On the Road w/ Texas Hoops: Championship Saturday

December 3-5 - The weekend tournament circuit for TexasHoops.com started Thursday in Katy at the annual Katy ISD tournament and ended in Georgetown at the Jack Frost. TexasHoops.com spent the weekend tracking down some of the key players from each tournament and getting familiar with new ones.

Besides Katy ISD and Jack Frost, TexasHoops.com spent time at South San Antonio, Matador Classic, and Liberty Hill tournaments and showcases. (click on player links for additional information and TexasHoopsRivals profiles)

Matador Classic

Seguin High School - Oklahoma Christian signee Dorian Lopez of San Antonio Marshall lead the Rams with 15 points in their semi-final win over San Antonio Madison 56-52.

The Madison Mavericks led 20-3 to start the game but the Rams ran off a 13-0 run that spilled over into the second half, and the Rams only trailed by two at the half, 27-25. During the second quarter, the Rams collected four charges against the Mavericks, which led to the momentum swing and points.

Colegate signee Jordan Burns chipped in 13 points of his own as Marshall finished off the Mavericks and headed into the evening's championship game.

Dorian Lopez - Is one of the classes most versatile forwards and showed that he is an all-around player with the ability to shoot the three, see the floor and rebound. Lopez is a crucial part of this Rams program and is a three-year starter. He finished with 16 points, connecting on two three-pointers, and scored around the rim where he is crafty.

• Jordan Burns - Is a fast guard that plays with a burst in the open court, and beat the Mavericks guards a time or two as he headed to the basket. He hit one three and another eight points off jumpers and lay-ups. Burns finished with 13 points.

• Julius Nwosu - One of the most athletic players in the match was Nwosu. An undersized paint player, Nwosu muscled his way to 11 paint in the paint and from the free-throw line.

In the second semi-final of the Matador Classic was Converse Judson and San Antonio Roosevelt. Judson edged out Roosevelt in overtime 51-48, behind Shelby Adams' 29 points.

It was tight all game, and Judson was down at half 21-20 to the fast and athletic team from Roosevelt. But Judson leaned on their 6-foot-3 junior, Shelby and his 11 straight free-throws.

Judson also received some scoring juice from Senior Devin Blair and his three three-pointers.

For Roosevelt, junior Burone Edwards was the go-to guy for the Rough Riders as he gave the Rockets all they could handle on the offensive side of the ball drilling his mid-range jumpers that lead to 17 points.

• Shelby Adams - Adams was terrific in the semis breaking loose from defenders and scoring mid-range jumpers and getting to the hole where he created contact and got to the rim.

• Burone Edwards - It was a pleasant surprise to find a player from Roosevelt excelling on the court after serval years. Edwards was fast and smooth coming off the dribble to nail the 12-15-footer on the Rockets. A nice athlete at 6-foot-2, Edwards is skilled for a guard and beats defenders up the court.

Other notes from Matador Classic:

Marshall faced Judson in the finals of the Matador Classic and came away with the crown after a 64-57 win. The duo of Burns and Lopez combined for 30 points. Lopez averaged double figures in points and rebounds for the weekend. Adams went for 23 for the Rockets.

Liberty Hill Showcase

Liberty Hill High School - Liberty Hill closed out their Showcase with a 67-57 victory against Austin Reagan, and Liberty Hill's Zach Lord finished his weekend with a 15 point performance after going for 31 earlier in the showcase.

It was perfect timing as TexasHoops.com swung by and once again saw Lord, the 6-foot-8, 245-pound post player.

Lord has shown much improvement in the area of his weight as he has shed over 25 pounds since around May. The TexasHoops.com staff has seen Lord in multiple Great American Shoot-Out's and has preached about his soft touch and his stroke from behind the three-point arc. The 2017 prospect rebounds, works inside and always competes. Lord is currently ranked No.60 in the TexasHoops Pre-Season class of 2017 top 130.

Jack Frost Tournament Championship Game

Georgetown High School - It was noticeable that the toll of a long weekend was playing a part in the finale from Georgetown as players were coming up short on jumpers and the pace of the game wasn't as fast as each team was used to playing. But, the Churchill Chargers had enough in their tanks and received the scoring from the one-two punch of Clevon Brown and Jeff Fesperman.

Churchill won the title 55-51 over Byron Nelson, by getting 15 from Vanderbilt-bound Brown, and junior guard Fesperman added 14. Between the two, they dropped six three-pointers, and each player played their role.

Brown hit two three-pointers which is a part of his game that he has spent a lot of time working on, and it showed. Brown finished with eight triples for the weekend.

Fesperman was in rhythm and make his threes within the flow of the game sinking four in the championship game.