Turkey Leg Hut drama continues
Tis might be one of the shadiest moves I’ve seen in a hot minute. Lynndell “Lynn” Price, the former co-owner of Turkey Leg Hut, opened up a new grilled oyster pop-up. Sounds like good news at frst until I learned that it was located directly across the street from Turkey Leg Hut, the popular restaurant he built and was later fred from by his estranged wife and co-founder Nakia Holmes, due to alleged “potential fnancial mismanagement” at the restaurant. Turkey Leg Hut has been in hot water since the public and heated divorce between the couple due to allegations of abuse by Holmes and the fling of a temporary restraining order against Price last year.
Kugali co-founders because during an interview with BBC in 2019, they were asked about designs on becoming the next Disney, and the response was, “We’ll kick Disney’s a** in Africa.” Tey felt Disney’s storytelling at the time was repetitive and wondered why they didn’t explore African stories, considering the diversity in the motherland. Eventually, as the series grew in popularity, Disney knew what was up. Not only does the limited series focus on Nigeria thriving in a high-tech future, but it also shows elements of the daily hustle of Nigerians. Te series is now airing on Disney+.
LGBTQ+ advocacy group takes on
Texas AG in fght for transgender rights
I’ve been to the location a few times, (that’s if you’re lucky to get a seat with its extremely long wait lines), and the food is flling, and vibes are great. However, the restaurant is known for its drama rather than its signature stufed Turkey Legs, which is quite unfortunate. I’m not knocking Price’s new business venture because it’s clearly making waves. I hope the acrimony between these two can end so that the beef doesn’t overshadow what these two have created in the Black culinary space.
Disney introduces new Pan-African animated series
Walt Disney Animation Studios, in collaboration with the pan-African entertainment company Kugali Media, introduced a “frst-of-its-kind” animated series set in futuristic Lagos, Nigeria, called Iwájú. Te animation team at Kugali Media took nearly fve years to bring this comic book series to life. Te exciting coming-of-age story follows Tola, a young girl from the wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole, a self-taught tech expert who lives on the mainland, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their diferent worlds. Tis comes as a full circle moment for the
Te battle for transgender rights took a new turn as the LGBTQ+ advocacy group PFLAG National decided to sue Texas Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton. Why? Well, the AG’s ofce wants PFLAG to hand over documents on its support for transgender kids getting medical care that afrms their gender identity, and the group was having none of it. Te lawsuit accuses Paxton’s crew of playing detective, trying to fgure out which Texas families are looking out for their transgender teens. Invasion of privacy much? Te group’s CEO, Brian Bond, called the whole thing “petty and invasive.” Tis isn’t the frst time Texas has tried to mess with PFLAG. In 2022, the state started investigating families with transgender kids, treating it like potential child abuse, but the judge shut that down. Now, the state is looking for round two.
On The Web
• New HISD mandate brings cuts to wraparound and homeless services ofces.
• Find out a few ways to observe Women’s History Month.
• Higher Dimension Church pastors share advice for fnding the right partner.
Houston area residents turned out to vote on Super Tuesday, casting their ballots in the Democratic and Republican primaries to help the political parties select their nominees for the general election in November. On the ballots are races for U.S. president and Congressional seats, the Texas House and Texas Senate, Harris County competitions for district attorney, sheriff and several judgeships.
Sheila Jackson Lee v. Amanda Edwards
Sheila Jackson Lee, coming off a runoff defeat against John Whitmire in the race for Houston mayor, held off challenger, former Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards in the Democratic primary for Texas’ 18th Congressional District race. Edwards had dropped out of the mayor’s race and decided to seek Jackson’ Lee’s seat when the longtime congresswoman announced her mayoral candidacy. Jackson Lee has faced challengers only a handful of times in her nearly three-decade House career and defeated each definitively. She received 59.94% of the vote to Edwards’s 37.38%. Jackson Lee has never been seriously challenged in a general election since she first took office in 1995.
Harris County District Attorney
Kim Ogg, a twoterm incumbent, was unseated in the Democratic primary election by challenger Sean Teare. Teare, who spent six years working under Ogg as a prosecutor, received 75% of the vote, compared to 25% for Ogg. Teare will face Dan Simons, in November’s general election.
Colin Allred to take on
Ted Cruz
Former NFL player Colin
Allred was the clear favorite among Harris County early voters in the Democratic primary for the senate seat currently held by Ted Cruz, receiving 69.3% in a nine-candidate race. Allred will now take a shot at dethroning Cruz from what some believe could be a vulnerable Republican seat.
The Defender broke the story of three Black women in an all-out fight for district judicial seats, each who claimed their competitiors were using “underhanded tactics” to have them removed from the ballot. The three women all emerged victorious.
Amber Boyd Cora defeated Peter Kelly, 59.71% to 40.29%. Erica Hughes
defeated Mike Engelhart 60.91% to 30.09%. And Takasha Francis beat Robert K. Schaffer 55.50% to 44.50%.
Other races
Incumbent County Attorney
Christian Menefee received 69.9% of the vote in his race against Umeka Lewis, while Sheriff Ed Gonzalez garnered 70.3% despite having three challengers. Gonzalez will face Mike Knox, a fellow former member of the Houston City Council, in November. The six-candidate race to succeed Whitmire in Texas Senate District 15 appeared headed to a runoff based on early voting results.
State Rep. Jarvis Johnson of Texas House District 139 received 36.13% of the vote, while community organizer and emergency room nurse Molly Cook — who lost to Whitmire in the Democratic primary in
2022 — got 20.65%.
The race to replace Johnson in the Texas House also seemed destined for a runoff after early voting, with Angie Thibodeaux garnering 31.4% of the vote in a five-candidate race. Johnson’s ex-wife, Charlene Ward Johnson, was second with 26.3% of the early vote.
State Rep. Shawn Thierry of House District 146, will go into the runoff with Lauren Ashley Simmons, after failing to secure 50% of the vote. Thierry’s 44.41% was just below Simmons’ 49.50%. Thierry drew criticism from fellow Democrats for breaking party lines and voting in support of three anti-LGBTQ bills last year.
State Rep. Harold Dutton faced three challengers in the Democratic primary for Texas House District 142 but won with 60.51% of the vote.
In the Tax Assessor race, Annette Ramirez (40.6%) and Desiree Broadnax (17.5%) will go to a runoff, after either failed to secure 50% in the crowded field that saw the defeat of Danielle Bess, Jerry Davis and Claude Cummings III.
The National Urban League’s annual “State of Black America” (SOBA) is always one of the most highly-anticipated benchmarks and sources for thought leadership around racial equality in America. From 1976 to this present moment, the SOBA regularly explores inequities across economics, employment, education, health, housing, criminal justice, and civic participation systems through insightful research and penetrating commentary.
This year is more of the same… but diferent.
Te Civil Rights Act of 1964 has been transformative in changing American life in a material way. Doors have been opened, and new access has been achieved. But the promise of full equality remains elusive.
For Black America, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the frst time that the United States government addressed the racial caste system that had been protected for centuries by unjust laws and systemic brutality of nonwhite people in this country.
Sixty years later, the fght for equality is far from over.
Te SOBA 2024, “Te Civil Rights Act of 1964: 60 Years Later,” paints a picture of American life before and afer the passage
of “America’s Magna Carta.” Tis year’s contributing authors use their experiences as elected ofcials, civil rights advocates, and esteemed academics to analyze the ways in which each title of the act created the nation we know today. Tey also unpack the threats to the freedoms protected by the law and share their perspective on strengthening civil rights protections for the 21st century.
“Te Civil Rights Act of 1964 promised ‘a more abiding commitment to freedom, a more constant pursuit of justice, and a deeper respect for human dignity,” National
Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “Sixty years later, our ‘abiding commitment to freedom’ is undermined by discriminatory voter ID laws, gerrymandering, the shuttering of polling places in predominantly minority neighborhoods, limits on early voting, and reckless purging of voter rolls.
“Our ‘pursuit of justice’ is derailed by persistent racism in policing and sentencing, the dismantling of diversity and inclusion policies in employment and education, and lack of access to fnancial services, housing and healthcare. And our ‘respect for human
dignity’ is called into question by an unraveling social safety net, a poverty-level federal minimum wage, and other economic policies that uplif the wealthy at the expense of working families,” Morial added.
Te 2024 Equality Index, the National Urban League’s semi-annual calculation of the social and economic status of African Americans relative to whites, is 75.7, an increase of 1.8% from the 2022 Index of 2022. Rooted in the Tree-Fifhs Compromise of 1787, which counted enslaved African Americans as “three-ffhs” of a person, the Index would be 100% under full equality.
“In 20 years, the overall Equality Index has moved 2.7%,” Morial said. “At this rate, it will take another 180 years to achieve parity.”
Tis year’s report includes a special progress report on the Biden Administration’s commitment to racial justice. In 2020, Joe Biden became the frst general election candidate to put forward a policy agenda for Black America, Lif Every Voice. Tree years into his presidency, the National Urban League has evaluated his commitments and tracked his accomplishments and the business that remains unfnished.
See more at StateOfBlackAmerica.org.
NNPA
In a move toward easing the fnancial burden on working families, Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a comprehensive set of measures to lower childcare costs and provide crucial support for early educators. Te White House noted in a Fact Sheet that the initiative aligns closely with President Biden’s historic Executive Order on Care. Te White House said the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fnalized a rule that bolsters the Childcare & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program, a cornerstone for childcare assistance benefting over a million families monthly.
Under the new rule, families participating in CCDBG will now face a cap on co-payments, limiting them to no more than 7% of their income. Administration ofcials asserted that the move is expected to alleviate the signifcant fnancial strain that high co-payments have placed on working families, particularly those with low incomes. Te HHS projects that more than 100,000 families will see their co-payments reduced or eliminated due to these reforms.
Moreover, the rule urges states to eliminate co-payments entirely for families facing specifc challenges, such as those with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, in foster care, in Head Start, and families at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.
Financial relief is not limited to families alone. Ofcials said the rule also addresses the challenges faced by childcare providers. States must now pay CCDBG providers more fairly and on time, which is designed to improve fnancial
stability for approximately 140,000 childcare providers. Tis change is anticipated to incentivize more providers to participate in the CCDBG program, leading to a broader range of childcare options for families.
Additionally, the rule seeks to streamline access to CCDBG subsidies by encouraging states to adopt online applications for enrollment, which reduces the paperwork burdens currently faced by families, with nearly one-third
The White House says comprehensive reforms underscore the Biden-Harris team’s commitment to addressing working families’ pressing challenges, making quality childcare more accessible and afordable for all. Getty Images
June Deadrick, who made history recently as the Houston Harris County Sports Authority Host committee Chair for the 2024 College Football Championship Game, has been named VP, Community Relations for Centerpoint Energy. Deadrick was previously the Director of State & Federal Relations (Government Afairs) for CenterPoint Energy. Before assuming her current post, she served as Senior Specialist with Reliant Energy’s Government Afairs Division and Manager of Government Afairs for CenterPoint Energy. Prior to joining Reliant Energy, June served as the constituent services director for two members of the Houston City Council, Chris Bell and Judson Robinson, III.
Houston City Council has named Tomas Jones, president of the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity, to one of two seats it controls on the Port Commission, which runs Port Houston, the busiest ship channel in the country: the port generates about $439 billion in statewide economic value per year. Jones will take a seat that
came open when Cheryl Creuzot, appointed by the council under former Mayor Sylvester Turner, decided to leave the board afer her second two-year term. Commissioners can serve up to six terms on the unpaid board and usually stay on it for many years.
Afer over 20 years on the federal bench Vanessa Gilmore retired on Jan. 2, 2022. She lef a stellar career in her wake as a veritable who’s who of state change agents gathered to wish her well. For Gilmore’s part, she let everyone in attendance know she was looking forward to what the future had in store for her. Now we know that future includes
Roberts Markland LLP, a leading law frm renowned for its commitment to legal excellence and community engagement. In 1994, when Gilmore was sworn in as a judge, she became the youngest sitting federal judge in the nation. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton and became the frst University of Houston graduate to be appointed to the federal bench.
Safest places in Houston according to crimegrade.org. The safest areas are in dark green. The least safe areas are in red.
By Aswad Walker
It’s hard to get a true read on crime in Houston because even though most numbers show crime decreasing, many Houstonians don’t “feel” safe, as is seen by crime consistently topping the list of resident/voter concerns.
Case in point, after a local and national spike in violent crimes during the COVID19 pandemic (2020-21), crime numbers have gone down. Last fall, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner held a press conference announcing that the city’s overall violent crime rate was down by 12% and overall crime was down by 6%.
At the time, even though property crimes and auto thefts increased by 14% and burglaries increased by 2%, Houston’s crime had decreased in several categories:
Homicides (27%)
Human trafficking (23%)
Kidnappings (19%)
Aggravated assaults (12%)
Robberies (10%)
Rapes (6%)
Thefts (10%)
Non-violent crimes (5%)
And even as then-Mayor Sylvester Turner’s
One Safe Houston initiative was largely credited with the crime reduction numbers, when it came time for Houstonians to elect a new mayor in November 2023, crime was the leading issue and the main talking point of the eventual winner, Houston’s current mayor, John Whitmire.
The large focus politicians and broadcast media place upon crime becomes magnified with reports like the one released by PropertyClub said “The most dangerous neighborhood in Houston is Sunnyside due to its extremely high crime rate, which has only risen in recent years. The crime rate in Sunnyside is 92 per 1,000 people, meaning residents have a one in 11 chance of being the victim of a crime. Some of the most common violent crimes in the neighborhood are robbery, assaults, and to a lesser degree, murder.”
Where, then, is the disconnect?
Nationally, reporters in America’s largest urban cities all share the same testimony: residents’ perceptions of crime levels depend less upon actual crime stats than on their news source of choice, with more conservative local and national news programs painting a picture of crime that’s bleaker than reality.
These reporters contend Republican politicians score points with their base by demonizing “urban” areas with large Black populations as bastions of crime. The result: even though crime numbers are down, many people feel less safe and are voting accordingly.
There’s also the reality that any crime committed makes the victim and all who learn of that crime, feel less safe, regardless of what the numbers say.
Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) chimed in with their “Top 10
most dangerous zip codes in Houston” based on an FBI analysis of HPD data including 911 calls, crime severity, and felonies associated with those crimes:
1. 77036
robberies, thefts, and assaults are down, but not by much, while auto thefts and sexual assaults are both up.
Also of note, white-collar crimes that historically do more damage to cities, economic and otherwise, than all other crimes combined, including redlining, discriminatory hiring, environmental polluting, and subprime mortgage loans, rarely, if ever, enter the conversation when voters, politicians, and police discuss crime.
Neither do crimes of abuse inflicted upon Blacks and Hispanics by the legal system.
Still, as of January 2024, according to the ABC13 Neighborhood Safety Tracker, homicides in Houston are down by about 20%. Other crimes are down, including burglaries,
One of Whitmire’s solutions for reducing crime rates is getting repeat offenders off the streets and before judges.
“There are 900 people on
Even the framing of the conversation leads people to feel more on edge about crime. For example, online apartment finder, PropertyClub used 2021 and 2022 crime statistics to list the “10 most dangerous neighborhoods in Houston.”
Here is how PropertyClub presented their findings:
1
Sunnyside: Most common for murder, robbery, assaults
2
MacGregor: One of the most dangerous areas in the United States.
3 Sharpstown: Firearm-related violent crime was 67% higher than the Houston rate.
4
Greenspoint: HPD has put a lot of effort into establishing law and order in the area, but it hasn’t worked.
5
Far North: Violent crime is happening at 2,455 per 100,000 people.
6
the streets of Houston charged with murder or capital murder waiting to go to court to be held accountable, a very dangerous group,” Whitmire said in January.
Whitmire’s other priority is to increase HPD recruitment numbers as the department, like most nationally, is struggling to fill vacancies.
Last November, Finner announced “Project Safe View,” his plan to get more residents and businesses to purchase and install surveillance cameras and license plate readers that hold data for 30 days.
“If you know that every time that you’re doing something, you’re going to be on somebody’s camera, you’re going to think twice about it,”
Finner explained. “If you are brave enough to do it, we have that footage.”
Northeast: The violent crime rate is 197% higher than the national average.
7
Northwest: The area is more dangerous than 86% of other neighborhoods in Texas.
8
East End: The violent crime rate in this area is also 101% higher than the US national average.
9
Sugarland: It’s not a great place to raise your kids.
10
Pasadena: Crimes such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape, or murder are high in this neighborhood.
Te legal community, family, friends and others are mourning the loss of Judge Morris Overstreet, a trailblazer who made history as the frst African American elected to a judicial ofce in Texas. Overstreet, who passed away at age 73, lef an indelible mark on the judiciary and legal education landscape.
Born in Amarillo, Texas, on July 10, 1950, to Nora Odessa Johnson and West Overstreet Jr., Morris Overstreet’s journey
sociology, biology, and chemistry, graduating in 1972. He then pursued his passion for law at Texas Southern University in Houston, earning his law degree and passing the bar in 1975.
Returning to his roots in Amarillo, Overstreet began his legal career at the District Attorney’s ofce. Over fve years, he ascended to the role of First Assistant District Attorney, becoming the frst African American in Potter County to hold such a position. His dedication and legal acumen were evident as he transitioned to private practice from 1981 to 1986, before serving as Presiding Judge for the Potter County Court from 1987 to 1991, a position to which he was
Friday, March 8, 2024, 5pm-7pm
McCoy and Harrison Funeral Home 4918 Martin Luther King Blvd. Houston, Texas 77021
Funeral Service:
Saturday, March 9, 2024, 11am
Brentwood
Baptist Church 3033 Landmark
Houston, Texas 77045
Interment: Llano Cemetery, Amarillo, Texas
Judge Overstreet’s crowning achievement came on November 6, 1990, when he was elected to the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals, marking a historic moment as the frst African American to hold a statewide office in Texas. His tenure on the bench lasted until 1998, during which he played a pivotal role in shaping more than 500 decisions, some of which signifcantly impacted national jurisprudence, including decisions influencing the United States Supreme Court.
Following his tenure on the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals, Overstreet returned to Texas Southern University, where he had attended law school, this time as the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at Turgood Marshall School of Law. He continued his commitment to legal education by serving as Director and Professor of Evidence
and Criminal Procedure for the Marshall Law School’s Legal Clinic from September 2002 to May 2006.
Beyond his legal career, Judge Overstreet was deeply engaged in community and professional organizations. He was a member of various legal and political groups, including the State Bar of Texas Judicial Section and the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats. Additionally, he served on several boards of directors, advocating for causes such as youth mentorship and mental health awareness.
Judge Morris Overstreet’s legacy extends beyond his professional achievements. He was a loving husband, father, and member of his community. His contributions to the legal profession and society at large will be remembered and cherished for generations to come.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) is planning to issue the procurement documents listed in this advertisement.
IFB No. 4023000169: Field Service Center (FSC) Petroleum Storage Tanks Replacement. Solicitation will be available on or about 03/06/2024.
IFB No. 4023000211: Hiram Clarke Petroleum Storage Tanks Replacement. Solicitation will be available on or about 03/06/2024.
RFQ No. 4024000097: FTA/DOT Drug and Alcohol Collection Services. Solicitation will be available on or about 03/04/2024.
Prospective bidders/proposers can view and download these solicitations by visiting METRO's website at ridemetro.org/Open Procurements. If you are unable to download the documents or are having difculty, please contact 713-615-6125 or email Contracts/Property Services at propertyservices@ ridemetro.org.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) is planning to issue the procurement documents listed in this advertisement.
IFB No. 4024000089: Preventative Maintenance, Inspection, and Repair Services of HVAC and Plumbing System. Solicitation will be available on or about 02/27/2024.
RFI No. 4024000092: Organization Development Vetted Training and Development Vendor Pool. Solicitation will be available on or about 02/26/2024.
Prospective bidders/proposers can view and download these solicitations by visiting METRO's website at ridemetro.org/Open Procurements. If you are
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD will be accepting proposals for the following:
Security and Privacy Risk Management Services and Platform with Vendor Security Management Services
Specifcations may be secured from The Harris Center website www.theharriscenter.org beginning Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The Harris Center utilizes Bonfre for their solicitations https://theharriscenter. bonfrehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities . Deadline for prospective vendors to submit questions to this RFP is Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Proposals must be submitted by 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Historically Underutilized Businesses, including Minority-Owned Businesses and Women-Owned Businesses are encouraged to participate. The Harris Center reserves all rights to reject any and/or all proposals, to waive formalities and reasonable irregularities in submitted documents as it deems to be in its best interests and is not obligated to accept the lowest proposal.
For months after George Floyd was killed by police in May 2020, people from around the world traveled to the site of his murder in Minneapolis and lef signs, paintings and poems to memorialize the man whose death reignited a movement against systemic racism.
Now hundreds of those artifacts are on display for the frst time outside of Minnesota, giving viewers elsewhere the chance to engage with the emotionally raw protest art and mourn Floyd, as well as other Black Americans killed by police.
“It’s diferent than seeing it on TV,” said Leah Hall of Phoenix, who brought her two young children to the exhibit that opened this month at the Arizona State University Art Museum. “It’s an important part of
history that they are not learning in school,” said Hall, adding that she wasn’t able to fy to Minneapolis to honor Floyd’s life.
“Twin Flames: Te George Floyd Uprising from Minneapolis to Phoenix” features about 500 artifacts that protesters and mourners lef at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, where Floyd was killed. It is the largest collection of work from the intersection that has been on public display.
Paintings of Floyd and poems about him written on poster boards stand on easels throughout the exhibit. Signs made with paper plates and reused cardboard that say “Justice 4 Floyd” and “Enough is Enough” cover the walls.
The heavy themes of the words and images on display are contrasted by
arrangements of fake fowers and fickering, battery-powered, white candles evoking the vigil held in Minneapolis afer his death.
What’s on display in Phoenix is just a fraction of the thousands of artifacts under the care of the George Floyd Global Memorial, an organization that also tends to the living memorial at the intersection where he died and which remains closed of to trafc.
Many of the artifacts appear to have been written or drawn in a hurry. Tis conveys the urgency with which people felt the need to express their anger and grief afer watching eyewitness video that captured the moment before he died, said Jeanelle Austin, director of the George Floyd Global Memorial.
Some recent visitors to the exhibit were
moved to tears.
Te organizers of the exhibit say their goal was to create a space for understanding and civil discourse, and potentially stimulate collective action against police violence and other systemic inequities in the U.S.
“We have always engaged with social and political work at the museum. Troughout time, art and protest have been side by side, and this (exhibit) really aligns with our mission to center creativity in art in the service of social good,” said Brittany Corrales, a curator at the museum who helped facilitate those organizing the exhibit.
Te organizers also see the exhibit as an opportunity to examine the history of museums in America overlooking the inequities faced by Black Americans and other marginalized communities.
ROCKETS’ TARI EASON HAS SEASON-ENDING SURGERY
Rockets second-year forward Tari Eason’s season is officially done. Eason, who has been sidelined since Jan. 1 with a benign growth on his left shin bone, had seasonending surgery this week, head coach Ime Udoka confirmed. He had a bone graft on the shin that will keep him sidelined for four months. Eason was averaging a career-high 9.8 points and seven rebounds this season before being sidelined.
JAMAL SHEAD NAMED FINALIST FOR COUSY AWARD
TSU senior guard Jamal Shead has been elevated to being a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Shead is one of five finalists for the award.
The Bob Cousy Award recognizes the top point guard in Division I men’s basketball each year. The Manvel product is averaging 15.5 points per game and is the only player in the nation’s Top 20 to rank in the Top 20 in assists per game (6.1, third), steals (2.3, third) and assiststurnover ratio (3.11, second).
RICE’S TRAVIS EVEE MAKES
AAC HONOR ROLL
Rice University’s fifthyear senior Travis Evee was named to the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll for the third time this season. The latest recognition comes after Evee averaged 22.5 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists, and one steal during victories over UAB and East Carolina. Evee had the best game of the season in the 70-52 win over East Carolina when he scored a season-high 34 points while grabbing six rebounds.
Led by senior guard Jamal Shead (1), the No.1-ranked University of Houston Cougars have remained dominant despite losing two star players and moving into the Big 12 this season.
Sure, the University of Houston men’s basketball team ascended to being one of the nation’s elite basketball programs as a member of the American Athletic Conference. However, it figured to be a different story this season as the Cougars moved into the far less forgiving Big 12.
But with one game remaining in the regular season, UH is the nation’s consensus No.1 team, leading the Big 12 and making a strong argument to be the No.1 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Kelvin Sampson’s squad accomplished this after losing senior guard Marcus Sasser and star freshman Jarace Walker to last summer’s NBA Draft.
How is that for stepping up your game?
“I never thought much about that (how moving to a tougher conference could affect the postseason). I really didn’t because I had already coached in the Big 12,” said Sampson, who coached at Oklahoma from 1994-2006. “I was more worried about Marcus Sasser. I had Marcus Sasser for four years. I had to replace him.
I had to replace the No.8 pick in the NBA Draft in Jarace Walker. I had to replace him.”
But as Sampson likes to say, his program has a “winning DNA.”
That has certainly been the case as the Cougars have simply reloaded to remain among the elite in a more challenging conference environment.
UH added Baylor transfer L.J. Cryer, while senior guard Jamal Shead, senior forward J’Wan Roberts and sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp have elevated their games to the point where the team hasn’t missed a beat with the departures of Tramon Mark to the transfer portal and Sasser and Walker to the NBA.
In a conference where Kansas has ruled, UH has quickly become a challenger for the throne.
But the question is what will it all mean as the all-important tournament season begins next week? As long as the Cougars can keep Iowa State at bay, they will enter the Big 12 Tournament as the No.1 seed and then the NCAA Tournament is up next.
It will be in the national spotlight of the tournament season that we will find out the true effect of the Cougars’, who are 26-3 overall and 13-3 in conference, more arduous trek through the Big 12. Will it help them or will the more grinding schedule that has already resulted in three season-ending injury losses of Terrance Acreneaux, Ramon Walker and freshman forward Joesph Tugler be a setback during the tournament season?
“The thing that I noticed is how it beats you down a lot,” said Sampson, who has taken the Cougar to four straight Sweet 16 appearances and a Final Four showing in that span. “On one hand, you may say that we are playing better teams every night so that will better help you get ready for the Tournament. I always thought we were prepared for the Tournament before. We were a 40-foot shot away from going to five consecutive Sweet 16s so I’m assuming that’s pretty good.”
In good health
Sampson, who guided the Cougars to a No.1 seed last season, insists that the key is being healthy as possible.
“You almost want to put guys in a bubble, but you can’t. I wish this team had Terrence Acreneaux because he would have really been able to help us, especially the way he was playing. But we lost him. I think about that every day,” said Sampson said prior to Tugler going down for the season this week with a broken right foot. “Now we’ve lost Ramon. I wake up in the morning thinking about it, I go to bed thinking about it and I come into the office and I’m trying to figure some stuff out.
“So for me, it’s just being able to stay healthy which we have not. So now we are just going to figure out how to keep this thing in the water until the Tournament.”
For the first time since the 2002-2003 season, the Nimitz Cougars have made it to the fourth round of the playoffs. Leading the charge is senior point guard Eric Woods.
“Eric is a special player. He has worked extremely hard, and without his leadership we wouldn’t be anywhere near this. He can shoot the ball as well as put it on the floor. His teammates love him, he’s just an all-around great kid,” said Cougars head coach Tigee Rideaux.
In the off-season, Woods worked extremely hard for an opportunity to take his talent to the next level. Written on his Twitter is the quote, “Everything I’m not made me everything I am.”
“In previous years I’ve been criticized for not being a dominant defensive player, so I worked every day to better my footwork and learned how to sit down and play aggressive defense without fouling,” said Woods.
Woods later began to work out with Coach Marco who worked with him on form shooting, getting to his spots, knowing reads, and getting downhill when defenders are playing aggressively.
“I feel I developed my game later than other players,” said Woods. “I knew basketball, but I feel I learned how to play my game during the end of my junior year.”
Watching players like Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham or Dallas Mavericks’ Kyree Irving, Woods found inspiration to continue refining his game.
“Coming into college I liked how Rob Dillingham’s confidence became stronger. He was able to break down defenses, make the right reads, and get his shot off. Both he and Kyrie Irving do a good job at playing in the system, but also getting their teammates involved as well,” said Woods.
Woods began playing basketball for I9 sports when he was six years old. For middle school, he attended Legacy for 7th grade but transferred to Teague Middle School for 8th grade. Woods attends Nimitz High School where he is
a four-year varsity letterman. His freshman year was impacted by COVID-19.
“Tenth grade we got a new head coach, Coach Rideaux. I began to play more minutes as we were playing in a different system. Previously we were playing an inside-out style because we had bigger players down low, but sophomore season we began to play more outside in,” said Woods.
Woods knew he had something special when he saw the excitement in his father.
“My pops has always been the one that made me feel like I had something special with basketball. With him pushing me to get better and always being in my corner, that let me know I had something special,” said Woods.
During his junior season, Woods became a more aggressive player as he played alongside Javarious Thompson. Nimitz finished the season with a 9-5 district record before losing in the playoffs 67-66 to College Park. At the end of the season, Javarious Thompson transferred to Legacy, leaving more leadership responsibilities on the shoulders of Woods.
Woods took to the off-season to work even harder on his game. His senior season he was back, and unlike other years where he struggled with
Class: 2024
IG: @ericwoods2024
Twitter: @E_Woods3
Position: Point guard
Height & weight: 6-feet-0, 185 pounds
Players he studies: Rob Dillingham (the University of Kentucky), Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks)
Status: Committed to Southwestern Christian College
Favorite artist: G Herbo
Favorite subject: English
Shout-outs: Coach Rideaux, Coach Kemp, mom, dad, teammates, sister
confidence, Woods was ready to lead his team to a historic first. During his senior season, Woods embarked on a scoring title as he scored his 1,000th point.
“I knew it was some thing I could do,” said Woods. “It was one of my goals before I left the school. Scoring 1,000 points is not that easy. I feel like you have to dedicate yourself to scoring the ball to get 1,000 points, but was a good feeling getting the ball and the trophy.”
Woods understands that for him to be as effective on the next level, he will need to work on playing defense and finishing through contact. Next season he will be play ing at Southwestern Chris tian College where he plans to major in computer science.
“I chose Southwest ern Christian College because it was one of the colleges that reached out to me and stayed in contact. They made me feel wanted. It’s also far enough but not too far so my family can still come and see me play,” said Woods.
Woods reflects on the advice given to him by his mother when he looks back to encourage the next generation of players.
“Keep your head down, block out the noise, and just work. Your time is coming,” said Woods. “Stay humble, stay focused, keep work ing, and have fun.”
