Region III- 6A Semifinals Recap & Top Performers: Houston Area

Atascocita (76)-Fort Bend Ridge Point (41)

The Texas UIL Region III-6A Semifinals began with complete domination by the team widely considered the best in the Houston area.  Atascocita (Humble, TX) was too physical, too athletic & too tough for Fort Bend Ridge Point (Missouri City, TX), Tuesday evening. Atascocita used their stifling man-to-man defense to completely discombobulate Ridge Point’s usual free-flowing, drive-and-kick offensive attack, holding Ridge Point to 4 points and 0/10 from the field in the second quarter. Atascocita is a well-coached team defensively that moves their feet well laterally from the guards to the bigs. They close out to shooters with discipline and play on a string collectively, knowing when to help and doing so with minimal fouling. Atascocita held Ridge Point to 25% shooting from the field overall and 24% from three for the game. The better team was apparent from the opening tip as Atascocita easily advanced to the Region III-6A Finals.

#13 Justin Collins (Atascocita- 2021) Justin Collins handled most of the ball-handling duties against Ridge Point and did a bit of everything, showcasing his all-around game. The 6-foot-3 lefty finishes at the rim thru contact and showed touch on floaters. Collins handles the ball with a hesitation skip that keeps defenders on their toes and allows him to accelerate past them. The Arkansas-Cossatot commit is an unselfish player that's a willing rebounder with the ability to guard multiple positions and is fast in transition.

#0 Region III- 6A Semifinals Recap & Top Performers: Houston Area Region III- 6A Semifinals Recap & Top Performers: Houston Area III (Atascocita- 2021) Tom Hart Tom Hart 6'1" | PG Humble Atascocita | 2021 State TX III was impressive for Atascocita. He has a physically mature body and uses it to be a physical finisher at the rim with body control. Hart III has a tight handle in space and uses his strong body to ward off defenders once he has a step on them. He’s an excellent on-ball defender that plays with active hands. Hart III has no wasted movement in his shot prep or release. He is a consistent knockdown shooter off the catch with excellent footwork and mechanics that looks the exact same every single shot attempt. Hart III is a competitor that can force turnovers and finish above the rim in space. He was all over the court for the Eagles.

#1 Kaleb Stewart Kaleb Stewart 6'1" | PG Humble Atascocita | 2021 State #242 Nation TX (Atascocita- 2021) Kaleb Stewart Kaleb Stewart 6'1" | PG Humble Atascocita | 2021 State #242 Nation TX showed why he’s a reigning District MVP and a future Division 1 hooper. Stewart uses both hands so well that one might think he's a lefty before seeing him shoot a jump shot. His ability to use the glass from different angles allows him to be a creative, ambidextrous finisher around the rim that also moves the ball well in the half-court. His transition to Division 1 basketball will be helped by him being used to sharing ball-handling duties with two other guards that are well capable of being Atascocita’s best player on any given night. Stewart is a tough guard to score on at the high school level with his 6-foot-3 physical tools & basketball IQ. He sits down in his stance, moves tremendously laterally & doesn’t gamble unnecessarily. He showed his defensive IQ and toughness off the ball as well, rotating to the rim to take a charge in the 3^rd quarter. Stewart is a winning player that will fit in well with Louisiana Tech’s hard-nosed defensive style.

#3 Caleb Hill (Fort Bend Ridge Point- 2021) Caleb Hill is a quick guard that can get in the lane and kick out to shooters in the half-court. Hill was also a blur in transition after disrupting passing lanes. He displayed his deep shooting range with his feet set, hitting multiple threes well beyond NBA range. Hill played with great energy well after the game was no longer in doubt. Hill’s build indicates that he can add even more muscle and continue homing in on his scoring ability if he’s able to maintain his quickness in the process.

Summer Creek (57)-Fort Bend Elkins (52)

The second matchup of the day saw Summer Creek (Houston, TX) avenged their season-opening loss to the Fort Bend Elkins Knights from Missouri City (Elkins won the first matchup 76-69). Summer Creek learned from Elkins' only other loss this season and utilized a 3-2 zone throughout the game that hampered Elkins’ ability to create an effective flow in the half court. Despite Elkins’ inability to catch a rhythm offensively, they were able to take a one-point lead into the 4^th quarter. In the 4th quarter, Summer Creek got the stops they needed, showed championship toughness, and executed down the stretch. They were able to pull away to advance to the Region III Finals to play against 21-6A District rival, Atascocita for the third time this season (Atascocita won the first two matchups this season 68-58 & 54-52, respectively).

#0 Jaylon Johnson (Summer Creek- 2022) Jaylon Johnson is a super shifty guard with the makings of an elite handle. Johnson is tough to stay in front of with the ball in his hands due to his quick-twitch and pull-up ability. While not being the biggest, he showed tremendous touch on floaters in the lane- hitting one as deep as the foul line. Johnson also has the ability to play off the ball due to being a knockdown shooter with time and space. Johnson set the tone early for his team and is a guard worth keeping an eye on going into his senior season.

#3 Jakeel Registe (Summer Creek- 2024) While only being a freshman, Jakeel Registe played beyond his years in a big-time game. Registe showed some skill with a euro-step finish driving baseline and an elbow jumper off a fake DHO in the 4^th quarter. He also competed in the paint on both ends, displaying an impressive wall-up contest at the rim coupled with a tough offensive rebound putback in traffic in the closing minutes. Registe also nailed a huge free throw to help Summer Creek put the game away in the final seconds. Registe is a good athlete that competes and is not scared of the moment. He stepped up when his team needed it the most and should continue being a player of note over the next three seasons.

#4 Amaree Abram Amaree Abram 6'4" | PG Southern California Academy | 2022 CA-S (Summer Creek- 2022) Amaree Abram Amaree Abram 6'4" | PG Southern California Academy | 2022 CA-S handled most of the ball-handling responsibilities for Summer Creek. The 6-foot-3 lefty lulls his defenders to sleep with hesitation between the legs dribbles before deciding if he wants to drive or pull up. Abram is an ambitious slasher with the ability to finish thru contact and knockdown threes with his feet set. While more of a scorer at this stage, Abram is a willing passer and should improve in that area with another year of high school left to play. Abram holds multiple Division 1 offers and should receive even more over the next year.

#15 Reyce Allen (Summer Creek- 2021) Reyce Allen was the toughest player on the floor for either team. He constantly outmuscled and out-toughed Elkins’players while being active throughout. Allen finished thru contact at the rim and dove on loose balls, being the first to hit the floor. He also displayed rim-protecting ability, swatting away a floater attempt in the 3rd quarter. Allen’s activity on the glass and winning plays on both ends are vital to winning championships and Allen, along with fellow senior Steven Sawyer, is a huge reason why Summer Creek has a chance to make it to the state tournament.

#2 Jacolbi Harris Jacolbi Harris 6'3" | PG Fort Bend Elkins | 2020 TX (Fort Bend Elkins- 2021) Jacolbi Harris Jacolbi Harris 6'3" | PG Fort Bend Elkins | 2020 TX is a floor general in every sense. Harris plays with tremendous pace and feel beyond his years. He showed the ability to get defenders in the air with pump fakes while utilizing step-throughs & finishing at the rim with either hand thru contact or with a floater with touch. He’s at his best in transition, utilizing his change of direction ability, hesitation dribble, and one-step ahead vision. In the 1st quarter, Harris showed his talent in the open floor with a between the legs hesitation into a gather fallaway jumper in the lane over a taller defender. While usually being one of the smallest players on the floor, Harris is not afraid to put his head down and get to the rim against multiple defenders if his team needs a bucket while being a smart ball mover in the half-court as well. He repeatably was in the right spot and stuck his nose in traffic to steal tough rebounds from and over bigger players. Harris is a fiery leader that knows how to work the crowd and the refs while also keeping his teammates engaged. Harris has played all four years of high school basketball on varsity and plays his best when the lights are brightest. He deserves an opportunity to play college ball at some level.