play.
“I wouldn't say there's a chip on our shoulder,” Bass said. “It's more excitement than anything, having the chance to play excellent volleyball and come out on top. Cypress is a very good team that makes very few errors, and most of our sets have been decided by two or three points. We just haven't been able to finish, which comes down to controlling the controllables.”
Beyond the pursuit of another championship, Bass has emphasized a mindset that transcends the scoreboard.
“Our underlying theme throughout the playoffs has been joy,” she said. “With 17 players, there have been plenty of ups and downs, including moments when they've questioned their own confidence. So, it's been about helping them rediscover the joy that drew them to this game in the first place.”
Drawing inspiration from Jeremiah 29:11, Bass believes those challenges have served a greater purpose.
“We've all had our struggles, but those experiences have helped everything come together the way it has,” she said. “We're prepared for such a time as this, and we're not done. I can tell you that much.”
The road back to the TAPPS 5A throne has been anything but straightforward. But for a team that has endured so much change, the Lady Eagles' renewed sense of purpose could make the destination all the more meaningful.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST TAPPS STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKETS
Houston Christian's Emmanuel Nwabuoku & Landon Veal
TWIN TOWERS: Veal, Nwabuoku Are Ready to Carry Houston Christian's Next Chapter
If you ask Landon Veal, you don't try. You start over.
"We basically put last year aside. We're not even worried about that year," said Veal, the Mustangs' 6-foot-9 senior wing. "It's a whole new year, a whole new year of new people. I feel like we have a better environment, and a better team overall."
The featured standouts of the 2026-27 Houston Christian Mustangs basketball team.Photo by Farrah Sheeren (VYPE)
GET YOUR COPY OF THE 2026–27 VYPE HOUSTON BASKETBALL MAGAZINE HERE!
VIEW THE 2026–27 VYPE HOUSTON BASKETBALL DIGITAL MAGAZINE HERE!
That new environment includes the biggest addition in the SPC this offseason: Emmanuel Nwabuoku, a 6-foot-8 junior center who ranks among the top 50 players nationally in the Class of 2028 and arrives at Houston Christian after stops at St. John's and Strake Jesuit.
Together, Veal and Nwabuoku give head coach Ron Crandall two of the longest, most versatile frontcourt pieces in the city — and two players who both say they came to Houston Christian for the same reason.
The culture is the draw.
Veal's path to Houston Christian ran through Crandall, and the wins weren't what sold him.
"It's not even about our on-court success," Veal said. "He taught us a lot off the court. It's not all just basketball. He actually cares about us as people. That's why I really like him."
Nwabuoku saw the same thing from the other bench. He spent seventh through ninth grade at St. John's, played his sophomore season at Strake Jesuit, and faced the Mustangs enough times to know what he was looking at.
"I've always admired Houston Christian's basketball program. I played against them multiple times," Nwabuoku said. "I always noticed the way they play together, the way they're coached. Their approach to the game is what I believe every high school should try to attain."
Veal's play for the Mustangs and his AAU team is bearing fruit, with high-major offers from Auburn, Texas A&M and TCU among more than a dozen on the table.
Senior forward Landon VealPhoto by Farrah Sheeren (VYPE)
"I have high-major offers, but I want to go somewhere my first year where I'm going to play — be able to play through mistakes and just get that on-court feel," Veal said.
Newcomer Nwabuoku turned heads at USA Basketball's minicamp in Indianapolis in April, blocking shots, cleaning the glass and even stepping out for a pick-and-pop three. He holds offers from the likes of Stanford, Vanderbilt and Harvard, with more coming.
Ask him what's driven the jump, and he goes straight to the mental side.
"My mindset has changed a lot from when I was a freshman to starting my junior year now. The biggest thing for me has been confidence," Nwabuoku said. "Things you put in so many reps, you're more confident doing. That's really how you improve."
Part of that work has been seeking out players older and stronger than him.
Junior forward Emmanuel NwabuokuPhoto by Farrah Sheeren (VYPE)
"That physicality is something you can get used to," he said. "That way you're getting college-ready before it's time to go to college. When you're ready for the next level before it's time to get there, instead of trying to catch up once you get there — that's the best way to move through."
He has a dream destination, too. Ask about a jersey he can see himself in, and the answer comes fast: Duke.
"Ever since I was a kid watching college basketball, I've wanted to go to Duke," Nwabuoku said. "I just love the way they produce a lot of NBA players. Once I get into the NBA — that's my ultimate goal. Not just getting there, but actually succeeding in the NBA."
Both Mustangs are musicians. Veal listens to everything — pop, jazz, '60s and '70s soul — and plays a couple of instruments himself. Nwabuoku's résumé runs deeper: violin and piano starting around age 6, then a switch to viola in his early teens.
"That's something that's been part of my life for a long time," Nwabuoku said. "Things like that can help with basketball. There are things in life, apart from basketball, that can prepare you for different things."
With these twin towers, Houston Christian didn't rebuild. It reloaded — and the gyms around Greater Houston are about to be packed.
They should be making some sweet music along the way.