HOUSTON 2013-2014        

Houston's Big 3 - Jerry Johnson jr., Sasha Sobolev & Marlon Hunter

        A very high academic high school that sits outside of the Memphis city limits with an bulging enrollment of over 2,200 students. For the first time in MemphisHoopers.com Preseason Top Ten Poll, or any poll have the Mustangs of Houston coming in at No. 6 with a very solid group of young men. Coach William Buford in his fourth year at the school have these young men working very hard off and on the court. With three kids scoring over 29 on their ACT and with Sasha Sobolev notching a perfect score in combination with these kids already possessing a high basketball IQ, this will definitely be a special group in the making. Mustangs consist of all the tools this year to advance in postseason action with 16-AAA on a down beat, the opportunity to make some serious noise is right there in front of them accordingly. The big 3 at Houston of Jerry Johnson jr., Sasha Sobolev, & Marlon Hunter will lead this team with a solid supporting cast on deck with postseason advancement a goal since the last time the school made it to the Regionals was in 1997 respectively. Long time compadres and definitely a must with their best chance at hand.

      Senior Jerry Johnson (6'3 - 220 lbs., espn #) who had a good summer circuit season with Team Thad 17's is one of the best shooters in the city from all over the court especially from long range will make claim to be not only at Houston but in the city of Memphis respectively. His strong build to go along with his great ball handling skills will be a handful to handle on other teams game plan defense as his drives and slashes to the rim will be in strong fashion. Johnson shoots over 80% from the free throw so his drives are very vital as the game continues on in the important closing minutes with free throws always a factor in decision mode.

       Another senior who will contribute tremendously is Sasha Sobolev (6'8 - 205 lbs., rivals #) had a good 2013 summer circuit season with Memphis Falcons.  Sobolev overall basketball game plus his use of the pick & roll is very solid with a nice outside shot from mid range and will shoot from long range in solid form also. Rebounding has improved ten fold while he runs the court as good as any other big man in the city correspondingly. 

       Junior Marlon Hunter (6'3 - 195 lbs., espn #) had an extremely solid summer circuit season with the Arkansas Wings as they won the prestigious Nike Peach Jam and AAU Nationals in the bustling month of July. Hunter plays with a motor all the time that makes him the best defender on the ball club with his unselfish play also. His hard work ethic in the gym over the summer has translated into a deadly jump shot from all over the court and his athleticism will allow him to take it to the rim and dunk in strong fashion. Another solid senior and Academic All - American who notched a 30 on the ACT is Conner Tipsford (6'5 - 200 lbs., espn #) who is probably the most athletic player on the ball club with one of the quickest first steps in the city. Tipsford can shoot from mid range and plays around the rim with strong fashion.

     Senior Josh Davis (5'10 - 170 lbs., rivals #) who will play the number 1 spot for the Cougars has improved his game tremendously since last year. With many targets and scoring partners to dish off to he will excel in the assists department accordingly. Sophomore Justin Benton (6'2 - 165 lbs., rivals #) who had an extremely good summer circuit season with the older group MemphisHoopers.com basketball club will be a young man to keep your eyes on. Benton possesses a coaches dream shot - way above the head and definitely elevates at the same time with great precision. Also he can jump with the best in the city and watch out for some open court dunks on opponents this high school basketball season.    

    

       Houston will participate in two Hall of Fame games against Bolton on November 12, 2013 and one of those charter schools and how did that happen against Kipp Academy on November 14, 2013. They play in the 33rd Annual Martin Luther King Thanksgiving Tournament at Melrose High School from November 26 - 29, 2013. December 7, 2013 they match up with West Lake High school out of Atlanta in the 6th Annual Atlanta - Memphis Classic. They travel down to the sunny state of Florida in the coldest month of the year and play in the Gulf Coast Classic in Fort Walton Beach December 27-30, 2013. The finish off their outside schedule with a big boy matchup with national power house Oak Hill Academy in the Penny Hardaway Classic on 25, 2013 and will be the only game outside of the host school Dyer County.

       Junior Kalen Nicholson (6'0 - 180 lbs., rivals #) will play a lot of minutes and even start with his high motor and exceptional defense. Also he loves to play in the middle and bang with the big guys and holds his own to tee.

     Sophomore Chanse Pullen  (6'2 - 185 lbs.,  rivals #) will be one of the first players off the bench and is very athletic, who also like to play around the rim. Two seniors that will contribute at times will be Alex Zionek  (6'0 - 170 lbs.,  rivals #) who recorded a 31 on the ACT and will play combo guard and a good pick and roll player. Chris Porter  (5'7 - 170 lbs.,  rivals #) who is super quick and defense minded will contribute during the season accordingly. 

College Coaches: Diamond in the Rough Team with legitimate off the radar prospects via Division 1 potential, (college coaches click here).

 

Recap 11-10-2013

By: Harold Rivera

Roster:

Jerry Johnson	6'3	Senior
Sasha Sobolev	6'8	Senior
Conner Tipsford	6'5	Senior
Alex Zionek	6'0	Senior
Chris Porter	5'7	Senior
Marlon Hunter	6'3	Junior
Kalen Nicholson	6'1	Junior
Justin Benton	6'2	Sophomore
Chanse Pullen	6'2	Sophomore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home/font>

About Us

Contact Us

Feedback

Help

Register

Recap 8-25-2005

BY : ANDRE WHITEHEAD OF TENNESSEE PREP HOOPS

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I think there is a book that starts off that way, but I digress.

The anticipation of the upcoming AAU or summer campaign was alive and kicking all over the country in May of 2005, especially in Memphis.

The expectations seemed enormous, having finished second in the 17 and under nationals last season as 16's the Memphis YOMCA seemed primed for the ultimate run.

Something happened on the way to the gym.

It was apparent the Bluff City faithful were not the only parties interested in getting a piece of the star studded squad.

Adidas wanted to get a foothold in the ever burgeoning Memphis hoop scene and this seemed to be the initial move to start this particular ball
rolling.

So the YOMCA was no longer in the loop and the Memphis Pump-N-Run were officially born.

TTaking a peek at the roster one could not blame Adidas for their bold move. Thaddeus Young, Willie Kemp, Wayne Chism, Pierre Niles and Brandon Powell made up a nucleus that would surely lead Team Memphis to the promised land.

The summer campaign started with a most interesting scenario as the "PNR" lost a game to the Mid-State Ballerz, who ironically had Willie Kemp running the show. This was an illusion that would soon change, as Kemp
shortly thereafter joined the PNR.

With all their ducks in a row, the PNR set out to establish themselves and put a benchmark on the national attention that would follow.

The Real Deal on the Hill, the first major tournament of the summer that coaches could attend. The pundits pined for the impending matchup between Team Memphis and the defending mythical goliath The Indy Spiece Heat. The Heat were led by the consensus top player in the class Greg Oden and numerous other high level prospects who could actually match the
PNR with name recognition.br>
The reputation was established and the aura of the PNR was created as the boys from Memphis soundly defeated the Heat and made a huge cry across the land as the best summer squad in existence.

Another funny thing happened on the way to their future endeavors, nothing.

For some inexplicable reason the PNR did not suit up for any of the Memorial Day festivities and was sparsely seen until the Adidas Super 64 in Atlanta, following the shoe camps.

The aforementioned players participated in various high level exposure camps and the three major shoe camps and kept their names on the tongues of coaches nationwide.

After achieving individual success at these various camps, the boys got back together with the purpose of putting the finishing touches on a grand and final run through the top programs the country had to offer. They added Ridgeway jumping jack Ernest Fields and ECS powerhouse Tim Johnson to the fold and things looked bright.

Once again a funny thing happened on the way to the gym.

The time off and the lack of continuity played havoc on the chemistry of the PNR and they bowed out early in Atlanta.

Heading to Las Vegas for the final big time event of the summer, the PNR seemed poised and ready to achieve. After dominating pool play the lack of chemistry once again reared it's ugly head and some resentment among the players seemed to end this summer campaign on a sour note.

This team had the potential to be one of the best of all time. It is truly unclear what precipitated these events that grounded this team for much of the latter portion of May and June, but it truly had it's effect on their success.

None the less these kids are part of the best class of seniors to dot the Tennessee landscape in many years.

The decision to completely disassociate themselves with the
organization that they grew up playing for in retrospect now seems like a mistake. The YOMCA will continue on with quality younger teams and what to make of the Adidas affiliation with the Bluff City at this juncture is
unclear.

BY : ANDRE WHITEHEAD OF TENNESSEE PREP HOOPS