High School Hoops

VYPE hoops: Rankings after 10 days on the court

Seth Livingston
Ray Meach
Nov 21, 2017, 1:30 pm
The Yates Lions are off to a roaring start to the 2017-2018 season. Vype

Originally appeared on Vype.com.

While the football playoffs are in full swing, the basketball tournament season is full of hot games over the Thanksgiving break. There was as appetizer last week as several top-ranked squads were on the courts.

Tompkins won the McDonalds’ Tourney in Pasadena, Texas, while Eisenhower won the Aldine ISD Tourney.

Stay tuned as the VYPE Thanksgiving Classic goes down this weekend, the HoopsGiving Classic on Wednesday night and the Texas Jamboree at Episcopal over the week.

Here’s a quick early-season breakdown.

Cy Falls Eagles — Coach Flores is doing an excellent job at showing trust in his seniors, getting every player engaged and designating roles. The Eagles’ squad look as if they have been playing together though the spring, summer and fall. We all know that there are pros and cons to being in midseason form early on, but only time will tell if that will be an issue for the reigning state champs. A 2-0 start is only the beginning to a very long road to state.

Sam Houston Tigers — Coach Barreras has been fortunate to have a few key pieces enroll who have been missing in the past. This is personally my favorite Tiger team of the Kendric Davis-era. Shooters who can spread the floor, guards that get after it and versatile inside guys who can step outside and make free-throw makes this Sam Houston team a very dangerous team. Taking an early loss to Eisenhower only hurts the record but can build character and hunger that only makes things worse for the next opponent.

Tompkins Falcons — Another year and another head scratching start for one of the most talented rosters in the state. Coach Sanders takes a lot of the pressure of off the players, rightfully so, but in the end, we need to see more consistent production from the cast. CJ Washington has been their most consistent player but with an ACC and BIG12 commit on the roster teammates, evaluators, and onlookers are expecting a lot more from those guys. After a humbling loss to Cy Falls in their season opener Coach Sanders was able to rally the troops to go 5-0 to and capture The McDonalds invitational championship.

Yates — The Lions have well-seasoned seniors to go along with young poised guards. The ability to go deep into their bench and have no drop off in productivity is what makes them dangerous. The Yates press has made national waves in years past but one focal point in this year’s group is not to have any wasted possessions. Coach Wise puts great emphasis into defense and not just because it's fun to watch but because at the end of the game, the team with the most points win.

Dickinson — The Dickinson Gators certainly continue to be a team to keep an eye on throughout the winter to see if the Coach Wilson can get all of his players onto the same page. After only a few games in, the team has already suffered a few internal blows. The Gators have the ability to be a top ten program in the area for the next few years but if they do not get it together soon, they will find themselves on the bottom of the list.

College Park — One of my favorite teams in the 2017-18 season for multiple reasons, but it's disappointing that this team does not know how to win. This roster needs to find balance and make winning plays. The look offs and creating something out of nothing will lead to bad news for all. Everyone in the country knows what Grimes is capable of and the supporting cast should be able to fill in all gaps as they a very talented bunch.

Clear Lake — The Falcons had a powerful statement game in their season opener only to lose their second game to Lamar. Not a knock against Lamar, but at some point teams recognize matchup advantages and expose them. There was a lot of talk about who is the most underrated guard in the city during the Season Opener, but losing a quality head-to-head match up and giving up 40+ points does not help the argument.

Eisenhower & Morton Ranch- Both are playing very well right now but I won't jinx it. Ill hold off my comments until next time.

Rank

Team (Record)

Comment
1Cy FallsRolling Opponents Early On
2YatesGood Inside Out Game so Far
3DekaneyPeavy’s Looking Solid
4EisenhowerWon the Aldine Tourney
5Sam HoustonGreat Balance with Davis Leading Way
6TompkinsWon McDonalds’ Tourney in Pasadena
7BushInjury in Backcourt Could Hurt
8Clear LakeAbercrombie, Sanni are Tough
9HightowerCould They be Kings of Fort Bend
10Klein ForestNew Group Ready to Take Baton
11DickinsonAthletic at Every Position
12Morton RanchYoungsters Living Up to Hype
13LamarBynum Runs the Show
14Shadow CreekNew School Making Noise
15College ParkKU-Signee Grimes is Best in City
16DawsonEagles Could be Tough Down South
17Cy CreekCougars on Point
18Klein CollinsMontavious!
19Ridge PointCould Get FB Kids Back as Well
20KatyNot Just a Football School

 

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Top-tier Astros hacks to help you finesse the game at Minute Maid

It's a win-win! Composite Getty Image.

How much does it cost to attend an Astros baseball game?

According to the just released 2023 Team Marketing Report of Fan Cost, a family of four has to shell out $343.72 at Minute Maid Park to catch a game. That’s the third-highest price tag in all of Major League Baseball, trailing only the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

This cost analysis data is courtesy of Sporting Post and runs a tab of four “non-premium” tickets, four hot dogs, two small beers, two small soft drinks, two team hats and one parking space.

Sporting Post put the average price for Astros tickets at $58.61 per person, hot dogs $6 each, small beers $7.50 each, small sodas $5.50 each, Astros caps $24.99 each and parking $9.30.

Let’s crunch the numbers and get real.

I do not sit in the press box with a media pass. I go to games and I pay for tickets. I do not pay $58 for a ticket, however. For example, right now you can go on the Astros website and buy tickets for the June 19th game against the Mets – upper deck behind first base, third row, on the aisle, for $37 each. They’re good seats. And you don’t have to deal with secondary market entrepreneurs.

I don’t need to buy an Astros hat, certainly not a new one each time I go to a game. I have never paid for parking. There’s free parking downtown after 7 p.m. and you can find a space if you’re willing to walk a few blocks. You probably can use the exercise. Plus, unlike some other MLB towns, public transportation will get you near the ballpark.

I buy a hot dog and soda. I know they’re overpriced but a dog and Coke (or beer) are part of the baseball experience. I’m worth it. Fans are allowed to bring food, in reasonable amounts, to Minute Maid Park. Hot dogs supposedly taste best at a ballpark. I’ve never heard that about a tuna fish sandwich. Minute Maid Park is not a high school cafeteria.

I’m not an Astros apologist for their high prices. But …

You want a winning team? Pretty things cost money. It’s the difference between going to dinner at McDonald’s or an upscale steakhouse. The Astros are filet mignon. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for a doggie bag.

Yes, it’s expensive to attend a game at Minute Maid Park, but the Astros are putting out a quality product. They’re the best thing going in Houston. Why stop there? The Astros are the most successful pro sports team in America over the past seven years. You know the numbers: four American League pennants, six ALCS appearances in a row, four World Series appearances and two championships.

You get what you pay for. You want the Astros to sign Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez to long-term deals? Those players won’t come cheap.

Signing slugging first baseman Jose Abreu to a three-year deal took a ton of money. OK, bad example. But you get my point.

It’s not like the Astros are printing money with their local TV contract, like the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox. The Dodgers’ deal is worth upwards of $250 million. The Astros deal with AT&T SportsNet is worth about $73 million. For comparison, the Rangers’ local TV deal is worth about $111 million. I get it, the Dallas designated market is larger than Houston, but it’s still annoying when Dallas gets anything bigger or better than us.

Astros fans love their team and show out. The Astros are averaging 37,111 fans so far this year. That’s in the upper echelon of baseball, and 4,000 more fans per game over last year.

According to Forbes, the Astros are worth $2.25 billion (with a B), up 14 percent from 2022. Jim Crane and his support group bought the Astros for $610 million (with an M) in 2011.

The cheapest deal in baseball is offered by the Baltimore Orioles. A family of four can attend an O’s game for $198, according to Sporting Post data.

Now we enter the Bizarro World, or as they call it out west, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The A’s charge the 11th highest prices to attend a game - $240 for a family of four to watch the historically awful A’s lose game after game after game after (tell me when to stop).

On the other hand, you can enjoy quiet private time with your spouse and children in the empty upper deck. The A’s are averaging only 8,600 “fans” per game.

You know me and attendance figures. I’m calling bull on 8,600 fans.

I’m saying more like 5,000 … and I’ll still take the under.

astroshouston astrosmlb

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