Cowtown Tip-Off Recap

Drew Timme (No.2/2019) tipped off the season with a 37 point, 24 rebound performance for Richardson JJ Pearce in their 78-53 win over Garland Naaman Forest. The elite junior played hard from start to finish and did what every big-man should do, rebound and score. He played with ease in the lane with no real threat from Naaman and was skillful getting to loose balls and making passes out of the block. Timme played a well balanced four quarters hitting 21 points in the first half and coming out in finishing with 16 in the second half. He had 37 points on 15 field goals and 7-for-11 from the free-throw line.

Teammate and unsigned senior Brayden Brown tallied 25 points of his own for Pearce. After his first game of the season, Brown has put himself in the talks of being a Division I talent. Brown moves well, scores with some bounce and is active on both ends of the floor.

Naaman relied on the scoring of senior Kevante Harris. Harris scored 21 points and had three 3-pointers in the first quarter.

Four Dallas Jesuit Rangers (6A-No.11) reached double figures in the opening win against Harker Heights from Killeen, 85-63. Senior forward Keagan Nwosu paced the Rangers with 24 points as he scored inside the paint and took contact to score from the charity stripe (7-for-8). Air Force signee Marcus Hill (No.65/2018) dropped in three three-pointers as he reached 20 points. Juniors Max Abmas (No.45/2019) drained four threes and totaled 18 points, while the man in the middle, Julius Marble (No.25/2019) scored 11.

Harker Heights played a fast pace game and had three players reach the double-digit mark. Dashawn Walker scored a team-high of 17 points, Dillion Gooding added 16 and Jaylin Glover tipped in with 13.

From the moment the ball was tipped, the host of the Cowtown Tip-Off, North Crowley (6A-No.9) controlled the game against cross-town opponent, Fort Worth Dunbar. North Crowley took a commanding lead into half, 48-22, behind 19 points from UCLA commit, Grant Sherfield (scored a game-high of 24).

In the first quarter, Sherfield torched Dunbar for 12 points coming off the stepback on the perimeter nailing shots and hitting a few floaters. Dunbar couldn’t stop the Panthers from getting the ball to Craig Jordan who finished the game with 21 and Isaiah Crawford who scored 18 of his own.

The Wildcats of Dunbar had their best quarter versus the Panthers in the fourth as they managed 25 points to the Panthers 25, but it wasn’t going to be enough. The final score was North Crowley 98, the Wildcats 62. The Wildcats had three players with 12 points. Timothy Hartman, Chris George, and Terrell Baker were responsible for the scoring.

Junior wing Zion Richardson (No.44/2019) lead all scorers with 29 points, and not too far behind was senior teammate, Zac Watson (No.32/2018) with 22. Frisco Liberty (5A-No.11) took home a nine-point victory over Arlington Grace Prep, 74-65. Richardson had no problems breaking down the defense of Grace Prep as he drilled three threes and used his quickness to get to the paint to score and to attract defenders. Richardson converted on his last nine free-throws. Watson was consistent in the paint making two field goals in each quarter and added a 6-for-7 day from the charity stripe.

Also having an impressive outing was Arkansas signee, Jordan Phillips. Phillips was strong taking the ball to the hole and rang up 21 for Grace Prep. Unsigned senior shooter Yafet Alefnew rattled in 17, stroking five from behind the arc and junior Myles McCray helped out with 12.

The high-flying Wildcats, an energetic squad from Sulphur Springs (5A-No.15) had four players with 12 or more points as they beat the Volunteers out of Arlington Bowie 66-58.

The Wildcats were led by jumping jack Victor Iwuakor (No.28/2019) and his 25 points, which feature a handful of electrifying dunks. Contributing with 14 points each was junior guard Keaston Willis and sophomore Godsgift Ezedinma. Chipping in with 12 was fellow sophomore Michael Jefferson.

The Vols received their scoring from senior guard Kevin Jennings and junior Will Roberts. Jennings hit 17 and Roberts added 15. Sophomore guard Cade Cunningham managed nine points off of three three-pointers.

Waxahachie (5A-4) was coming off a one-point loss on Friday to South Garland (6A-No.5) and entered Saturday’s match against South Grand Prairie (SGP) not needing to begin the season with two losses. It was clear that Waxahachie was ready for the challenge and the Indians punished SGP by 34, 103-69.

The Indians had five players hit double figures, four of which were starters. The five players combined for 92 of the team’s 103 points. Unsigned senior Larry Wise (No.30/2018) had arguably one of his best games in high school nailing threes and driving to the basket for 30 points (two 3s). Junior guard JT Warren went for 18 (four 3s), while another unsigned senior producing for Waxahachie was Montre Gibson (No.72/2018) who finished 17 (two 3s) of his own. West Texas A&M commit Marquan Grant (No.63/2018) tallied 14 (one 3), while sophomore Mekai Pope gave the Indians 13 (three 3s).

SGP was led by junior forward Karlyn Kenner and his 19 points, and junior point guard and Tulsa commit, Bryce Cook (No.18/2019) end the game with 17. Cook converted on four 3s.

The Allen Eagles (6A-No.18) steadily grew their lead over the Lancaster Tigers (5A-No.9) after opening the first quarter up by six, 21-15. The Eagles went up by as many as 22 in the third as they headed into the fourth with a 71-49 lead. Allen went on to win the game by the score of 93-66 behind unsigned senior point guard Jerritt Dixon (No.99/2018) and his game-high 18 points, hitting three three-pointers. More unsigned seniors for Allen, Jaylon Scott and Brenton Mills combined for 30 points. Scott scored 16 while Mills went for 14, connecting on two 3-pointers. West Point commit Jaylen Walker (No.68/2018) added 17 in the paint.

Lancaster’s freshman Wade Taylor showed some scoring punch tying for a team-high of 17 along with unsigned senior Carlos Johnson. Taylor is a skilled guard hitting the mid-range jumper and getting to the rim.

The Denton Guyer Wildcats (6A-No.3) made it look easy versus Justin Northwest (5A-No.2) as they pulled away early and led 48-28 at half. The Wildcats went on to win by the score of 97-82. The Wildcats featured two of the top five players in the class of 2019 and the game added another top 10 player.

Jalen Wilson (No.3/2019) flexed his muscles and led the Wildcats with 30 points and what was more impressive was his 16-for-16 night from the free-throw line. Teammates De’Vion Harmon (No.5/2019) and Grayson Carter (No.8/2018) each dropped in 18 points. Harmon, an Oklahoma commit finished the night by hitting three three-pointers in the win, while Georgetown signee, Carter hit two of his own. A rising sophomore, Jakobe Coles tallied 15 points and senior guard Brandon Bird hit 10.

Late in the game for the Texans, it was the Mason Hix (No.46/2018) show. The UTA signee threw down a few dunks, threes and grabbed boards. Hix finished with a game-high of 32. After a slow start, Avery Anderson (No.8/2019) totaled 21 points, while unsigned senior Jordan Keys had 14 and rising big-man Sam Freeman (No.14/2019) chipped in with 11.

The game was never one-sided, but the DeSoto Eagles (6A-No.4) were able to sneak out a win against reigning 5A Champs, the Mansfield Timberview Wolves (5A-No.1), 64-60.

DeSoto was powered by SMU signee Jahmar Young (No.14/2018)who finished the game with 16 points. Young was a terror inside the paint blocking shots, rebounding and simply protecting his territory. Another of the state’s top unsigned seniors, Roderick Mason (No.43/2018) was outstanding controlling tempo and making the right decisions. Mason also did some scoring of his own finishing with 15 points while converting on four three-pointers. Underclassmen Duncan Powell (freshman) and Claven Wilson (junior) each chipped in with 12 points.

The two senior leaders of Timberview were hard to stop on the offensive side of the ball and the pair never gave in to the Eagles. Fresno State signee Isaac Likekele (No.17/2018)scored a game-high 21 and Rice signee Chris Mullins (No.26/2018) went for 19.

Heading into the fourth, Midlothian (5A-No.3) was in control of the game up by 13, 52-39. But South Garland (6A-No.5) has Tyrese Maxey (No.1/2019) who is among the elites in the country, and 13 points didn’t seem like enough.

The Midlothian Panthers eventually held on to the game and got the 4-point victory, 70-74, but the Panthers had to claw their way to the win. The Panthers forward, TCU signee Kaden Archie (No.2/2018) led all scorers with 31 points (3-3s). Archie did what he wanted to and got to every spot on the floor setting himself up for the score. Archie stroked the three and effortlessly turned the corner on the Colonels defenders.

Up until the fourth quarter, the Panthers held Maxey in check allowing for only nine points (25 points for the game), and seven of those came from the free-throw line. Maxey did force a few shots here and there, but the junior came out in the fourth scoring 16 as he tried to get the Colonels the late victory.

Archie had help on the Panthers end of the offense. Unsigned senior guard Caleb Jordan (No.117/2018) drilled three three-pointers and capped off the night with 19 points and 11 of those points coming in crucial moments of the fourth quarter. Down the stretch, Jordan who was fighting off cramps and hit 5-out-6 free-throws.

Maxey and the Colonels received 12 hard fought points from junior guard Keyon Craddock (No.84/2018). Player of note was Chris Harris (No.12/2019) who had nine points and was in foul trouble throughout the game and did foul out.