As the holiday break inches closer, fall sports have come to a close opening up to another season of Tomball Basketball. This year both teams are fairly young with new additions to both coaching staffs as well as new players suiting up in the Cougar red and white for the first time.

Boys: 5-7 

Coming into this year the Tomball Boys Basketball team looks to build off of and eventually surpass what was established by last year’s senior class. Although the boys placed fifth, just one game shy of a playoff spot, lots of good came from last season.

Not many expected the boys to win a single game in district play, nonetheless five, especially with a coaching change right before school started. Head Coach Mitchell Doty was able to create a new culture of higher expectations, through everyone buying into something that is bigger than any individual, the program.

The idea of “swinging the hammer”, working hard day in and day out is what Coach Doty puts into the program and what is expected from the boys which has paid off so far into his second year. While the win column may not show immediate success, there has been lots of growth.

For example, many of these non-district games and tournaments that the boys played in, have been against some of the best teams in the Greater Houston Area that host high-level talent. The goal is to play multiple, high-level games in preparation for the tough, and well-recognized, 15-6A district.

With a brand new hire at the Assistant Coach position in Kevin Grider and returning players such as Second Team All-District Guard, Ivan Marquez, Second Team All-District Wing, Manuel Ruiz, Honorable Mention All-District Guard, Jordan Conner, the new addition of senior point guard Brunel Stewart, the boys truly have the potential to do well and fight for one of four playoff positions.

Girls: 8-6 

Over the off-season, Tomball Girls Basketball started fresh by rebuilding and looking to turn over to a new chapter with the addition of a brand new Head Coach, Michelle Richardson, and a brand new Assistant Coach, Tracey Waller.

What is truly special about the duo of Coach Richardson and Coach Waller is the experience that they are bringing to Tomball after coaching together for twenty-two years.

This year the girls have the perfect balance of returners and newcomers. Some Senior veterans are Irie Spry, Brenli Ottingern, and Amelie Grostabussiat as well as younger returners in Carly Metz, Theresa Gaetz, Zoe Dauer, Kylee Symons, Kaydence Tobola, Mallory Lehmann, Danielle Oyakhire paired with newcomers in Caitlyn Hamilton and Callia James allows the girls to play together and the coaching staff to build off of the unity into establishing a new, winning culture within the program which has already kick-started.

Through 14 non-district games, the girls host a record of 8-6 with notable wins over perennial powerhouses Kingwood Park, 50-35, and Lufkin 56-29 preparing them for what’s to come in district.