BACK TO WORK
Cy Falls’ hoops geared up for another state title run
Thomas Bingham
Oct 24, 2017, 8:35 am
Cy Falls will look for another deep run. Vype
Originally appeared on Vype.com.
Cypress Falls made school history winning the 2017 UIL 6A state basketball title, but it’s also in a unique position with its returning talent.
The Golden Eagles not only have six seniors back from the second state championship season in Cy-Fair ISD boys basketball history, but five of them are returning starters.
“We’re trying to make it more memorable,” forward Zach Stephenson said. “Focus on this year, and try to do it again, so it will be more significant later in life.”
The starters include guards Trajan Wesley, Andrew Nguyen and Nigel Hawkins, as well as forwards Kendall Scott and D.J. Weaver.
Wesley is a Louisiana-Lafayette commit, and Hawkins won the UIL State Championship Game MVP last season.
The players know they have something special, and have a bond for life, whether it’s competing on the court, playing NBA 2K or meeting up for meals.
“It’s a good brotherhood,” Nguyen said. “A lot of memories have been made. Before the lights even come on, you see the bonds we have made and how much fun we have before the game. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
A big part of the team’s success is coach Richard Flores. He taught them before last season’s run to never be the hunted.
“He’s really humbled us and made us realize that we have to take it one game at a time,” Nguyen said. “We can’t look into the future. We have to think about the present right now and we can’t look back at the past.”
That mentality came after a 2016 playoff loss to Sam Houston. The Eagles remembered the feeling of loss against the Tigers, who advanced to the state tournament in San Antonio.
The Eagles’ six-pack of talent started to excite the community before last season and a buzz started to settle in. That’s why Flores stressed to them that everything they did between then and the year’s ultimate goal would decide their destiny. That approach paid off in not only the championship, but his players turning into leaders as well.
“They know what the expectations are,” Flores said. “The guys have been a lot more vocal, and have taken more and more leadership of the program.”
That was on display at RCS Sports’ Super 16 Extravaganza in late September and early October.
Falls could’ve come out rusty like other teams, but it finished in the top four. That start excites Flores, but he also noticed a couple of areas where his team can improve before district play and the postseason — defensive rotations, transition, ball movement and game rhythm.
If they clean those up, Flores’ team will be in great shape.
According to him, Weaver is as healthy and strong as he was before his sophomore ACL injury, his speed is back and his ball-handling has improved. Flores also expects Stephenson and Scott to take the next step in man-to-man defense, catch-and-shoot situations, being active on the glass and creating opportunities for teammates.
Wesley played a big role in closing out San Antonio Wagner in last year’s state title game and plans to answer some of those calls. He wants to be a vocal leader on offense and defense, give his teammates more touches and help new players adjust to the team’s system.
When the media and fans talk about this group’s potential for the season ahead, the team, coaches and school community will be cherishing the run on a daily basis. They are in a rare position where they recognize greatness as it’s happening and don’t want to miss a minute.
“They mean a bunch to this community, this school and to me,” Flores said. “They’ve already established a legacy. If we win, they’ve just added to their legacy, and if we come up a little short, they’ve already established themselves as one of the best teams in the state and in the nation.
“They set a standard for this program, as to what [it needs] to do to be successful.”
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The Houston Texans won their second straight AFC South title Sunday with a victory over the Dolphins and a loss by the Colts.
It’s the eighth division title in franchise history with each of them coming since 2011.
Coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud are the only coach/quarterback duo in NFL history to capture division titles in their first two seasons together.
“Clinching the AFC South is huge for us,” Ryans said Monday. “Great accomplishment by all of our guys. It’s always our goal. You want to make it in the postseason, you have to win your division, it starts there. And so, we’re just thankful for everyone who played a part in us reaching a first step of our goal and that’s getting in.”
It's the fourth time the Texans (9-5) have won consecutive division titles and the first since 2018-19. This success comes after they won just 11 games combined in the three seasons before Ryans and Stroud arrived.
The Texans got the 20-12 victory Sunday thanks to a dominant outing by their defense, which forced four turnovers. Tua Tagovailoa lost a fumble on a strip-sack by Will Anderson Jr. and the Texans intercepted him three times, which tied his career high.
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. secured the victory with two interceptions in the fourth quarter, with both coming on passes intended for star receiver Tyreek Hill.
“Just defensively our guys stepped up and did a really good job closing out the game the way we needed to,” Ryans said. “Stingley is playing just unbelievable football right now. Ask him to cover, man coverage, to go and get two picks versus a really good offense, that was huge for us.”
Stingley also had two tackles for loss Sunday to become the first cornerback in NFL history to have two interceptions and two tackles for loss in a game.
Stingley, who was the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, has five interceptions this season with four of them coming this month.
What’s working
Houston is third in the NFL with a plus-13 turnover differential after forcing four turnovers Sunday while losing the ball just once. The Texans are second in the NFL with 19 interceptions and are tied for seventh with nine fumble recoveries.
On offense, Stroud has thrown nine interceptions and Houston has lost just six fumbles.
What needs help
The Texans got the win Sunday by taking advantage of turnovers on a day the offense mustered a season-low 181 yards. Stroud threw two touchdown passes, but his 131 yards passing were the third fewest of his career.
But he wasn’t the only one who struggled offensively against the Dolphins. Joe Mixon, who has seven 100-yard rushing games this season, was held to just 23 yards on 12 carries after being shaken up on a hard hit early.
“I feel like we definitely could have been better in a lot of ways, but happy with the win and got to just move on,” Stroud said.
Stock up
LB Henry To’oTo’o had one of his best performances of the season Sunday, finishing with 11 tackles, half sack and a forced fumble. The Texans needed him to elevate his play to make up for the loss of fellow linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who served the first of a three-game suspension Sunday for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence.
Stock down
WR Tank Dell had just 26 yards receiving against the Dolphins after he had 23 yards receiving against Jacksonville before the bye. He’s had one 100-yard game this season after having three as a rookie last season.
Injuries
Ryans brushed off a question about Mixon’s health Monday saying: “he’ll be fine.” … Houston TE Cade Stover missed the game after having an emergency appendectomy Saturday night. … DT Foley Fatukasi injured an ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return.
Key number
45 — The Texans had three sacks Sunday to give them 45 this season, which ranks second in the NFL entering Monday and is one shy of the franchise record of 46 set last season.
Next steps
The Texans visit the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday before hosting the Ravens on Christmas Day. Houston has won just one of the past five meetings with the Chiefs. That includes a divisional round playoff game in the 2019 season that they lost 51-31 after racing to a 24-0 lead.