Cedric Carson and DeSoto moved into the No. 2 spot in this week's Texas Top 25 rankings.
Photo by Jim Redman
Undefeated teams are becoming harder to find at this point in the season, but Tascosa (Amarillo) remains perfect with a record of 19-0 and is No. 8 in this week's MaxPreps Texas Top 25.
The Rebels of coach Steve Jackson frustrate opponents with their special brand of man-to-man defense. Opponents are averaging only 43.8 points per game.
Even without the services of two starters and two reserves due to injury and illness, Tascosa's defense made a believer of visiting Cooper (Abilene) in the Rebels' 48-34 District 2-5A victory on Friday. Tascosa harassed its opponent into 22 turnovers, seven coming in the first quarter when Cooper failed to score.
The tallest Rebel, junior post
Max Baker, is only 6-4. Deadeye senior guard Parker Davidson and sophomore forward
Quinn Taylor are listed at 6-3. That's the extent of players taller than six feet.
Six games remain in the regular season for Tascosa, starting with a weekend trip to face Midland on Friday and Lee (Midland) on Saturday. A home and away series with second-place Coronado (Lubbock) is also ahead.
Joining this week's MaxPreps Texas Top 25 are four newcomers, Harker Heights, Lancaster, Hebron and Keller.
MaxPreps Texas Top 25 Basketball Rankings
1. Judson (Converse) 24-1 (Last week 1)
Julian Erickson, Judson
Photo by John Godwin
, a 5-8 senior guard, was 5-of-6 on 3-pointers in a 77-40 rout of San Marcos on Friday. The Rockets started the week by crushing Smithson Valley (Spring Branch) 67-37.
2. DeSoto 19-3 (3)
The Eagles went on the road to defeat Mansfield, 43-29, to finish the first round of District 7-5A play with a 6-1 record.
Cedric Carson led with 10 points and
Takedrick Brown added nine.
3. North Shore (Houston) 22-3 (4)
The Mustangs breezed to a pair of District 21-5A blowouts by a combined margin of 81 points.
Kerwin Roach, a 6-3 junior wing, had 17 points in an 80-35 romp over La Porte and led with 20 points in a 70-44 downing of Deer Park.
4. Manvel 21-4 (8)
The Mavericks followed up their 50-41 showdown victory over Pearland on Tuesday with a 53-30 blowout of South Houston.
Leon Gilmore III, a 6-7 senior, scored 23 points as Manvel improved to 7-0 in District 22-5A.
5. Fort Bend Bush (Richmond) 19-5 (9)
The Broncos capped a 2-0 week with a 61-43 win over Fort Bend Dulles (Sugar Land) behind the 18-point efforts of
Brandon Jones and
Eden Ewing. Bush and Dulles are 6-1 in District 23-5A.
6. Allen 19-3 (10)
The Eagles improved to 3-0 in District 10-5A with a 55-39 triumph over Plano behind
Olin Carter's 29 points. It followed a 66-49 win over McKinney on Tuesday that saw four Eagles score in double figures.
7. South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie) 17-4 (2)
The Warriors rebounded from a two-point loss to Duncanville on Tuesday with a 43-38 road win at rival Grand Prairie on Friday.
Harrison Henderson and
D.J. Thorpe each accounted for 10 points as South Grand Prairie finished the first round of District 7-5A with a 5-2 record.
8. Tascosa (Amarillo) 19-0 (11)
Despite the absence of two starters and two reserves due to injury and illness, the Rebels held visiting Cooper (Abilene) scoreless in the first quarter of a 48-34 District 2-5A victory.
Parker Davidson, a 6-3 senior guard, led the way with 16 points.
9. Marcus (Flower Mound) 19-2 (13)
New Mexico signee
Xavier Adams' 3-pointer as time expired carried the Marauders to a 61-58 thriller over Hebron in a Friday showdown for the early District 5-5A lead.
10. Plano West (Plano) 14-5 (14)
Zach Ford, Alamo Heights
Photo by Lester Rosebrock
accounted for a team-high 19 points in the Wolves' 60-56 District 10-5A victory over Plano East. Anthony Morgan's team is 3-0 in district and faces Allen on Friday.
11. Bowie (Arlington) 19-3 (15)
A follow shot by
Dante Hales at the final buzzer gave the Volunteers a 55-53 road victory over Martin (Arlington) in a showdown for the District 3-5A lead. Bowie improves to 7-0 after the first round of district games and Martin is 6-1.
12. Alamo Heights (San Antonio) 24-1 (16)
Guard
Zach Ford, a 5-8 junior, had 16 points and 11 assists in the Mules' 75-53 rout of Seguin on Friday. Coupled with a 48-30 win over Boerne-Champion (Boerne) earlier in the week, Alamo Heights improved to 7-0 in District 27-4A.
13. Churchill (San Antonio) 23-3 (17)
Brian Herring, a 6-3 senior guard, hit for 24 points in the Chargers 65-53 triumph over Lee (San Antonio). The 2-0 week for Churchill included a 70-57 win over Reagan (San Antonio).
14. Andress (El Paso) 20-2 (18)
Juniors
Brian Hunter (12 points) and
Michael Davis (13 points) spearheaded the Eagles 82-23 demolition of Jefferson (El Paso). The week also included a 67-30 blowout of Burges (El Paso).
15. Bel Air (El Paso) 20-1 (5)
The Highlanders rebounded from Tuesday's 50-45 loss to Montwood (El Paso) by turning away Americas (El Paso) 48-37 on Friday behind guard
Josh Gallegos' 13 points.
16. Dunbar (Fort Worth) 15-3 (20)
The Wildcats strengthened their hold on District 6-4A by bashing Boswell (Fort Worth) 79-58.
17. Prestonwood Christian (Plano) 21-2 (22)Schnider Herard, a 6-11 sophomore, scored 16 points in a 63-43 thumping of Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) to complete a 2-0 week for the Lions, now 5-0 in TAPPS district play.
18. Madison (Dallas) 16-4 (23)
The Trojans capped a 2-0 week with Saturday's 74-61 defeat of Wilmer-Hutchins (Dallas).
Admon Gilder, a 6-4 junior guard, led the way with 26 points.
19. Atascocita (Humble) 19-6 (24)
Schnider Herard, Prestonwood Christian
Photo by Mike Bouffard
The Eagles improved to 10-0 in District 13-5A with a 61-54 win over Klein Forest.
Joe Burton, headed for Oklahoma State, led with 15 points and
Jai Edwards scored 14.
20. Harker Heights 19-3 (NR)
Josh Delaney connected on five 3-pointers on the way to 23 points in the Knights' 68-42 rout of Killeen.
21. Lancaster 19-4 (NR)
Junior
Antwon Portley accounted for a team-high 18 points in the Tigers' 71-60 downing of Summit (Mansfield). The win keeps Lancaster atop District 15-4A with a 6-1 record.
22. Hebron (Carrollton) 16-7 (NR)
After handling Lewisville with ease on Tuesday, 56-41, the Hawks took Marcus (Flower Mound) to the final buzzer before losing 61-58 on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Justin Montgomery led Hebron with 15 points.
23. Keller 16-4 (NR)
The Indians capped a big week by smothering Keller Central (Keller) 48-30 behind
Nolan Taylor's 24 points. Earlier, Keller handed Northwest (Justin) its first District 4-5A defeat, 55-47.
24. Lewisville 16-4 (19)
The Farmers, stung on Tuesday by Hebron, replied with a convincing 73-55 thumping of Coppell on Friday behind
Anthony Davis' 25 points to go to 2-1 in District 5-5A.
25. Northwest (Justin) 18-5 (6)
Riding high with a 5-0 record going into the week, Northwest lost to Keller on Tuesday and then fell to Fossil Ridge (Keller) 65-64 on Friday despite 23 points from
Taylor Johnson.
Dropped out: No. 7 Central (Beaumont), No. 12 Fort Bend Travis (Richmond), No. 21 Berkner (Richardson), No. 25 Memorial (Port Arthur).
On the bubble
Fossil Ridge (Keller) 16-6,
Highland Park (Dallas) 21-3,
Lakeview Centennial (Garland) 16-6,
Pearland 19-6,
Rowe (McAllen) 24-1,
Westfield (Houston) 20-5,
Trinity (Euless) 17-6,
Wagner (San Antonio) 18-6,
Wheatley (Houston) 20-4,
Yates (Houston) 10-7
