TexasHoops Weekly: Duncanville is back, Little Elm shakes up 5A (Jan. 14)
Our weekly blog tracks some of the biggest storylines from across the state, and looks ahead towards playoff time with several districts starting to take shape.
Is Duncanville the 6A favorite?
Duncanville got off to a rocky start to the season as their new pieces took time to gel, and McAllen Rowe transfer Derek Luna was sidelined by ineligibility over his PAPF related paperwork. There were disappointing losses to Wilmer Hutchins, Mansfield and Cypress Springs in the early parts of the year, but the Panthers now seem to have turned a corner.
Duncanville’s position now is a complete 180 from the direction they were going in the opening month of the season, and Luna being on the floor for them has made a world of difference. After the Christmas break it seems he has been trying to make up for lost time, and Jahmius Ramsey and Micah Peavy have both fed off the additional space that a shooter like Luna makes defenses concede.
Now Whataburger tournament champions with a win over state favorite Denton Guyer, in the driver’s seat in 8-6A, and getting the most out of their stars: Duncanville has captured that pre-season hype and turned it into real momentum towards a trip to the state tournament. In my season preview I said that the Duncanville-Guyer playoff game would be must watch if it came to fruition - it’s safe to say I’m standing by my words.
Little Elm goes into Northwest to shake things up in 5A
Last week in this blog’s district race tracker, I circled this Little Elm @ Northwest game as one that would have seismic effects on how a loaded 5A Region 1 plays out. But I don’t think I could have predicted RJ Hampton, Tre White and co. going into Northwest and notching a double digit win like they just did Friday night. Hampton picked up a double double of 22 & 14 to lead the Loboes while White continues to be a bright spot for Texas in the 2022 class.
Little Elm may have opened up a slight lead at the top of 8-5A, but they still must go to No.7 The Colony this week if they really want to plant their flag at the district summit. Northwest already owns a win over TC, and will be ready to pounce on any Little Elm slip up. The ramifications of this win won’t be clear until the dust has settled, but it certainly makes things much more intriguing in 8-5A.