Stony Point, Rouse, Westlake lead our top 10 Central Texas boys basketball teams
The top 10 boys high school basketball teams in Central Texas at the start of the season:
1. Stony Point
The two-time defending district champion Tigers return a plethora of talent from a team that went 32-2 and reached the regional tournament. Senior forward and Villanova signee Josiah Moseley is one of the best players in the state and leads a loaded roster that includes junior guard Uzziah Buntyn, senior guard Mac Goodlet Jr. — who just signed with Dallas Baptist —junior guard Landon Short, senior guard Alan Guyton Jr. and junior forward Davaughn Hueitt. Stony Point, which is in its second year under Antoine Thompson, is the clear-cut No. 1 team in Central Texas.
2. Rouse
Longtime Raiders coach Shane Krause has one of his best squads with senior guard and Siena pledge JoJo Moore leading the way. Senior Amarie Haywood is one of the area’s better post players, while senior guard Devin Brown marks the third returning starter for a team that went undefeated in District 25-5A, reached the third round of the playoffs and finished 27-9.
3. Westlake
The Chaps have perennially had 30-win teams under Robert Lucero, and this year doesn’t appear to be any different. Senior point guard Gavin Paull is a solid floor captain, while senior Wonder Kahozi was the District 26-6A defensive player of the year and is part of the area’s impressive number of talented post players. Forward Max Purushothaman is the team’s third starter back from a team that shared the District 26-6A title and went 31-5.
4. Lake Travis
New coach Brandon Shaver has a lot of talent to work with, starting with junior forward Hudson Greer, who was the area’s scoring leader last winter. He’ll be complemented by senior guards Chas Biegel and Hunter Duran, senior forward Jayden Thomas and junior guard Adrian Mathis, a transfer who spent last year playing in Italy. The Cavs may be the tallest team in the area with a starting lineup that could feature four players north of 6 feet 5. Lake Travis finished 26-8 a year ago.
5. Johnson
Senior forward Sam McKinney and senior guards Jaxson Vandegarde and Zeriah Kinkaid return as starters from a team that went 30-5, shared the District 26-6A title with Westlake and reached the third round of the playoffs. They’ll make the Jaguars a contender in the district again and a lock to reach the playoffs.
6. Connally
Three starters are back for the defending District 23-5A champions, who finished 27-10 last winter and will be the heavy favorite to repeat. Junior forward Mekhai Bryant, one of the area’s top and most athletic players, senior guard Jordan Wright and junior guard Josh Doe lead a talented roster that has aspirations of a deep playoff run.
7. St. Michael’s
The TAPPS Class 5A state runner-up will be a favorite again this year and have a solid roster paced by senior guard Hayes Pounds, sophomore guard Bo Ogden and junior forward Aiden Disu, a transfer from Hays. Junior guard Sugeeth Jinkal started for the Crusaders a year ago and will see an increased role.
8. Round Rock
The most intriguing team in the area has a new coach in Travis Levie and lost most of its offensive production, but it gets senior guard Jason Ward back from injury and has a lockdown defender in senior wing Leonard Moore. If senior forward Mason Cochran and junior forward Justin Lee make smooth transitions from football, the Dragons could threaten to win 20 games.
9. Glenn
Vista Ridge transfer Cade Hartley, a 6-foot-7 guard, immediately makes the Grizzlies a threat to compete for the District 25-5A title. He has Division I interest and joins returning starting senior guards Kash Winters and Jordan Thompson to provide solid experience. Glenn coach Jon Ortiz is one of the area’s underappreciated coaching minds.
10. Hendrickson
Senior guards Amir Thompson, Clint Smith and Spencer Distefano are back for a Hawks team that went 27-10 and won a playoff game. Thompson might be the best player you’ve never heard of, while Smith and Distefano are deadly 3-point shooters. Former Hutto assistant Kennon Dvorak is in his third year leading the program and seems to have things rolling.
— Colby Gordon
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Stony Point leads our list of Central Texas' top boys basketball teams
