Boys Basketball teams and players to watch this season
TEAMS TO WATCH
North Crowley: Panthers only know one coach, Tommy Brakel, who’s approaching 600 career victories. North Crowley went 31-6 last season and is off to another good start at 12-2. The Panthers are coming off their ninth trip to the regional tournament.
Northwest: Texans are trying to reach the state tournament for the third-straight season. They lost in the semifinals in 2017 and were runner-up last season. They have a new head coach after Mike Hatch went to SMU, but it’s longtime assistant Travis Edwards.
Timberview: Wolves have won 69 times in their last 81 games including a 13-0 start to the season. They won state in 2017. Also ranked No. 1 in the state.
Bowie: Volunteers have averaged nearly 24 wins the past three seasons and reached at least the regional quarters eight of last nine years.
Trimble Tech: Bulldogs are 47-18 the past two seasons, but now moved up to Class 6A.
Birdville: Hawks got as high as No. 5 last season and have gone 52-16 the last two years; playoff trips in nine of the past 10 seasons.
Wyatt: Chaparrals coming off a district title, 23 wins and their first trip to the regional tournament in 10 years.
Brewer: Bears won 27 games last season, most in the past 15 years. They have one tourney title under their belt this season at Wichita Falls.
Kennedale: Wildcats have missed the playoffs just twice in the past two decades.
Dunbar: Wildcats dropped down a class to fit its enrollment size; made state in 2016.
Brock: Eagles have reached the state tourney four of the past seven years.
Grace Prep: TAPPS 4A state runner-up last season, ranked No. 1 this year.
PRE-SEASON ALL-AREA TEAM
Tre Hester, Sr., Birdville
Cortland Blake, Sr., Brewer
Sam Martin, Sr., Burleson
Brandon Haddock, Sr., Carroll
Niko Bossinakis, Sr., Coll. Heritage
Tre Jones, Sr., Kennedale
Isaiah Crawford, Sr., North Crowley
Avery Anderson, Sr., Northwest
Sammie Freeman, Sr., Northwest
Latrell Jossell, Jr., Keller Central
75 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Quintan Jackson, Sr., Benbrook
Jalen Jackson, Sr., Birdville
Ja’Lon Hunter, Sr., Bowie
Malcolm Mays, Sr., Bowie
Aaron Lelek, Sr., Brewer
Jahrad Taylor, Sr., Brewer
David Woosley, Sr., Brewer
Garrett Reynolds, Sr., Brock
Scott Thomas, Sr., Brock
Anthony Hunter, Sr., Burleson Centennial
Luis Hernandez, Sr., Castleberry
Isaiah Holland, Sr., Chisholm Trail
Forby Philips, Sr., Cleburne
Ronnie Sanders, Sr., Crowley
Jeremiah Keys, Sr., Dunbar
Eric Witt, Sr., Eastern Hills
James Brooks, Sr., Everman
Brandon Lewis, Sr., Fossil Ridge
Justice Bowers, Sr., FW Christian
Jacob Giunta, Sr., FW Christian
Luke Tolar, Sr., FW Christian
Myles McCray, Sr., Grace Prep
Cade Dudley, Sr., Granbury
Micah Tucker, Sr., Granbury
Davie Bauer, Sr., Grapevine
Spencer Bowers, Sr., Grapevine
Jackson Braun, Sr., Grapevine Faith
Logan Cornelison, Sr., Haltom
Michael Ayars, Sr., Joshua
Preston Hannah, Sr., Keller
Sherrod Poe, Sr., Kennedale
Jaden Smith, Sr., Kennedale
Tahlik Chavez, Sr., Lake Ridge
Kylan Phillips, Sr., Lamar
AJ Smith, Sr., Lamar
Tre Tennyson, Sr., Legacy
TJ Justus, Sr., Mansfield
Le’Jon Doss, Sr., Nolan Catholic
NaNa Osafo-Mensah, Sr., Nolan Catholic
Jayden Williams, Sr., Nolan Catholic
Nikola Vasiljevic, Sr., North Texas Central Academy
Isaiah Wyatt, Sr., North Crowley
Jay Gates, Sr., North Crowley
Chris Jordan, Sr., North Crowley
Billy Hill, Sr., Paschal
Jonthan McGhee, Sr., Poly
Landon Burrin, Sr., Richland
DJ Perkins, Sr., Saginaw
Mykelti Carelock, Sr., Seguin
Anthony Watkins, Sr., South Hills
Andrew Wyzykowski, Sr., Southwest
Artan Jabbar, Sr., SW Christian
CJ Smith, Sr., Timberview
Rodrigo Soares, Sr., Timberview
Tristan Starks, Sr., Timberview
Trazarien White, Sr., Timberview
Donovan Craddock, Sr., Trimble Tech
Bradley Mobley, Sr., Trimble Tech
Keanu Hill, Sr., Trinity
Andre Nunley, Sr., Trinity
Jonathan Morgan, Sr., Western Hills
JT Clark, Sr., Wyatt
Davion Younger, Sr., YMLA
Jarquavis Kent, Jr., Arlington
Jaedaun Slack, Jr., Arlington
Josh Joe, Jr., Birdville
Caleb Lewis, Jr., Burleson
Zach Bolf, Jr., Burleson Centennial
Brayden Gerlich, Jr., Coll. Heritage
Baylor Hebb, Jr., Coll. Heritage
Hayden Brittingham, Jr., Crowley
Brandon Lawrence, Jr., Grace Prep
Tanner Hill, Jr., Grapevine Faith
Kylil Anderson, Jr., Keller Central
Jaden Wells, Jr., LD Bell
Deng Alier, Jr., LD Bell
Montreal Pena, Jr., Martin
Julien Smith, Jr., Northwest
Jordyn Vicente, Jr., Timber Creek
Damon Gentry, Soph., Wyatt
Tyler Lundblade, Soph., Grapevine Faith
STATE RANKINGS
6A No. 9 North Crowley
5A No. 1 Timberview
5A No. 2 Northwest
5A No. 16 Brewer
4A No. 7 Dunbar
4A No. 8 Kennedale
3A No. 1 Brock
TAPPS 6A No. 6 Nolan Catholic
TAPPS 5A No. 5 FW Christian
TAPPS 5A No. 8 Grapevine Faith
TAPPS 5A No. 9 SW Christian
TAPPS 4A No. 1 Grace Prep
TAPPS 4A No. 3 Coll. Covenant
This story was originally published December 3, 2018 at 6:00 PM.