End of January Difference Making Duos

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>January marked the start of a new year for high school basketball and many teams across the Greater Houston area were looking to make their mark on the hoops scene, and several groups of players stood out during competitive district play. Let's scout out a few duos that made big impacts in critical district contests for their squads. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2332862,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Adrian Johnson/Allen Paul","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024/2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Cypress Lakes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The duo of Class of 2024 athletes Adrian Johnson and Allen Paul was key in a big road district win over rival Cypress Woods last week to gain their first win in district. Johnson is a 6'8 post who uses his big frame and poise under pressure to finish with ease under the basket and put the layup/dunk up and over the defense. Adrian also shows ability as a versatile defender, able to guard all positions 1 through 5 and will surprise with his lateral quickness on the perimeter for a big man. Johnson can also pull up from long range when needed and drain the deep shot if his matchup leaves him enough space. Adrian recently has been improving his play greatly at a critical time in district when he is needed to step up in clutch situations as a leader on this Lakes squad. Allen Paul is a quick, shifty 6'3 combo guard who knows how to get to his spot and calmly drain the bucket over the defense with ease. Allen excels as the ballhandler in the pick and roll, while also able to drive to the rim with ease and get the layup to go. Paul has greatly risen his stock, continuing momentum from over the summer where he was relied upon as a go-to scorer and repeatedly ups his stock game after game. Look for both of these strong willed guys to gain multiple collegiate offers by end of the season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":2332865,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2028633' first='Trae' last='Lewis']/ [player_tooltip player_id='2281664' first='Michael' last='Rosario']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025/2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Grand Oaks","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"The 2025 guard backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='2028633' first='Trae' last='Lewis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2281664' first='Michael' last='Rosario'] were instrumental in a big away win for Grand Oaks over The Woodlands in clutch time heading into the second half of the district. This is my 2nd or 3rd time getting to watch Lewis since this summer and he has made big strides into showing he is not just a catch and shoot scorer. He hit several fadeaway off the dribble pullup jumpers over his matchup and completely changed the momentum of this game. Rosario's main impact he made was on the defensive end of the court and he was never afraid to get physical with the offensive player, notching several key turnovers for Grand Oaks and getting his team back into the contest from a halftime deficit. Michael was a very vocal leader in the backcourt this contest, facilitating for his squad and always knowing where his teammates were on the court at all times. I really like Michael's hustle as well, showing intensity and passion for the game even when the outcome was in doubt at times. These two are greatly raising their ranking with this type of play and will look to continue this impressive momentum into the second round of local play.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":2332879,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Bobby Roberts/Jaylan Brown","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024/2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Nacogdoches ","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"This was my first time getting to watch Nacogdoches in action this season and this duo was super impressive and high flying in the big time win to gain momentum for the Dragons in enemy territory. Jaylan Brown is a facilitating, 6'3 senior guard who can shoot the ball from range with great efficiency and sets up his teammates with precision; he knows how to get to his spot and make things happen with the basketball. Bobby Roberts is a 6'4 forward who has impeccable timing on the defensive end to rise up and block shots as well as coming down with several key rebounds in the post. What I found most impressive about Jaylan was his leadership and willingness to put his body on the line for loose balls and crashing the boards as a guard to help his team secure another second chance shot on the offensive end. Roberts was a big key defender for Nacogdoches in the paint and sent several shots away with ease, coming away with easily 5-6 blocks this contest. These two were extremely vocal the entire game, even when they were on the bench, holding their teammates accountable and focused. Just from this game alone, this easily has to be one of the most underrecruited/sleeper class of 2024 duos in the entire city of Houston and surrounding areas.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65b47f9dc3deb"} /-->