17. Yates (Houston)Head coach: Greg Wise
2010-11 record: 26-4
Players to watch: Damyean Dotson (6-5, 195, Sr., G/F, Oregon verbal commitment),
Maurice Letcher-Ellis (6-8, 195, Sr., F),
Darrion Martin (5-11, 165, Jr., G),
Clyde Santee (6-6, 185, Sr., F),
Melvin Swift (6-7, 190, So., F)
Lions scouting report: It won't take long to get a gauge on Yates. The Lions open Monday against
Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) and star junior twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison. According to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, it’s a matchup between the state's top-ranked 4A team (Yates) and No. 7 5A outfit.
Greg Wise is 120-8 over the past four seasons at Yates with a pair of state titles.
Photo by Jim Redman
If the Lions can survive that early-season test, showcase games against defending 5A champ
Marcus (Flower Mound) and
Westbury Christian (Houston) in late November and strong fields at the South Padre Invitational and Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon await in December.
Few are equipped to handle a rigorous schedule like Yates, which typically suits up 15 players and comes at opponents in waves with full-court pressure. The Houston school has averaged over 100 points per game each of the past two seasons and set the national record for points per game in 2009-10.
Leading the way will be Dotson and Martin, both regular double-digit scorers a year ago. This Yates club will feature more size than past years with Letcher-Ellis, who sat out due to transfer rules a year ago, Santee and top sophomore recruits Swift and J.C. Washington.
Freshman guard JoJo Anderson also could make noise for Wise.
