Film Room: 2024 Houston Royals at The Warmup
The Houston Royals made their way from Texas to Memphis, Tennessee to participate in the highly-touted “MADE Hoops Warmup” event. The group finished the weekend 1-2, however they were two points away from a 2-1 record. There were some new prospects who stepped onto the scene from this group and they impressed the most during Sunday’s action. The Houston Royals 2024 group played extremely hard and they seemed to get better as the weekend went on. They are an underrated independent team out of Texas who could make some more noise as the AAU season continues to progress.
Game 1: One-point loss on Friday night
The Houston Royals opening game in Memphis was a very good matchup against a solid PBE Black team. This one was back and forth for the majority of the game, however the Royals were just a point away. Personally, I was a big fan of some of the coaching staff’s offensive sets and they were able to generate some open looks on the floor. It may have taken both teams some time to settle in, however it was truly a defensive duel from the start. Both teams were communicating, rotating, and playing with passion on the defensive end of the floor. They swung the ball quickly, played unselfish, and showed a mainly strong shot selection during their opening game in Memphis.
Ezekiel Samuel was a physical post presence who was a tough finisher and rebounder around the rim. He excelled at using his upper body strength to carve up space for high percentage, clean looks in the paint. He was comfortable finishing at the rim with his dominant hand, plus he had the strength to absorb contact and finish through it. Samuel’s workman-like approach and physical playing style allowed him to earn numerous trips to the free throw line. Defensively, his bulky build and strength allows him to keep defenders out of the paint.
Keith Jordan had some bright moments on the offensive end in this game despite the tough loss. He was a quick creator who had some wiggle to his handle, plus he was a reliable spot-up shooting threat if left open on the perimeter. He garnered some attention with his multilevel scoring and he provided the Houston Royals with another offensive weapon. Jordan had the handle to operate in isolation or pick & roll situations as well.
Justin Griggs-Ellis and Tomis Griggs also stood out despite the one-point loss during the Royals first game.
The Houston Royals simply came out flat-footed and slow to start off Saturday’s game. Their slow start eventually ended up hurting them down the road as they struggled to get back into this one. This was a tough game where they couldn’t seem to maintain any momentum on either end of the floor. D5 Global took a plethora of three-point jumpers and they were connecting on a decent clip as a team. The Houston Royals certainly learned a lot from this game and it gave them a chip on their shoulder heading into their final day of action at The Warmup.
Really liked the contributions I saw as a creator and scorer from Justin Griggs-Ellis during this game. The left-handed wing guard used a crafty handle to get to his spots to score or to create offense for his team. He was a strong finisher with his dominant hand and he had a strong sense of creating advantages on the fly. Griggs-Ellis also showed glimpses of his perimeter shotmaking skills by converting a few spot-up jumpers from three-point range. Despite a lopsided outcome, he gave it his all on every possession and was undeniably productive.
Also liked what I saw from Davion Sanford in this game for The Houston Royals. He’s another quick-twitch athlete who also flashed some shotmaking on the perimeter. He was an explosive athlete who brought a prominent slashing force off the wing. Sanford only needed minimal dribbles to get downhill and he caused defenders to lapse frequently. The downhill production and capable finishing made him another standout on the floor in this game. Defensively, he put together some impressive sequences of play by defending multiple positions and flashing his switchability.
Tomis Griggs and Keith Jordan also had some productive moments despite the loss.
The Houston Royals used the first two games as momentum builders and lessons because they came out looking like a different team on Sunday. They were moving the ball quicker and getting much better shots as a team which played a pivotal factor in the win. Some of the headliners from previous games held their own, plus they got some key effort and energy from the bench. This game should definitely give them some momentum moving forward in the grassroots season as well.
Davion Sanford had another standout outing during Sunday’s win with his productivity on both ends of the floor. He was a smooth spot-up shooter who showed off his inside-out touch, plus he was effective as a slasher yet again. He was able to stretch the floor from the perimeter and he was a reliable scoring option against Klutch Ballers zone. Sanford’s floor spacing helped his team pick apart a zone defense which generated more open looks for himself and others. Defensively, he’s an energetic on the ball defender who has the lateral agility to stay in front of opposing guards.
Jermauri Blake-Flournoy was another standout for The Houston Royals and he provided some additional inside-out scoring. He’s a fluid shooter in catch & shoot situations, plus he’s comfortable attacking off the bounce. His additional scoring was a big factor in helping his team secure a win during their time in Memphis. Defensively, he showed flashes of his switchability by defending in space against guards, plus he was able to lock down opposing wings.
Ezekiel Samuel also showed some impressive flashes in this game, particularly on the defensive glass. He was a high-volume rebounder whose physicality was simply outmatched for the opponent. His motor and strength allows him to be a prominent threat on the offensive glass where he can earn putback points. It was very difficult for opposing forwards to get into the paint against a prospect of his size and stature.
Eli Guidry, Tomis Griggs, and Justin Griggs-Ellis all provided vital contributions which helped The Houston Royals secure a win at The Warmup.
