AYSO tips off 2026 hoops season

ANAHUAC— The Anahuac Youth Sports Organization recently began league basketball, and while many teams faced tough competition, the young athletes showed great promise, walking away with some big wins.

AYSO opened week one of league basketball on Saturday, Jan. 10, with teams across all age divisions showing early promise.

"We have already seen tremendous growth in our players since our opening weekend on December 6, and we expect that growth to only continue to multiply as the season progresses," said AYSO Basketball Director Tiffany Finnex. "We are so proud of every player who steps on the court—regardless of skill level or experience. Every child brings something valuable to their team."

AYSO serves athletes from Pre-K to sixth grade, with divisions designed to support age-appropriate skill development.

The Primary Division supports Pre-K to kindergarten athletes, and week one showed some tough competition in an at-home Panther matchup between the A. Brown and T. Hill teams.

In that game, A. Brown took home a 14-4 win, with Kashton Brown proving to be an early talent, scoring 10 of the team's 14 points.

Also in the Primary Division, C. Laskoskie took home a 21-6 win against the Black Hornets.

The Rookie Division serves first and second grade athletes.

For the girls, G. Powers earned a big win against the Ladycats White, with a final score of 20-4, and C. Mitchell proved to be a tough competitor with a 30-2 victory over the Ladycats Red.

For the boys, I. Humphrey earned a 12-4 win over the Oilers Gold, and CMSA White led a close game against T. Lewis, with a final score of 10-8.

B. Duhon won 16-8 over CMSA Black, and Dayton Purple won in a close matchup against R. Ibarra, 15-11.

B. Duhon's team fought hard against the Liberty team and walked away with a well-earned win.

Beau Humphrey and Braydan Duhon contributed to both the offense and defense, while Jax Lucas was a standout as a strong defensive presence throughout the game.

The Junior Division is comprised of third and fourth grade athletes, and the A. Hopkins team proved to be a force to be reckoned with as they walked away with a 38-2 win over the Oilers Navy.

A. Hopkins gained an early lead against the Oilers and kept control throughout the game. Samantha Brashear, although having an arm in a cast, dominated the game while making shooting one-handed look easy.

The Black Hornets led a close game against A. Grayson, walking away with a 17-12 win, and CMS Gold took a 17-7 win against J. Netterville.

Although it was a loss for J. Netterville, the team showed much improvement and strong promise for future momentum.

Newcomer Brooklynn Johnson scored her first basket for Anahuac, while Londynn Jacobs and Synphany St. Louis showed aggressive defense with multiple steals and strong ball movement.

For the boys' side, C. Brown took a massive win over the Oilers Gold, winning 41-10, and CMSA White took a close 22-19 lead over C. Bradshaw.

C. Brown's CJ Brown was the MVP of the game, with 15 points, 5 steals and 6 rebounds.

R. Cotton dominated in a 68-2 win over CMSA Black, and C. Vincent led 20-4 over CMSA Gray.

R. Cotton gained an early lead and kept the defensive pressure high, only allowing one basket to slip through.

C. Vincent's Ty Vincent played with an aggressive defense, forcing several turnovers, while Kyrie St. Louis was active everywhere, creating turnovers and showing strong defensive skills.

The Major Division is for fifth and sixth grade athletes, and for the girls, L. Rivon took an impressive 33-2 win over CMSA Gold, while CMSA Black had a 20-4 win over T. Jeffcoat.

For the big L. Rivon win, Lexi Powers and Madelynn Williams delivered on the offensive side, accounting for multiple baskets. Finley Threadgill was powerful on defense, creating multiple turnovers.

While Liberty played an aggressive, physical game, Anahuac held its own and proved to be a tough competitor.

For the boys, G. Raymond walked away with a massive 43-3 win over the White Hornets.

Anahuac's offense was potent as Malachi Coates led with 15 points, followed by Max Chavarria with 14 and Cameron Raymond with 10.

Colt Almanza had an impressive 10 assists, followed by Emauri Whittington with 6 assists, and on the defense, Chris Standley had three steals.

Dayton Purple led a close game against L. Rivon, with a final score of 28-23, and J. Williams led 41-16 against CMSA Black.

The J. Williams and CMSA Black game was fast-paced and physical, but the Anahuac team proved too much for CMSA Black.

Brendan Williams and Cameron Jacobs played strongly on offense, while La'Jai Schonberg shone on both sides of the ball. Max Duffell proved skill defensively, staying strong throughout the game.

AYSO is a developmental program, welcoming players with any level of experience. The organization focuses on growth, teamwork, sportsmanship and positive attitudes in all aspects of the game.

The above are just a few highlights from week one, as many other athletes contributed to their teams and showed a passionate heart for the game.