TEXAS' 2020 CLASS The Longhorns have ftve commitments for 2020, a group that's currently ranked loth nationally. All ftve are four-star prospects: Player Pos. School Note Mookie Cooper ATH St. Louis (Mo.) Trin. Cath. No. 4-rankcd ATH nationally Hudson Card J..ii-.-;6 Third•rankcd dual-threat QB in country Logan Parr OG San Antonio O'Connor Cycle's No. 4-ranked guard Jaylen Garth -OT Port Neches-Groves Fonner teammate of QB Roschon Johnson Jake Majors OT Prosper Ranked No. 27 on the initial 2020 Fab ss A glance at the boys UIL basl{etball playoff bracl{et By Thomas Jones tdjm~.:rtesman.com Toe UIL high school boys basketball playoffs begin Monday and will conclude March 7-9 at San Antonio's Alamodome. What area teams have the best chance of reaching state, and what will happen on the long and wind­ Connally Cougar point guard ing playoff rood? Ky!ln Robinson (l) leads a Let'snnswerafewguestions senior·laden Connally team as the postse'.lson tips off: that looks poised for a long Who are some famiiar faces playoff run - if it survives in this season's playoffs? a first-round game against Perhaps no sports streak dangerous Hutto. [JAM IE in the Austin area - and HARMS FOR ST Al ESMA.NJ certalnly none in basketball - canmatcbLBJ's22ndcon­ who are 23-10 and finished secutive seasons of winning the regular season tied for at least a share of a district second in District 13-6A, will title. Toe Jags, ranked No. have a chance t o snap that 15 by the Texas Association dubious streak when they of Basketball Coaches, won open the Class 6A playoffs District 25-5A this season and Tuesday against Langham open their playoff run Monday Creek. Behind high-scoring against Kerrville Tivy with an guards Ryan ward and carter undersized but deep roster led rorct, Round Rock bas already by 6-foot-2 guard Jordan Teal accumulated it s most wins and6-1guard 81ian hits. since 1976. LBJ's boys last missed the East View, in t h e postseason during the 1996- Georgetown school district, 97 season, which was head reached the playoffs for the coach Freddie Roland's first first time since beginning=­ season with the Jaguars. Who sity play in 2013 else bas a lengthy playoff Which players can carry their streak? First-year coach Mike team to a few playoff wins? Whitten guided Wimberley Vandegrift'sGrev Bnlwn Ill, a to a 19th consecutive playoff 6-foot-7 forward with offers berth, and forward Landon from almost every blue-blood Kirchner, who had a double­ collegiate program in the double in a win over Canyon country, bas already carried L.lA last week, leads a bal­ the Vipers to the playoffs; anced Texas attack. Vandegrift was 0 -5 in District Pflugerville, Liberty Hill 13-6AbeforeBrownretumed and Jarrell also have playoff from an injury and ended its streaks ofat least 14 years. ln district campaign with a 9-7 addition, McNeil reached the record playoffs for the 2Jrd time in Wes!L,kc forward Wil Baller, Coach Darrell Hagemann's 27 a 7-foot Texas signee, bas the seasons as the Round Rock tools to lead No. 6 WestU.eto scbool district campus. a return trip to tbestntetour­ And any new teams in the nament. Guards IU. Adams and postseason? Darius Mc:Sricle offer ideal com­ Round Rock, wltich opened plements to the Texas signee. in 1867, isn't new to the Don ' t over l oo k playoffs but has never won Hendrick.~n'sduoof6-8for­ a boys basketball playoff ward Dylan Disu and6-3 wing game, according t o coach Isaac Bullard, two college­ Brent Murphy. Toe Dragons, bound seniors who led the Hawks to the District 13- 6A title. OK, ~ has a good shot at WIIWllng Regloll IV. Who else has a chance to reach stale? In Class 5A's Reglo.n III, District 17-5A champion Cedar Park boasts a crafty coach in B Brown and a defensive-minded lineup led by 6-7 forward Josh Baker. DistrictrivalConnally,ranked No. 18 bytheTABC,features a senior-laden lineup led by point guard Kylin Robinson, guard Tyrone Perry and 6-8 fo1ward Eddie Burgess. Either team could make a run. r 1.. , - r . · bas a sterling 30-4 record and No. 16 rank­ ing in Class 6A, but injuries have wreaked bavoc on the Cavs' lineup. Don't overlook No. 22 Liberty Hill in Class 4A, which boasts an explosive offense led by sharp-shooting guard Carson Perkins. And Thorndale's Sam Reaves is a ~mooth scorer who can help the No. u Bulldogs get bot in Class2A. OK, l'ln ready 1w the playoffs. What are the best first-round games to see this weelc? Do yourself a favor and catch Manor point guard Jamal Shead and the District 18-5A champion Mustangs in a compelling matchup against Pflugerville Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Stony Point High School. Both teams lean toward guard-heavy lineups, whicbshouldmnkeforagood matchup. Dynamic point guud Jean-l'lerresancleBleadsadan­ gerous Hutto squad against Connally Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Weiss High School, and a Class 6A matchup between ...U ........aa and Schertz Clemens Mondny nt 7 p.m. nt San Marcos High School features an intriguing coach­ ing matchup between Clint Baty - the master of tempo for the Cavs - and Clemens' Clif Ellis, who once coached Macedonia's under-18 national team. UIL BOYS AND GIRL S BASKETBALL PLAY OFFS S CHEDULE GIRLS Guard REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL Bailff SCHEDULE Chynoweth, Monday left, Class6A and the Hendrickson vs. Cy Ranch, WesU:ikt 6 p.m., late Chaparrals Tuesday take on Class 6A Converse cedar Ridge vs. Vista Judson Ridge, 7 p.m., McNeil HS 'lllesday, WestluJ<t vs. Converse 6 p.m. at Judson, 6 p.m., San Marcos San Marcos HS High Class SA School Dripping Springs vs. in the Kerrville Tlvy, 7 p.m., llano regional HS quarter­ pflugerville vs. College finals of station, 6:30 p.m., Waco the6A Midway HS UIL state Class4A playoffs. Burnet vs. El Campo, 7 !JOHN p.m.. Smithville HS GI/TIERREZ/ liberty Hill vs. >OR Fredericksburg, 8 p.m., STATESMAN) Johnson City HS Class3A Tuesday Connally vs. Hutto, 7 p.m., Liberty Hill vs. canyon Lago Vista vs. Karnes City, Class6A welssHS Lai , 7 p.m., Dripping 7 p.m., Lehman HS Austin High vs. Steele, 6 Georgetown vs. Rouse, 7 Springs HS Class2A p.m., Seguin HS p.m., Cedar Ridge HS Wimberley vs. Salado, 7 Thorndale vs. San Saba. 7 Sowie vs. Converse Judson, Mccallum vs. SA Wagner, 7 p.m., Concordia University p.m.. Belton HS 7 p.m.. Lockhart HS p.m.. San Marcos HS Class3A BOYS Bl•DISTRICT Hendrickson vs. Bryan. 7 Pllugerville vs. Manor. 7 Blanco vs. Comfort. 7 p.m., SCHEDULE p.m.. Cameron Yoe HS p.m.. Stony Point HS Boerne HS Monday McNeil vs. CY Springs, 7:30 Reagan vs. SA Harlandale, Georgetown Gateway Class6A pm., Rudder HS, Bryan 7 p.m., Seguin HS vs. Marion, 7 p.m.. Cedar tw.. 1.-vs. Schertz Round Rock vs. Langham Dripping Springs vs. Creek HS Clemens, late creek, 7 p.m., Hearne HS Boerne Champion, 7:30 Lago Vista vs. SA Randolph, wes!wll. vs. SA East vandegrift vs. Cy Ranch, p.m., Canyon ti. HS 7 p.m., Marble Falls HS central, late 7 p.m .. A&M consolidated Class4A Luling vs. Edna, 7:30 p.m., Class SA HS, College Station Fredericksburg vs. Taylor, 6 Edna HS LBJ vs. Kerrville Tivy, late Class SA p.m., Marble Falls HS Class2A Class4A Cedar Park vs. East View. 7 Burnet vs. Soerne, 7 p.m., Thorndale vs. Burton, 6 La Grange vs. Stafford. late p.m.. liberty Hill HS Johnson City HS p,m .. Giddings HS Young prospects benefiting from Austin pro soccer spectacular goal fr-om a 11111. :._!;;:;' 11111. tight angle after for• ward Kleber Gladiador got caught from behind on a breakaway. 11111.•• ,· .. +· il.1'.-... The Bald faded in ~ the final tS minutes, ~ tbougb, and let St. - Louis forward Kyle hearrivalofpro­ • . ' J!;, ~-=~ Greig roam tree in the fessionaJ soccer in box tor an easy header. TAustin is already The Austin midfield pay;og dividends for I. ~ corps of Dario Conca. talented young play­ Sonny Guadarrama ers. There's no shortage and Xavier 83ez looks of local prospects shcteen•YNr-Okl Round Rode. soottomore Julan Gaines. strong, and it's clear who could us.ca little middle:, ls practicing full time with Austi.n Bold FC. Ht Serrano prefers bis extra attontion. played 45 minutes with stints at both w1ng Positions In teams to play with tho Wt week, wbco a scrimml ge agAinsl USl siclt SL LOuis FC II.SI wttk. ball al their feet ralbcr United Soccer League ISTr.PHCN Slllll.MAH/fOR SlATCSMAHI than press and counter. franchise Sl. Lollis FC The Bold goal came visited for a scrimmage without the pres­ Gaines will pby right off a cornor kick, with againsl Austin Bold ence of a pro team. away. but the player iSc trial signing Clay FC,theundcr-19boys "It's about time that in good bands with a Adams serving a cross development acadccuy we got our own USL coach who cares about to the lar post that Faris squad from Loocstar team aad MlS even­ developing young Abdi got a foot to. Soccer Club got }O tually coming, too. It talent. Bc.forccom­ Familia, faOf: It was minutes against the Romero said, "ft 's i.ng to Austin, Serrano cool tosoo Crc.ig.