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TEAM HONOR ROLL - FALCONHOOPS GREATEST TEAMS
The following teams have been chosen by clearlakefalconhoops.com to be the top varsity teams ever produced by the school. Although only four of these teams made the trip, each of these teams was unquestionably good enough to play in the state tournament. In most cases, untimely illnesses and/or injuries during the playoffs denied the trip to Austin.
Teams that played in the state tournament are in bold print.
*****1976 - One of the very best teams until the playoffs.
*****1981 - The best team ever, truly impressive in almost every game. Also the year the UIL went to classifications 1A - 5A.
*****1985 - Fans helped define Clear Lake as one of the surliest high school basketball crowds in the state. Bill Krueger established as one of the most dreaded coaches (by other coaches and especially referees). Gym was almost always packed.
*****1988 - Perhaps the highest scoring Lake team ever; certainly one of the very best teams. The year the three point shot was implemented.
*****1989 - STATE CHAMPIONS
Long overdue state champs. Well balanced team, played truly outstanding ball in the state tournament. Clear Lake ran off 22 unanswered points against a talent laden team that was 38-0. WOW! It was something to behold. To the keen observer the preparedness of Krueger's team was astonishingly thorough and complete. For some high school boys basketball aficianados like myself, it actually changed the way we watched the game of basketball. By the way, this state finals game was selected the basketball game of the decade in Texas by Texas sports writers. Coach Bill Krueger took his teams to the Regionals 8 times in 16 years before 1989 but did not win the region until 1989. The Falcons had lost in the Regionals to the eventual state champions four times. During the 1988-89 regular season Clear Lake started slowly by losing its first two district games (losses to Clear Creek and Dobie I believe) and entered the playoffs as the District runner-up (the first year two teams went to the playoffs in 5A). In the playoffs the Falcons defeated Galveston Ball 93-89 in overtime and then Beaumont West Brook, 43-36, to reach the Regionals where they defeated Madison, 104-78, and Houston Washington, 80-76, to qualify for the state tournament. In Austin Clear Lake defeated Fort Worth Southwest 84-67 in the semi-final and previously unbeaten (38-0) San Antonio John Jay 86-69 in the state finals. Clear Lake finished the year 36-4.
In the state semifinal Clear Lake overcame an 11-point deficit in the first half with superior shooting (54%) and rebounding (43-35) to defeat Fort Worth Southwest by 17 points. In the finals the score stayed close throughout the first half with the Falcons ahead by 5 at halftime. Coming from behind late in the third quarter the Falcons led by 22 at one point and won by 17 largely due to impressively accurate outside shooting from the field (55%), from 3-point range (55%) and free throws (75%). All season Clear Lake relied greatly upon the 3-point shot (begun by the UIL in 1988) hitting 40% from long range during the year. Clear Lake scored 28 points off 16 Jay turnovers and held Jay to 37% from the field to hand the previously undefeated Mustangs their first loss.
The 1989 Clear Lake players were:
10 Brad Bruce, 5’11” Sr;
12 Tim Glover, 6’1” Jr;
14 Scott Boykin, 6’4” Sr;
20 Robert Henson, 5’10” Sr;
22 John Easterly, 5’11” Jr;
24 Eric Valentino, 6’4” So;
30 Eric Henderson, 6’1” Sr;
32 Mike Simmons, 6’1” Jr;
34 David Buckner, 6’3” Sr;
40 Mike Fultz, 6’4” Jr;
42 Steve Rasmussen, 6’4” Jr;
44 Brian Williams, 6’7” Jr;
50 Derrick Lormand, 6’4” So;
52 Paul Cooper, 6’6” Jr; and
54 Mike Moten, 6’8” Sr.
Clear Lake senior David Buckner led all scorers in the semi-final game with 30 points and Moten had 17. In the final game Buckner led all scorers with 23 points, Robert Henson with 19 (career high, certainly the best game of his high school career), Mike Moten with 17 (9 rebounds) and Tim Glover with 13. Jay's Calvin Thomas was almost unstoppable as he led Jay with 22 point while Charles "Bo" Outlaw had 17 rebounds.
The 1989 5-A All State Tournament Team included:
6’3” Sr David Buckner and 6’8” Sr Mike Moten of Clear Lake;
6’8” Sr Charles “Bo” Outlaw of SA Jay;
Sr Sidney Baker of FW Southwest; and
Sr Alfredo Porter of Dallas S. Oak Cliff.
Bo Outlaw later played at the University of Houston and in the NBA from 1994-06 and was elected to the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Lake's David Buckner played at Fordham University. Mike Moten played at Rhode Island before going to Europe for his professional career.
The statistical part of this summary of the 1989 team provided by the legendary Billy Wilbanks, PhD.
Bill Krueger's 1989 win of the state championship was his second (he also won a title in 1965 at San Marcos). During the 1989 season Coach Krueger became the all-time leader in most wins in Texas with over 900 for his career. By his retirement in 1996 he finished with a 1096-250 record (in 39 years), the winningest high school coach in the United States at that time. He is currently 5th on the all-time national list as of January 2017. Coach Krueger was elected to the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 and is a member of the National High School Athletic Hall of Fame (see Coach Profiles for more).
Clear Lake has made four appearances in the state tournament. The Falcons won the title in 1989 and lost in the finals in 1990 to Dallas Kimball. In 1995 Lake was defeated in the semifinals by Dallas Carter 67-58. In 2015 the Falcons were defeated in the finals by a buzzer beater by Plano West. West had what many believed to be the most talented team to ever play in the state tournament. Their starting lineup was bigger than any college in the Big 12 Conference. .
*****1990 (kooky bunch of kids who could really play ball, not the most talented of the teams listed here but driven by a winning legacy and expectations)
*****1995 (not the most skilled but the most heart; this team exceded almost everyone's expectations; they went farther with less overall talent than any Lake team)
*****2007 (you could sense this was a special team; really great bunch of kids, big man only 6'5" but probably the best inside player for his size ever to play at Lake; best overall three point shooting team and free throw shooting team in the state; best individual three point shooter and best free throw shooter in the state (not the same player). Played their best in the playoffs; a coin toss made a world of difference)
*****2015 State Finalist
In 2015 in San Antonio Clear Lake represented 6A Region 3 at the state tournament. This was the first year of 6A classification and the first year the state tournament was held outside of Austin.
For over four decades when most people who know basketball in this region think of Clear Lake basketball, they think first of a class act that plays well coached team basketball. This 2015 team personified a Clear Lake team -- good team basketball - unselfish team players who take pride in working hard together to achieve their mutual goals and a real class act.
This was a team which surpassed most people’s expectations. This team was not picked to win their district. They were not even ranked in the preseason top 25 in the state. There was no one dominant player that carried the team throughout the season. Instead they took care of business as a team. They each stepped up when it was needed. Each of the five starters scored more than 20 points in at least two or more games in the 2014-15 season.
2015 State Tournament
In the semifinals Clear Lake defeated Shertz Clemens out of San Antonio. Clemens had scored 90 or more points in 20 games and 100 or more in 8 games. They had won 4 of their 5 playoff games by 40 to 50 points. Clear Lake defeated them 78-69.
In the finals Clear Lake faced Plano West High School. The entire season Plano West, with an enrollment of 5531, was ranked #1 in the state and nationally ranked among the top 15. Plano West had stacked the team with some talented players who would be the dream of any D1 coaches.. Among the five seniors starting for Plano West were four D1 players: two headed to Texas A&M, one to Ohio State and one to UCLA (football). Their starters' heights were 6’8”, 6’8”, 6’7”, 6’4, and 6’10”. This team of noticeably talented athletes was as tall as the starting lineup of the San Antonio Spurs! More than a few long time state tournament goers said that this Plano West team might be the most talented team they had ever seen at the state tournament. Obviously Clear Lake was “David” and Plano West was “Goliath”.
In the first half against one of the most talented teams in the nation, Lake outplayed Plano West in every aspect of the game; shooting, rebounding, points in the paint, free throws, transition, defense, hustle, execution, everything. At the half Lake led 31-26. In the third quarter it was still pretty much the same. At one point Lake led by 10. With all that height advantage you would think PW could score at will. But so could clever Clear Lake. At the end of the third, it was Lake leading 40-34.
Lake led the game until the final 2 minutes and 14 seconds of the game. David outplayed Goliath the entire game with one exception: Plano West’s 6’8” guard Dennis “DJ” Hogg (who started at A&M his freshman year) hit four three pointers in the fourth quarter plus the game winning buzzer beater. In the final four minutes Lake would score and then Plano West would score to tie the game. It was like watching a chess match as the lead bounced back and forth. With 36 seconds remaining a layup by Plano West tied it at 54 after Lake’s Chris West hit two free throws (he went 4 for 4 and the team went 10 of 11). On Lake’s next possession Chris West was called for a charge which gave Plano West one last chance. Much of the crowd was probably thinking overtime at this point. With time running out DJ Hogg, who scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, launched a successful 19 footer an instant before the buzzer sounded. Thus Plano West (33-2) claimed the first 6A championship on a buzzer beater. Lake finished the season 35-3.
Clear Lake's team was comprised of 5 senior starters:
Bradley George 6'1" G
Orion Lewis 5'10" G
Chris West 6'2" G
Chris Stenerson 6'3" F/P (one of the best rebounders in the history of the school)
Alex Westby 6'5" P
Other team members included:
Nick Winfield, Ryan Lucas, Cole Miller, Xavier Fogle, Peter Yim, TJ Gittens, John Culbertson, Jake Ostrowski, and Mac Manuel.
In front of a crowd of 10,781 and against one of the premier teams in the nation, this demonstration of Lake’s team basketball was something to behold. Many regulars at the tournament felt that this game was one of the very best games they had ever seen at the state tournament. Quite a testament to a team that was not projected to even win their district. This team’s accomplishments will proudly serve as a reminder to many of what Clear Lake basketball is all about. Among high school boys basketball aficianados the near perfect coaching job done by the Clear Lake coaching staff against overwhelming odds will be talked about for decades.
*****2018 - Another among the best teams until the playoffs. This team had two D1 players who could really shoot the ball. Loaded with guard talent, a deep bench, and lots of fun to watch but plagued with inconsistency. Made it to the regional quarterfinals despite playing poorly in each round of the playoffs. Lost to Deer Park in an embarassing performance in the new La Porte gym.
Just glad this one is over.
Ajare Sanni had 27; Riley Abercrombie with 21 had a double double with 13 rebounds, Zaid Harris had 10.
Lake is now 20-8, 7-3
PLAYER HONOR ROLL
The following players have been selected by ClearLakeFalconHoops.com as the all time best varsity players ever produced by Clear Lake High School.
The criteria used to select each player include:
-high school accomplishments and perceived potential
-college and/or professional accomplishments
-overall record of their Lake team and the strength of the competition faced
-how far their team advanced in the playoffs
-how strong my memories are of the player during his high school years.
No members of the coaching staff nor former players were consulted in compiling this list.
| Player | Year |
| Billy Carlisle* | 1974 |
| David Buchanan | 1974 |
| Steve Sylestine | 1976 |
| Rex Johnson* | 1977 |
| Russ Capps | 1981 |
| Bernie Lang | 1981 |
| Greg Singleton | 1981 |
| Brad Meyer | 1983 |
| Glen Puddy | 1984 |
| Michael Hobbs | 1986 |
| Troy Valentino | 1988 |
| David Buckner | 1989 |
| Mike Moten | 1989 |
| Tim Glover | 1990 |
| Nathan Law | 1998 |
| Richard Law** | 2002 |
| Connor Atchley | 2004 |
| Kendrell Thompson | 2007 |
| Jimmy Witten | 2007 |
| Rob Lewis | 2012 |
| Chris Stenerson*** | 2015 |
| Ajare Sanni | 2018 |
*deceased
** Only player to be designated MVP for 3 years
***Despite being one of the most talked about players in the 2015 state tournament, Chris chose not to play college basketball.
The Gators protected their perfect record in district play by narrowly defeating the Falcons in a see saw game that was not decided until the last three minutes of the fourth quarter. At the half Lake was up 31-29 but Dickinson went up 45-41 by the end of three.
In the final period the Gators maintained a slight lead throughout most of the quarter. It was 50-49 at the 4:27 mark. It was 54-51 at the 2 minute mark when Dickinson went into their run-the-clock strategy to eat some time.
Lake went 14 of 16 from the line to continue their above average free throw shooting. Despite being double and triple teamed throughout the game Ajare Sanni led all scorers with a game high 30 points. Riley Abercrombie had a double double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Lake is now 19-8, 6-3. Dickinson is a perfect 10-0 in district.
Some words about the officiating. I consider all three of the refs in tonight's game to be good referees. In the first half the refs called a very good game. In the second half however, that was not the case. Dickinson is a much more physical team than Lake and they foul more. Proof: In 29 games the Gators have committed 559 fouls. In 27 games, the Falcons have committed 391 fouls. (An average number of fouls in a Lake game is 14. For Dickinson, the average number of fouls is over 19 per game). Quite a variance. Anyway, with 4:53 remaining in the game and the Gators up 50-45, Dickinson committed their 9th foul which made the foul count 9-3. Noticing this, the refs called the next 5 fouls on Lake before the 10th foul was called on Dickinson with just under 46 seconds remaining. This is a common ref tendency to try to make it look like they did a balanced, unbiased job . To do this, several Dickinson fouls, fouls which should have been called and would have been called under different circumstances, had to be ignored but it was so obvious what the refs were doing. The final 5 minutes of the game is a terrible time to try to balance out the fouls but that is what happened and it happens too often. The refs definitely determined the outcome of this game by doing this. Make no mistake, the victory was there for the taking but Lake did not make most of their shots in the final four minutes. Clear Lake did not quite play well enough to win this ball game but several of the refs' no-calls in minute 5 through minute 1 of the last 5 minutes gave Dickinson an unfair advantage
Jan 24, 2017: Clear Lake 61 Alvin 54
In a closely contested matchup Tuesday night Clear Lake prevailed over the Alvin Yellowjackets 61-54. The game was tied numerous times and the lead changed at least 8 times in the first three quarters. With just under 7 minutes remaining in the game Clear Lake went up by 5 and held the lead for the rest of the contest. Solid free throw shooting down the stretch helped. Lake went 15 of 17 (88%) from the line.
Ajare Sanni had 27 points. Zaid Harris had 12 and Riley Abercrombie had 11. Alvin's Savion Flagg was held to 26. The Falcons are now 19-7, 6-2.
