Now that the state champions have been crowned & the spring/summer season upon us, it’s time to rank the top 10 17’s, & top 5 15’s & 16’s teams in the greater Houston area. These teams may change before the 1st live period April 26-28, so there will for sure be some movement as the season progresses.
17’s
1. Houston Defenders– Aaron Harrison inherits a ready made crew with it’s core players, Eddie Lampkin, Nate Clover, Hayden Hefner, Justin Hill, Jalen White, & Cam Clardy all playing together last year on 16’s. They will add 6’5 G Ethan Taylor (Memorial HS) and 6’2 PG Bakari Lastrap (Woodlands Christian HS) for some depth, scoring and play making. 2020 F Valentin Catt will give them another rim protector and rebounder. Look for them to make a run at the UAA championship.
2. Cooz Elite– No longer the hunter, they are now the hunted. Another group that has its core in tact from a successful summer last season. Jahari Long, DA Houston, Rubin Jones, Tim Moore Jr, DJ Nussbaum, Adam Kanafani, Darryl Brown, Nate Lacewell and Antwon Norman will play on the UA Rise circuit and will be one of the top teams on that circuit.
3. Houston Hoops– With other teams loading up across the state on the EYBL, Tim Schumacher’s team didn’t want be left out. Adding Lj Cryer, Tramon Mark, Langston Love (Cibolo Steele HS), Braelon Bush, Nate Martin, & Kenneth Lofton Jr. will help but they will have to play fast and make outside shots to compete for a chance to head back to Augusta for Peach Jam.
4. Team Harden- Each year they have made strides to carve out a footprint in the city, and this summer they plan on stomping a mud hole in the competition. Deuce Guidry, Marcus Williams, Dylan Hamilton, Jestin Porter, Tre Ware, MyKell Robinson, & Danny McAdory are high octane group and will be a fun group to watch. They have a point to prove and will play with a chip on their shoulder.
5. Basketball University – Having an unbelievable run the last 2-3 summers, they are in a transition period right now. Sophomore PG Kaleb Stewart is primed to have a big summer on the Adidas gauntlet. Guard Davion Coleman will also turn heads, and big man EJ Jones has been a fixture in the paint for Rhossi Carron’s program for the last 3 years. Calvin Solomon might make a return to play in the spring after a big time state playoff run. One thing about BU is that they always have a player burst on the scene and make noise nationally.
6. Team Evolution– Elijah Elliott, Chris Harris, Jemarcus Holt, and D’Andre Dues will hopefully be able to back up the talk of their coach Jakarta Randolph. The back court will be tough, interior play will be a question as this group looks to be one of the better independent teams in the state.
7. Houston Superstars- John Eurey has his swag back, and that’s because he has a top 6 ranked 2021 in Josh Farmer. 2019 big Lorenzo Waddy will be manning the paint, and frosh Chris Marshall will take the reigns at the point. Eurey says he has another big surprise in store, and in typical Eurey fashion, I’m sure he will make a big splash.
8. Fam Elite- Quietly they have built a good program with skill development and continued success. Dylan Miles, Evan Butts, Grayson Buehler, Kellen Amos, Dylen Scales & John Troutman have been in this program and have a blue collar mentality. They are expecting a big summer from this group as they continue to grow the Fam Elite brand.
9. Houston Raptors Benjamin- Coming off of a deep playoff run, DJ Stewart will run the show for coach Bobby Benjamin. They will be a tough, hard nosed, scrappy group that won’t duck anybody.
10. Texas Mel Elite- One thing about a Melvin Holloway led program is that they will always look the part. Big Stephen Faramade, Melvin Holloway IV, Jordan Henderson, & Elijah Thomas will look to make some noise on the Prep Hoops Circuit.
16’s
1. JL3 Elite
2. Houston Hoops
3. Team Harden
4. Houston Defenders
5. FAM Elite 2021
15’s
1. JL3 Elite
2. Houston Defenders
3. Houston Hoops
4. PB Nation
5T. Basketball University
5T. Team Harden