The Cypress Falls Eagles are one game behind the unbeaten Cypress Ranch Mustangs in 6A Region II District 16 basketball standings. The Eagles finished the 2022-2023 season first in the district and made a deep playoff run before losing in the fourth round of the playoffs 34-30 to the Desoto Eagles.
This season, behind the senior leadership of Brayden Young, the Eagles hope to make another deep playoff run.
“Last year with our length, we were really good defensively as this team is, but I think we shoot the ball better this year,” said Cy Falls head coach Richard Flores. “We take pride in developing our guys. With Brayden, we really worked hard in expanding his game on the perimeter and keeping it simple on back-cut reads and dribble handoffs. His decision-making has improved significantly, along with being stronger with the ball.”
Young is a three-star big man who is showing tremendous growth. He has good hands, has become stronger, and is duking through contact as well as altering shots. He is a tremendous student, player, and teammate who hasn’t fully scratched the surface of his potential. With his skill and toughness, he will be able to have an impact on both ends of the floor on the next level.
“I’m still working to become a more dominant scorer, but I’m very good defensively,” said Young. “Getting blocks, moving my feet, and guarding players out of my position developed first in my game. As I’ve expanded my game I’ve begun working on my touch around the rim as well as my jump shot.”
As Young continues to craft his game, he takes pride in watching Miles Ruben at Loyola Chicago and former teammate Joseph ‘JoJo’ Tugler, who is now at the University of Houston.
“Miles Ruben and I play the same position. He’s a freshman and I enjoyed seeing his transition from high school to college. He’s made a key impact on the team by playing his role and playing defense,” said Young. “JoJo taught me a lot. I remember after practices we would play one-on-one and he would teach me different ways how to use your body to your advantage. I see a lot of stuff that they do and I try to keep little notes in my head of what can get you on the court and what can keep you on the court.”
Brayden Young
Power Forward
Class: 2024
IG: @ihoopbray
Twitter: @Byoung06
Height & weight: 6-feet-9, 195 pounds
Players he studies: Miles Ruben (Loyola Chicago), Joseph ‘JoJo’ Tugler (University of Houston)
Status: Committed to Loyola University Chicago
Favorite artists: Lil Baby, Lil Durk, NBA YoungBoy, Drake, Polo G
Favorite subject: English
Shout-outs: Family, Tim Bowers, Cy Falls, Coach Flores, All the AAU teams
Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Brayden began playing basketball for the Wayman Palmer YMCA when he was four years old. He moved to Houston when he was eight years old and by the seventh grade, basketball was life.
“I knew I had something. I told my mom I wanted to play AAU. I developed a deep interest in the game and began to work on getting better,” said Young.
While playing on the seventh-grade basketball team at Campbell Middle School, a coach with the Rashad Lewis summer basketball program took notice of Young. Young played with RL9 for three years before moving on to JL3 and later Cooz Elite.
“Playing with these programs helped me elevate my game. There’s a lot of diversity in the game and traveling to bigger tournaments playing people from all over, I was able to see different playing styles and see what I needed to work on to be considered in the same conversation,” said Young.
Young had the opportunity to play against some of the top up-and-coming b-ballers in the nation, including Asa Newell from 1Family, Kuol Atak from 3D Empire, and Jason Asemota from Hillcrest Prep.
“Those guys are ESPN nationally ranked players and they’re great players, they’re consistent and they were challenging,” said Young.
Young reached out to his mom and with her help, he was able to select a trainer to help him continue elevating his game.
“I trained with Tim Bowers and he didn’t limit my game to only post moves. We worked on everything. This is what helped me build my confidence playing facing the basket and shooting deeper shots,” said Young.
Young is a constant reminder that hard work will pay off in the end. During his freshman year, he attended Cy Ridge High School. He played on the freshman team the entire season until the last three games when he was moved to varsity to finish the season. His sophomore season he was still at Cy Ridge, but by now he had earned a starting role on the varsity team.
In his last district game as a sophomore, Young hyperextended his leg and suffered a knee bruise and an ankle sprain all in one play. This injury sidelined him during the summer, so he wasn’t able to play summer basketball.
During the summer before his junior season, a relocation by his parents led him to enroll at Cy Falls High School. This move meant that Young had to re-establish himself to secure a spot on the varsity team.
“It was tough having to find my role on the team,” said Young. “I was looking for a way to impact the team because my junior season at Cy Falls I was coming off the bench and I wasn’t getting a lot of playing time. It was hard to accept, coming from the year prior at Cy Ridge being a starter. It took a lot of work, humility, and determination to work through that. However, when I got my opportunity to start during the Christmas break of my junior season I had to keep building. Eventually, I earned my starting spot.”
Young looks back at those who struggle with their playing time and offers words of advice.
“Stay humble and keep working because when I was in that situation, that’s all I could do,” said Young. “Go hard in practice, ask questions, put yourself in the right position. Show up to practice early or leave later; do whatever you need to do to separate yourself. Stay humble and when the opportunity comes, take it.”
Following his junior season, Young earned the recognition of second-team All-District. His senior season kicked off with a notable achievement as he won the De’Aaron Fox Most Outstanding Award during the Cy Hoops Invitational.
“I just tried to remain consistent and work on new things, play hard and never stop until the buzzer rings. It was a blessing to get that award,” said Young.
Young has committed to playing next season at Loyola University Chicago, where he plans to major in business marketing/sports communication. Location, coach vision, and school environment played big factors in his college choice.
“My dad’s side of the family is from Chicago,” said Young. “Drew Valentine is a great coach who knows how to work with players and he showed a true interest in me. Their program is similar to how my program is now, the school felt like home and with my major, Chicago is a great sports city full of networking opportunities.”
