Go West, Young Man
Cy Falls' Hawkins Commits To UTEP
Thomas Bingham
Apr 26, 2018, 9:29 pm
Former state championship game MVP Nigel Hawkins committed to UTEP on Monday night. The Cypress Falls' senior led the Eagles to the 2016-2017 state title, and back-to-back undefeated district campaigns (17-6A) as a junior and senior.
"After a lot of prayer, talking to my family, and being patient, God put this school in front of me and gave me what I wanted," said Hawkins. "It’s an opportunity to play early, the program has great history, [and it] is the biggest show in town, so the people support it, and I want to lead the movement."
When Hawkins arrives at the campus of the only Division I men's basketball program in the state of Texas to win a national championship, expect immediate success. He sees the program as the perfect fit for him, and his future team is getting a great add in the two-time first-team all-state player.
"They run a lot of pick and rolls, and give their guards freedom to make plays," said Hawkins. "I’m excited to just be able to fulfill my goals, get better, work, and go win some championships."
If you enjoyed the recruit scoop, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPEnwHTX) on Twitter.
Alperen Sengun had 32 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets held on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night in a showdown between two of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Jalen Green finished with 27 points and Fred VanVleet scored 22 as the Rockets won their third straight and solidified their hold on second place in the Western Conference, moving 1 1/2 games ahead of Memphis.
Ja Morant scored 27 points in his return from a five-game absence with a shoulder injury, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for Memphis. Desmond Bane had 16 points.
Houston dominated the inside early, scoring 20 points in the paint before the halfway point of the first quarter. Memphis initially couldn't stop anything at the rim. Houston opened a 17-point lead before taking a 68-63 advantage at the break.
Rockets: Houston is 12-5 on the road, including six straight wins away from home.
Grizzlies: After allowing the Rockets to score inside and build a big lead, Memphis chipped into the advantage to make it a more competitive game.
With 3.8 seconds left in the game and Houston leading 117-114, Bane fired up a 3-pointer that rattled in. But Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins called timeout before the shot was made. Bane was fouled on the ensuing inbounds, and Memphis wouldn't get another chance for a winning shot.
Houston is 19-3 when they score at least 110. Houston hasn't allowed more than 115 points in past 15 games.
The Rockets are at Atlanta on Saturday. Memphis travels to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Saturday.