Good for Houston: Its PG has settled in
It didn’t take long for Houston’s starting point guard Justin Frison to get adjusted to the speed and physicality of Division 1 Class 4A basketball. It also didn’t take a full season for Frison to show his impact. In Friday…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIt didn’t take long for Houston’s starting point guard Justin Frison to get adjusted to the speed and physicality of Division 1 Class 4A basketball.
It also didn’t take a full season for Frison to show his impact.
In Friday night’s 60-50 road win at Collierville, the freshman scored seven of his 15 points in the fourth quarter that helped the Mustangs maintain a big-enough lead before the final buzzer sounded. Houston held a 38-27 lead early in the third quarter. That cushion quickly vanished after the Dragons’ went on a quick 7-0 run to get within four.
The Mustangs (15-12) had self-inflicted wounds throughout the contest, anything from bad shot attempts to missed defensive assignments. There were too many times Houston was stagnant on offense when Frison didn’t have the basketball in his hands. Since the start of the 2023 season, Frison has been the program’s best decision maker and only true ball handler with a high basketball IQ.
Things could have gotten out of hand if Frison didn’t have the basketball in his hands in the fourth quarter. Trailing by 10 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Collierville cut it to single digits twice. Senior guard Kylan Clark converted on a 3-point play before Frison scored the team’s final four points.
“I’m just happy to be able to make plays and get the win,” said Frison, who went 5 for 6 from the free throw line. “We really need this before the district tournament, so I was willing to do anything to win.”
Houston can use some momentum heading into the 4A District 15 Tournament after having an up and down regular season, which included a four-game losing streak from Nov. 28 to Dec. 12, blowout losses to Briarcrest Christian and Cordova and a surprisingly road loss to sixth place Arlington.
The Mustangs, who are 4-5 in district play, are on a two-game winning streak, with games against the Wolfpack (8-1, No. 1 in the district) and Southwind (4-4, No. 3 in the district) next Tuesday and Friday, respectively. Getting, at least, one win could bolster Houston’s confidence. Frison knows the importance of playing well heading into the postseason, but also acknowledges his play is vital to the team’s chances.
”I just try not to put so much stress on myself,” Frison said. “I just go out there stress-free, don’t overthink it and just try to lead my team by example, talk to them and bond with my guys.”