The Knights Roll On
Elkins' second half explosion clinches a playoff spot
Roger Smith
Nov 15, 2018, 5:00 am
Elkins will face Katy Tompkins in next week’s bi-district round of the Class 6A Div. II playoffs. Vype
Originally appeared on Vype
Listen to all VYPE Sports Radio broadcasts, including this one, athttps://www.spreaker.com/show/fort-bend-sports-powered-by-vype. Saturday at 6 p.m., listen to the live broadcast of the Ridge Point Panthers in the Region III volleyball final at that same link.
SUGAR LAND – The Elkins Knights exploded for 28 unanswered points in the second half Saturday afternoon at Mercer Stadium, prevailing 35-21 to earn the last available playoff spot in District 20-6A. Quarterback Cameron George threw for two touchdowns and ran for two others, with the last one covering 58 yards and slamming the door with 42 seconds remaining.
Elkins’ dominant second half performance was stunning because the Bulldogs had their way in the first two quarters. After Knights’ kicker Ethan Henry missed a 28-yard field goal wide left with 3:40 left in the first, Austin QB Trey Larsen lofted a 46-yard rainbow TD bomb to Troy Omeire. The ‘Dawgs led 7-0 with 1:44 remaining.
The ‘Dawgs domination and the Knights’ frustration continued. George lifted an even longer and more beautiful pass to Kolby White for an apparent 70-yard score, but offensive holding nullified it. After the Knights punted it away and the second quarter began, Austin’s Moise Tezzo scored the first of his two TDs with 7:31 left in the half and the Bulldogs were on top 14-0.
The only memorable moment the Knights’ offense had in the first half was George’s 20-yard strike to Mike Granson that narrowed the gap to 14-7. On their next possession, with an opportunity to drive for a tying touchdown, George threw late over the middle where Omeire intercepted and returned the ball to the ‘Dawgs’ 29.
With less than two minutes left before intermission, Tezzo broke at least three tackles and outran the Knights’ secondary for a 72-yard TD, his ninth and longest of the season. When the first half dust settled, Austin was on top 21-7.
Omeire’s second interception of the game stopped the Knights’ first drive of the third quarter, but the Elkins defense forced a three-and-out.
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Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
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Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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