TxHoops

Kind of turned out how I expected. A lot of us thought it would be another dog fight (no pun intended). Nederland continues to impress me, especially with how the season began. I don't know why I am surprised at this point, it's what we should all expect from a Brian English-coached team. At this point, they need to learn how to finish and win these types of games. Very good showing but I am sure disappointing too. Two really good opportunities to pull off a big upset lost. But I am sure they will learn from it and continue to improve...

When I saw the line on the pick ems was Bulldogs -13, I wanted to see if I could bet my life's savings on St. Thomas. On the money line...

HJ 74 OF 36 F

By the looks of the scores so far, looks like Big Ned may continue to be a thorn in someone's side in years to come...

It should also be noted that if the grades and test score(s) are there, this also opens things up quite a bit. There are a LOT of high academic schools who need kids who can qualify for admittance and be able to play. The kid's money comes from the academic side but if you are playing and going to school for free, who cares? On that note, if he does have a high gpa and SATs, he might consider going to a Ryan Silver camp. He's out of Cali and most are on the west coast but those camps are generally well attended. And he's very well known and connected with those types of institutions.

Plano West only had exactly 3 I think - Mitchell, Hogg and Davis. Although Jamabo probably could have but wouldn't have been able to go to a UCLA for hoops like he did football. I think Bullock and Williams could play somewhere at the next level. Joe Joe is a really nice player too but would be tough to transition at his position and height in college.

Fair enough!

I think this was actually from a month or so ago. I was at that game and he played as poorly as he's capable of. And BS still won by around 20. You make a good point about his mechanics. Comparisons were made ITT to Nick Garth and a big difference between the two (they are comparable in size) is that Nick is a jump shooter and really elevates on his shot, in addition to having a quick release. Angel does some things better though. I have to admit I've only seen him a handful of times but he's always impressed me, even in the really off game against Kountze. I also concur on the Williams kid. I left that game talking about how smooth he plays.

Unless Jordan Hunter walks through that door, should be closer than you think

EYBL = Nike UAA = Under Armour Gauntlet = Adidas Those are the so-called "shoe circuits" and you have to have a sponsorship from the companies to compete in their events for the most part. They all have events during the open periods, and often Under Armour and Nike have theirs in close proximity (last year one weekend was Louisville and Lexington; their finals were on back to back weekends in Georgia - Atlanta and Augusta). Therefore, this is where the majority of the schools will be watching during those periods. At the UAA finals in Atlanta last summer, there were over 300 coaches in attendance, generally with about 8 games going on at once. If you were playing, you had a full coaching section, regardless of the game. i know HS coaches like their kids playing together and it does pay off for the schools. You're just not going to get much exposure in those loops.

There is a huge difference between Throop and Angel though and it rests entirely between their ears. But Throop was one hell of a scorer.

3 of them that I saw were pretty brutal. Two were clearly in the circle (one was on Jalen, can't remember the other) and the one on Caruso late was horrible. Defender was clearly sliding when contact was made and was an easy block call. But that crap happens, especially on the road. 20+ turnovers cost them the game just as much. Just hate to see zebras blow easy calls in a tight game that no doubt have an impact on the final score.

Ozen wins another close one, but won't be shocked if it's the reverse. At some point, folks are going to see that Nederland is a lot better than most (including myself) gave them credit for coming into this season. I will be very surprised if the top 3 teams in this district don't all get at least one playoff win. And I still kind of expect Nederland to pull off a district upset, whether it's the Panthers or the Jags.

Most of you don't want to hear it but if Angel had played the EYBL, UAA or Gauntlet, he would be holding multiple offers. Personally, I think he could have and competed favorably. Love this kid's game. But college coaches want to see how a kid plays against the best of the best and that's why they spend most of their time scouting on those circuits and at the accompanying high level camps. Regardless, I believe he can play at the next level. His shooting is what most people think of and with good reason. But it's the little things that stand out to me watching him play. The kid is extremely strong with the ball and see the floor very well. His defense is underrated IMO and although he is not the quickest kid you'll see, he always seems to have himself in the right position. With his basketball IQ, he anticipates ball movement on the defensive end as well as you'll see at the HS level. And he probably rebounds as well or better for his size as I've seen. Good luck catching him missing a box out. I believe whoever takes a flyer on this kid will be extremely glad they did. Especially considering how highly he is thought of in terms of academics and character.

Truth!

Around 6' I believe.

LCM 55 OF 43 F

Better be a cheap subscription. LSU fan poor...

Much like this year, the 8th grader at Legacy would instantly be one of the best players on the team. There is no way he doesn't go straight to varsity IMO.

Perhaps the best judge of branding is shoe money. Texas took $16.67M per year from Nike and turned down $26M/yr from UA. Aggies re-upped with Adidas for $7.1/yr. With the big note on the stadium upgrades in the arms race with big brother, it is incumbent that the Ags get as much collateral money as possible from the heavyweights like Bama.

Shaka is the real deal. If he recruits elite, look out.

Completely agree. Tyler could, I guess...he could also go undrafted if he did. Would not be a wise move in any event IMO. A&M should be even better next year. Youth a year more seasoned and bringing in one of the best PGs in the country in the '16 class. They are way ahead of schedule of where I thought they'd be.

Completely agree. I thought this year would be a split with each team winning at home. The first game didn't do much to change my thinking, other than they need to be healthy. I do believe Silsbee is the better team due to the ridiculous depth but HJ is very solid, and as noted, a veteran group. I just have a feeling they will get the one at home. Obviously could be way wrong. On the other hand, If HJ doesn't win that one, silsbee might be in the midst of a VERY long district winning streak.

And he's about a 6'5" guard.

One of the better sophomores in the area, Jaylon Williams. Cleveland always seems to have some issues for some reason.