Texas Basketball Midseason Report: Surprises, Standouts & Shifts in Power
Photographed by: Reed Rymsza
The 2025–26 Texas high school basketball season is in full swing, and a handful of results over the past week have shaken up district play and turned heads statewide. From major district upsets to breakout individual performances, here’s what you need to know as the calendar turns toward December and January competition.
Biggest Upsets & Shakeups
Vandegrift Girls Top Eight-Time District Champ Vista Ridge
In one of the most buzzed-about games in District 25-6A, Vandegrift handed Vista Ridge its first district defeat of the season with a 57–49 win.
Saania Khawaja led all scorers with 25 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, pacing the Vipers with a complete game.
Maddie Broxterman added 13 points, and key contributions from Lexi Augustine on the boards helped seal the upset.
This result immediately reshapes the district standings and proves that the top seed is far from a lock this year.
Round Rock & Stony Point Roll
In other notable girls action:
Round Rock defeated Cedar Ridge 48–33, paced by Ally Heaton’s 24 points.
Stony Point dominated McNeil 63–32, including Celeste Jackson’s 32-point, 14-rebound double-double — one of the most imposing stat lines of the week.
Boys Basketball: Early Standouts
Express-News Player of the Week — Devin Petersen
Senior guard Devin Petersen (Warren) grabbed Express-News Boys Basketball Player of the Week honors after leading the Warriors to tournament success.
Petersen scored 26 points in the Clemens championship game, and averaged 18.7 points through four wins in the NISD/NEISD Tournament.
His scoring and leadership have made Warren a team to watch as district play nears.
Early Season Upsets From Recent Weeks
Although some of these occurred earlier, they still reverberate this season:
Bellaire & Duncanville Upsets (6A)
Last season’s playoff brackets featured major boys upsets — Bellaire knocking off then-No. 4 Brennan and Duncanville toppling No. 8 Allen — results that reshaped 6A positioning and showed parity at the top.
Those outcomes remain part of conversations among coaches and players this year as teams look to avenge losses and climb the rankings.
What to Watch This Week
District Battles Heating Up
With district play underway in most classifications:
Teams like Vandegrift, Round Rock, and Stony Point are staking early claims in tough districts.
Watch whether Vista Ridge responds and how other perennial girls powers handle midseason adversity.
Rising Stars on the Boys’ Side
Look for siblings, transfers, and rising sophomores to make noise following Petersen’s breakout week. Conferences such as 6A and 5A have deep talent pools — a few upsets are likely before holiday tournaments arrive.
Key Trends This Season
District parity is real. No team is untouchable yet.
Individual performances are defining games. Early weeks have seen big-time scoring outings that change momentum.
Tournament play looms. Holiday tournaments will be a proving ground ahead of playoff brackets.
Weekend Slate to Circle
Keep an eye on upcoming scheduled boys games — many district rivalries are set to unfold, including:
Live matchups: Cy Falls vs Northbrook, Taylor vs Lake Belton, Klein Cain vs Katy Taylor among others slated this week.