Top stars, best performances in Texas high school basketball (Jan. 3-9)
From Mansfield Timberview F Jared Washington to San Antonio Wagner G LA Sneed, many of the state’s biggest boys and girls basketball stars caught our eye with jaw-dropping performances last week across Texas.
A competitive week of district play was headlined by several girls basketball standouts, who put the rest of the state on notice with a barrage of 40+ point individual performances to ring in the new year with a bang.
Here’s a look at the top individual performances in Texas high school basketball across the state for Jan. 3-9.
Did we miss someone? Tag us on Twitter or Instagram @sblivetx and let us know. We’ll update the post with more top performances as they are submitted by readers.
TOP PERFORMERS IN TEXAS HS BASKETBALL (JAN. 3-9):
BOYS BASKETBALL
Austin Nunez, San Antonio Wagner PG
Nunez led Wagner to back-to-back District 27-6a victories this week over Cibolo Steele (71-68) and San Antonio East Central (86-67). He dropped a game-high 35 points against East Central and averaged 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game to extend the Thunderbirds’ active winning streak to six.
Chancellor White, Richmond Foster PG
White kicked off 2022 with a bang, helping Foster down Fort Bend Willowridge 68-54 and Angleton 64-56 with back-to-back double doubles in a pair of wins. He scored 29.5 points per game on 18-of-35 shooting and added 15.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per contest.
Ray De Leon, Edinburg Economedes G
De Leon stayed red hot for Economedes scoring 31 and 43 points on 78% and 68% shooting, respectively, in blowout District 31-6A victories against La Joya Juarez Lincoln (90-42) and Mission (79-40). He averaged 36.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 5.5 steals and 5.0 blocks on 71.7% shooting for the week.
Jaylon Pritchett, San Antonio Jay PG
Pritchett shined in a pair of losses to San Antonio Warren and San Antonio Brennan this week for Jay, averaging 32.5 points on 48.0% shooting in addition to 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game.
Kenneth Lewis, Houston Booker T. Washington SF/SG
Lewis scored 25.5 points per game on 24-of-45 shooting to lead Booker T. Washington a pair of wins over Houston North Forest (98-68) and Mickey Leland College Prep (73-54), against whom he posted a 22-points, 13-rebound double double.
Wesley Yates, Beaumont United SG/SF
Yates starred on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor during tournament play for United, helping the team tally a 4-1 record with wins over Baytown Lee, Ridge View (South Carolina), Wright (Louisiana) and Port Neches-Groves and a loss to Newton (Georgia) in the Sugar Bowl Classic in New Orleans. He averaged 18.8 points on 40.6% shooting — reaching double figures in all five of the Timberwolves’ tourney games — with 3.4 rebounds and 3.8 steals.
Zuby Ejiofor, Garland C/PF
Ejiofor played a nearly perfect game in Garland’s only contest of the week, a 50-37 win over Sachse, with an 18-points, 20-rebound double double. He also tallied six blocks and shot 72.7% from the floor in the Owls’ victory.
MJ Thomas, Calvert G
Thomas posted back-to-back double doubles with a 23-point, 16-rebound performance in a 90-28 win against Round Top-Carmine and a 21-point, 19-rebound game in a 46-44 victory over Dime Box. He shot 85.0% for the week and also averaged 4.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.0 blocks per game.
Kanon Gibson, Wink PG
Gibson shot the lights out for Wink with back-to-back double doubles in wins over Forsan (51-41) and Compass Academy (81-68), topping 60% shooting in each victory. He averaged 21.0 points per game on 14-of-23 shooting to go along with 13.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
Dre Cole, Dallas White F
Cole led White to back-to-back blowout wins against Dallas Adams (66-46) and Carrollton Creekview (80-34) behind the strength of his efficient shooting and rebounding. He posted consecutive double doubles by averaging 20.0 points and 13.5 rebounds per game on 79.2% shooting.
Jaylen Crocker Johnson, San Antonio Warren SF
Crocker Johnson tallied two straight double doubles to lead Warren to a pair of victories over San Antonio Jay (81-61) and San Antonio Holmes (68-48). He averaged 20.5 points per game on 16-of-22 shooting to go with 12.0 rebounds per contest.
Nathaniel Dumes, San Antonio Marshall F
In Marshall’s only game of the week, a 78-67 loss to San Antonio Harlan in district play, Dunes impressed by scoring 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting with 14 rebounds and eight blocks.
Brady Wasurick, Caddo Mills G
Wasurick shined in Caddo Mills’ 55-54 victory over Farmersville with a 24-point, 19-rebound double double on 11-of-21 shooting. He also tallied 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go with nine rebounds and five blocks in a 49-47 loss against Mabank.
Vicente Cantu, Dilley PG
Cantu’s big game against Poteet helped Dilley roll to a 48-29 victory to kick off 2022. He scored 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting with seven steals, six rebounds and three assists to give the Wolves their fifth straight win.
Anthony Black, Duncanville G
Black, a five-star Class of 2022, recruit helped No. 3 Duncanville improve to 17-1 overall this season with 15 points in a 71-55 win over Mansfield Lake Ridge. He also helped lead the Panthers, ranked No. 3 nationally in SBLive/SportsIllustrated’s Power 25, to a 54-42 victory over Waco Midway.
Jared Washington, Mansfield Timberview F
Washington tallied a double double with 24 points, a team-high 10 rebounds and four assists for Mansfield Timberview in a 68-66 win over rival Mansfield Summit in the team’s only game of the week.
Gianni Beltran, PSJA North F
Beltran helped PSJA North add onto its four-game winning streak with victories over Edinburg Economedes (57-45) and Mission (61-41) in District 31-6A. The Raiders’ junior tallied 25.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game on 24-of-36 shooting.
Chico Strash, Alamo Heights G
Strash lifted the Mules to a pair of big wins against Kyle Lehman (66-30) and Seguin (68-56) by scoring 28.5 points per game on 12-of-20 shooting with 5.0 rebounds, 3,5 assists and 2.0 steals per contest.
Kemauri “Kemo” Milender, Friendswood Clear Brook PG
Milender helped Clear Brook secure its seventh and eighth straight wins over Clute Brazoswood (85-41) and Dickinson (67-53) to help the Wolverines improve to 23-3 overall. He led his team in scoring with 19.0 points per game on 50.0% shooting with 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 assists.
Cory Ruben, La Porte G
Ruben led La Porte to a pair of victories over Baytown Sterling (83-43) and Santa Fe (78-68) with back-to-back 22-points games. He also added 5.0 steals and 3.5 rebounds per game.
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GIRLS BASKETBALL
Jaelyn Morrison, El Paso Hanks G
Morrison dominated with a massive double double in a blowout 75-33 victory over Clint Horizon with 21 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and four steals.
Khia Robertson, Fort Worth Boswell G
Robertson exploded offensively in Boswell’s back-to-back wins over North Crowley (71-62) and Fort Worth Chisholm Trail (65-38). She averaged 33.5 points per game on 24-of-52 shooting with 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals per contest.
Rachae Fowler, Alvord PG
Alvord dropped a career-high 48 points for Alvord in an 86-42 blowout win over Tioga in her team’s first game of 2022.
Brooklyn Jaeger, Fayetteville SF/PG
Jaeger continued to dominate for Fayetteville in a pair of big wins against Richards (70-12) and Round Top-Carmine (51-28) with 21.0 points, 9.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 steals per game.
Melinda Winston, Alief Hastings SG
Winston, a sophomore, found a rhythm offensively last week to lead Hastings to victories over Alvin (55-25) and Pearland Dawson (47-34), but came up short in a loss to The Woodlands (48-45). She averaged 22.7 points per contest on 54.3% shooting — including a 25-of-31 clip from the free-throw line — in addition to 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals in three games.
Maggie Hutka, Royse City F
Hutka secured her 1,000th career rebound to help Royse City pick up back-to-back landslide victories over Greenville (67-29) and Crandall (52-42). She posted a double double against Greenville with 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals, and also led the way versus Crandall by tallying 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block.
Addison Borchardt, Lampasas G
Borchardt caught fire to help Lampasas extend its three-game winning streak with a 44-37 victory at Austin Savio and an 88-23 blowout win over Gatesville in district play. She shined with an 18-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple double against Gatesville.
LA Sneed, San Antonio Wagner G
Sneed turned heads around the state in Wagner’s return to District 27-6A play last week in an 82-81 loss to Cibolo Steele. She scored a career-high 51 points and hauled in 12 rebounds and five steals to earn a rare 50-point double double while converting 22 of 27 free-throw attempts and shooting 60.9% from the floor.
Justice Carlton, Katy Seven Lakes F
Carlton made her only game action last week count with a statement performance in a 72-52 district win against Katy Tompkins. She scored a game-high 40 points, including 19 of her team’s first-quarter points, to help Seven Lakes stay perfect against District 19-6A competition.
Zachara Perkins, Houston St. Pius G
Perkins continued to dazzle on the court with back-to-back double doubles in a 42-32 win over Tomball Concordia Lutheran and a 51-39 loss to Houston Village. She averaged 19.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.0 assists per contest during the two-game stretch.
Kaylah Hernandez, PSJA High PF/C
Hernandez posted her eighth and ninth consecutive double doubles in a two-game split for the Bears last week. She recorded 17 points, 15 rebounds and three steals in a 53-44 victory over Edinburg North, and tallied a game-high 28 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in a narrow 47-46 loss to Edinburg.
Blake Matthews, Spring Westfield PG
Matthews shot the lights out last week to help Westfield split a pair of games with a 60-36 victory against Katy Taylor and a narrow 45-42 loss to Langham Creek. She converted 18 of 37 shot attempts and averaged 22.0 points per game on 18-of-37 shooting to go along with 10.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.5 assists.
Brinklee Dauenhauer, Springtown F
Dauenhauer scored a near career-high and eclipsed 30 points offensively for the third time this season in a dominant 65-45 victory over Lake Worth. She helped the Porcupines earn their first district win of 2022 in blowout fashion by recording 31 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and four assists.
Graycee Mosley, Troy PF/C
Mosley, a senior, made a huge splash in her team’s first game back from winter break against Whitney. She led the way in Troy’s lone contest of the week and turned in a goliath 49-point, 22-rebound double double to secure a 79-65 victory. Mosley also added five steals, four assists and two blocks while shooting 56.5% from the court.
