Private School Hoops
Concordia, Second Baptist & TWCA win a trio of TAPPS ‘ships
Thomas Bingham
Mar 7, 2018, 1:01 pm
The Woodlands Christian Academy edged Arlington Grace Prep for a 79-76 double overtime victory vype.com
On Friday, Concordia Lutheran, Second Baptist and The Woodlands Christian Academy added a trio of state championships to an already special boys basketball season for Houston-area squads. They join Houston Christian, who topped SPC in February.
The game of the night at the TAPPS’ state tournament was between Second Baptist and Cedar Hill Trinity Christian in the 5A title game. The Eagles battled with the Tigers throughout the match, but ultimately prevailed 60-57 on VYPE Player of the Game Max Modica’s game-winning three with 5.5 seconds left.
“I wasn’t really knocking down many shots early, but I know whenever it came down to crunch time that my team needed me,” the senior said. “I was happy that I was able to deliver that for them.”
Modica scored all his points in the final three quarters, and finished with 11. He was joined by the team’s leader in points Miles Goodman and Donovan Dastmalchian. Both added 14 in the win. Uzoma Dibiamaka and Cameron Fontenot also had important performances, adding nine and seven respectively. The team effort was too much for even the game’s leading scorer. Tyreek Smith led Trinity Christian with 23 points in the loss.
Right before that game, The Woodlands Christian Academy edged Arlington Grace Prep for a 79-76 double overtime victory in the 4A state title game. The Warriors stormed back in the second half to force the extra periods. VYPE Player of the Game Bakari LaStrap lifted his program to its fifth state championship with five critical points after regulation.
“That’s mesmerizing,” LaStrap said of the connection between his overtime point total and his program’s new title count. “Words can’t explain. That’s crazy!”
As important as LaStrap was, he couldn’t do it alone. Zach Baker recorded four in the extra periods, and Zach Golaszewski and Dawson Libonati added three each.
In the nightcap, Concordia Lutheran had an early cushion after a pair of runs (7-0 and 10-0) against district foe St. Pius X. The Crusaders kept a double-digit lead for most of the game, and breezed to a 70-48 TAPPS 6A state championship win.
VYPE Player of the Game Pierce Hellums finished with a game-high 23 points, and also had two important answers in the fourth. Pius had cut the Crusaders’ lead to nine in the early minutes of the period, but his back-to-back three-point plays were the final stand they needed to wrap up a 43-1 season, and complete the three-game sweep of the Panthers.
Hellums will be back to lead SaderNation in 2018-2019, but a number of his teammates won’t. Seniors Joshua Davis, Yosani Clay and Jaylen Reed contributed 10 points each.
“God blessed me with the greatest teammates I could have ever played with this year, and we’ve created a bond that will never be broken,” Hellums said. “We’ve created a legacy at Concordia now, and I’m going to really miss those guys next year. I don’t know what I’m going to do without ‘em.”
If you enjoyed the state coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPEPrivates) on Twitter.
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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