The Houston Cougars add Tramon Mark, Jamal Shead and Kiyron Powell on National Signing Day.
Houston Cougars welcome new players on signing day
Nov 14, 2019, 5:59 am
The Houston Cougars just kicked off their 2019-20 college basketball season, but that does not mean head coach Kelvin Sampson is not preparing for the future. On Wednesday, the Cougars announced the signings of Tramon Mark, Jamal Shead and Kiyron Powell, three high school recruits who will be attending the University of Houston during the fall of 2020.
Tramon Mark, a 6'4 combo guard from Dickinson, TX, comes to Houston as the Cougars' top recruit. He is currently ranked 67th in the national (third in the state of Texas), according to 24/7 Sports.com. Mark averaged 26.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists during his junior year, as he was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 6A All-State Team honors last season.
Mark will be attending Houston alongside another Texas native, Jamal Shead. As a junior guard at Manor High School in Manor, TX, Shead led his school to the 2019 state tournament averaging 18.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Shead comes to Houston ranked as the sixth-best player in the state and the 20th best point guard in the nation.
While Houston added one of the most exciting backcourts in the country, Sampson and his staff did not forget about adding some much-needed depth to their front court.
Blessed to say I will be attending the University of Houston to further my Basketball Career fully committed 📍… https://t.co/7AwyEyFi88— Tramon Mark🎒 (@Tramon Mark🎒) 1555549021.0
Next fall, the Cougars will welcome Kiyron Powell to their program, a 6'10 forward from Indiana. According to 24/7 Sports.com, Powell is held as one of the top rim protectors in the nation, averaging 6.8 blocks per game. Ranked as the sixth-best player in the state of Indiana and the 21st big man in the county, Powell became an all-star during his junior season averaging 10.6 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.
After signing one four-star recruit (Mark) and two three-star (Shead & Powell), the Houston Cougars will have one of the nation's Top-20 recruiting classes of 2020.
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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.
Takeaways
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.
Key moment
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.
Key stat
Houston is 19-3 when they score at least 110. Houston hasn't allowed more than 115 points in past 15 games.
Up next
The Rockets are at Atlanta on Saturday. Memphis travels to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Saturday.