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HS girls basketball: Top Houston-area teams to watch this season
The Texas high school girls basketball season gets underway Friday, and several Houston-area teams have lofty aspirations for the new campaign. Here’s a look at some of the top squads to watch as they begin their quests for district titles and deep playoff runs.
Summer Creek
The Bulldogs are back for more success under head coach Carlesa Dixon after reaching the UIL state tournament last season. Dixon has sculpted Summer Creek into one of the top programs in the Houston area year after year, and the 2022-23 campaign should be no different. The Bulldogs came in at No. 5 in the state-wide preseason poll from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. Last year’s squad finished with a 38-3 overall record, falling to South Grand Prairie in the Class 6A semifinals in San Antonio. The road back to the Alamo City will have its challenges with several talented teams competing in Region III, but the Bulldogs are the prohibitive favorite as the season gets underway. Summer Creek lost its top player with the graduation of Kaitlyn Duhon, now at Auburn, but plenty of talent returns to the lineup. Senior forward Jorynn Ross leads the way, but the team has plenty of depth at the guard position with Torrian Deterville, Mychal White, Janiya Murphy and Allison Reese all returning. The Bulldogs also added transfer Zachara Perkins from St. Pius X, a junior guard/forward who averaged nearly 24 points and 12.5 rebounds per game last year. Jersey Village transfer Mariyah Brown and returning forward Cyniah Mercer should also contribute this season.
Memorial
The Mustangs are ranked No. 8 in the state following one of the best seasons in program history. Memorial finished its campaign with a 27-5 overall record and shared the District 17-6A title with Cypress Creek with a 13-1 mark. The season ended in the second round of the playoffs with a loss against Fort Bend Austin. Junior 6-foot forward Nicki Polocheck is the Mustangs’ top returning player after averaging 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season. Led by coach Jyusef Larry, Memorial will be looking to break through to the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
Pearland
The Oilers enter the season ranked No. 14 in the state after making a run to the regional championship in February. Pearland ultimately finished with a 28-10 overall record and lost to Summer Creek in their final game. It capped a historic campaign for the program, which reached the regional final for the first time since 1990 under coach Jere’ Adams. The Oilers should be a contender once again with the return of 6-foot-3 senior forward RyLee Grays. Grays was a force in the paint for the team last season, averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds per contest.
Shadow Creek
No. 16 Shadow Creek enters the season having to replace its top two scorers from last season following the graduation of R’Mani Taylor and Brooklin Brown. Those two dynamic guards combined for 46.7 percent of the team’s points. But the cupboard is never bare at Shadow Creek under coach LaToya Micheaux, and with several other experienced players returning to the fold, the Sharks will look to make another run at the District 23-6A title. They shared the crown with Pearland last season after posting an 11-1 mark and finished with a 29-5 overall record after falling to Summer Creek in the third round of the playoffs.
Seven Lakes
No. 19 Seven Lakes has been one of the top programs in the city under coach Angela Spurlock. The Spartans will be another contender in the vaunted Region III after reaching the regional semifinals last season. The team’s campaign came to a close with a tough 39-37 loss to Pearland. Seven Lakes finished with a 33-7 overall record and was the District 19-6A champion at 10-2. Look for more of the same this year with junior forward Justice Carlton staking her claim as the top player in the area. Carlton averaged 25.5 points and 10 rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Spartans.
Other UIL teams to watch
Tomball Memorial, Clear Brook, Fort Bend Austin, Cypress Creek, Cypress Springs, Cypress Ranch, North Shore, Dulles, Langham Creek, Manvel, Houston Sterling, Columbus.
Private school teams to watch
Houston Christian, Lutheran North, Legacy Prep, Second Baptist, Rosehill Christian, Episcopal, Cypress Covenant, St. Thomas Episcopal
Preseason teams
All-Greater Houston preseason team
G - Bree Riley, Soph., Grand Oaks
G - Macy Spencer, Sr., Tompkins
F - Justice Carlton, Jr., Seven Lakes
F - RyLee Grays, Sr., Pearland
F - Katelyn Kabrich, Sr., Tomball Memorial
Private School preseason team
G - Dalanna Carter, Sr., Lutheran North
G - Makynna Robbins, Jr., Lutheran South
F - D'Asia Thomas, Sr., Houston Christian
F - Loghan Johnson, Sr., Houston Christian
F - Tobi Ademuwagun, Sr., The Village School
HS girls basketball: Top Houston-area teams to watch this season
The Texas high school girls basketball season gets underway Friday, and several Houston-area teams have lofty aspirations for the new campaign. Here’s a look at some of the top squads to watch as they begin their quests for district titles and deep playoff runs.
Summer Creek
The Bulldogs are back for more success under head coach Carlesa Dixon after reaching the UIL state tournament last season. Dixon has sculpted Summer Creek into one of the top programs in the Houston area year after year, and the 2022-23 campaign should be no different. The Bulldogs came in at No. 5 in the state-wide preseason poll from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. Last year’s squad finished with a 38-3 overall record, falling to South Grand Prairie in the Class 6A semifinals in San Antonio. The road back to the Alamo City will have its challenges with several talented teams competing in Region III, but the Bulldogs are the prohibitive favorite as the season gets underway. Summer Creek lost its top player with the graduation of Kaitlyn Duhon, now at Auburn, but plenty of talent returns to the lineup. Senior forward Jorynn Ross leads the way, but the team has plenty of depth at the guard position with Torrian Deterville, Mychal White, Janiya Murphy and Allison Reese all returning. The Bulldogs also added transfer Zachara Perkins from St. Pius X, a junior guard/forward who averaged nearly 24 points and 12.5 rebounds per game last year. Jersey Village transfer Mariyah Brown and returning forward Cyniah Mercer should also contribute this season.
Memorial
The Mustangs are ranked No. 8 in the state following one of the best seasons in program history. Memorial finished its campaign with a 27-5 overall record and shared the District 17-6A title with Cypress Creek with a 13-1 mark. The season ended in the second round of the playoffs with a loss against Fort Bend Austin. Junior 6-foot forward Nicki Polocheck is the Mustangs’ top returning player after averaging 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season. Led by coach Jyusef Larry, Memorial will be looking to break through to the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
Pearland
The Oilers enter the season ranked No. 14 in the state after making a run to the regional championship in February. Pearland ultimately finished with a 28-10 overall record and lost to Summer Creek in their final game. It capped a historic campaign for the program, which reached the regional final for the first time since 1990 under coach Jere’ Adams. The Oilers should be a contender once again with the return of 6-foot-3 senior forward RyLee Grays. Grays was a force in the paint for the team last season, averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds per contest.
Shadow Creek
No. 16 Shadow Creek enters the season having to replace its top two scorers from last season following the graduation of R’Mani Taylor and Brooklin Brown. Those two dynamic guards combined for 46.7 percent of the team’s points. But the cupboard is never bare at Shadow Creek under coach LaToya Micheaux, and with several other experienced players returning to the fold, the Sharks will look to make another run at the District 23-6A title. They shared the crown with Pearland last season after posting an 11-1 mark and finished with a 29-5 overall record after falling to Summer Creek in the third round of the playoffs.
Seven Lakes
No. 19 Seven Lakes has been one of the top programs in the city under coach Angela Spurlock. The Spartans will be another contender in the vaunted Region III after reaching the regional semifinals last season. The team’s campaign came to a close with a tough 39-37 loss to Pearland. Seven Lakes finished with a 33-7 overall record and was the District 19-6A champion at 10-2. Look for more of the same this year with junior forward Justice Carlton staking her claim as the top player in the area. Carlton averaged 25.5 points and 10 rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Spartans.
Other UIL teams to watch
Tomball Memorial, Clear Brook, Fort Bend Austin, Cypress Creek, Cypress Springs, Cypress Ranch, North Shore, Dulles, Langham Creek, Manvel, Houston Sterling, Columbus.
Private school teams to watch
Houston Christian, Lutheran North, Legacy Prep, Second Baptist, Rosehill Christian, Episcopal, Cypress Covenant, St. Thomas Episcopal
Preseason teams
All-Greater Houston preseason team
G - Bree Riley, Soph., Grand Oaks
G - Macy Spencer, Sr., Tompkins
F - Justice Carlton, Jr., Seven Lakes
F - RyLee Grays, Sr., Pearland
F - Katelyn Kabrich, Sr., Tomball Memorial
Private School preseason team
G - Dalanna Carter, Sr., Lutheran North
G - Makynna Robbins, Jr., Lutheran South
F - D'Asia Thomas, Sr., Houston Christian
F - Loghan Johnson, Sr., Houston Christian
F - Tobi Ademuwagun, Sr., The Village School
HS girls basketball: Top Houston-area teams to watch this season
