High School Football
The first-round football outlook
Matt Malatesta
Nov 16, 2017, 4:02 pm
Originally appeared on Vype.com.
Ding… Ding…
It’s Round 1 of the Texas High School Playoffs as the road to AT&T Stadium begins now. It’s a 6-week march to Jerry World and several Houston-area programs have dreams of playing on the biggest stage in Texas.
So let’s get the fearless predictions underway. The first-round has a few interesting match ups, but most games will go to the district champs.
There will be that one or two upsets and no team wants to fall victim of looking ahead.
No. 18 Cypress Ranch vs Bellaire
Ranch has too many playmakers for Cards to account for
Mustangs by 17
No. 1 Katy vs Travis
Travis offense will be GROUNDED
Katy by 24
No. 8 Atascocita vs Pasadena Memorial
Eagles soar over run-oriented Memorial
Atascocita by 21
No. 15 Hastings vs No. 20 Dickinson
Toughest Round 1 Matchup
Bears just get by 4 points
No. 7 Lamar vs Cy Falls
Can Goodwin outgun DIs of Lamar?
Lamar by 14
No. 6 Ridge Point vs No. 12 Cinco Ranch
Panthers are total package; Kuithe’s out
RP by 14
No. 17 Deer Park vs No. 14 North Shore
North Shore D too tough
‘Stangs by 10
No. 13 Clear Springs vs Pearland
Rematch of Last Year’s Oiler Upset?
Not this year, Springs by 17
…………………
Horn vs Oak Ridge
War Eagles had quick start, then sputtered
Horn by 10
No. 16 Klein Oak vs Aldine Davis
Oak is Peaking on Defense
Panthers by 21
No. 5 The Woodlands vs Rockwall
Can they get back to State Title Game?
Starts Now – Highlanders by 17
No. 9 Spring vs Klein
The District Originals
Spring by 10
………………..
No. 3 Cy-Fair vs Westside
Bobcats look like regional favs
Fair by 21
No. 19 Strake Jesuit vs Hightower
Crusaders a surprise?
Jesuit by 7
Summer Creek vs La Porte
SC has athletes everywhere
Creek by 3
Dawson vs Friendswood
Another battle down south
Dawson by 3
Heights vs No. 11 Langham Creek
Lobos O too much
Creek by 24
No. 10 Bush vs Katy Taylor
Broncos are legit
Bush by 21
South Houston vs Kingwood
Hmmmm. Head-scratcher
‘Stangs in a tight one
Clear Lake vs George Ranch
Both teams are Up and Down all Season
Lake by 10
……………..
No. 2 Klein Collins vs Dekaney
Collins on a mission
Tigers by 28
No. 4 Westfield vs Stratford
Mustangs are too Physical
Westfield by 12
No. 8 Magnolia vs Cedar Park
Bulldogs must make stops
Cedar Park by 21
No. 9 Porter vs Nederland
SETX squad is tough
Nederland by 10
No. 1 Manvel vs Madison
Mavs can score at will
Manvel by 30
No. 6 Magnolia West vs Rouse
Mag West has surprise season
Can’t hold on, falls by 3
Port Arthur Memorial vs Kingwood Park
Titans have overcome Harvey
PAM by 21
………………
No. 2 Angleton vs Highlands
Wildcats can reach state
Angleton by 28
No. 10 Foster vs Burbank
Falcons are playoff ready
Foster by 13
………….
No. 4 New Caney vs Vidor
SETX hasn’t seen this offense
Eagles by 14
No. 3 FB Marshall vs Houston Sterling
Buffs are super-fast
Marshall by 28
Port Neches vs No. 5 Crosby
Great game with Great Crown
PNG by 3
No. 7 Waltrip vs Texas City
Stings will Sting
Texas City by 14
……………………..
Terry vs Houston
Rangers are athletic; must be two-dimensional
Terry by 1
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.
VanVleet signs extension
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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