Hightower's Danuel House's Meteoric Rise

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Meteoric Rise

Hightower’s Danuel House has Eclipsed his Counterparts,

By Matt Malatesta

Houston is at the basketball recruiting epicenter as the much-anticipated Class of 2012 enters its senior year.

Stake Jesuit’s Rasheed Sulaimon will sign with Duke in November and Fort Bend Travis big-man Cameron Ridley will commit to the University of Texas. The Village School’s Shaquille Clear (6-foot-9, 280-pounds) will follow former Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon to the land of the Maryland Terrapins and Bryan’s J’Mychal Reese will join his father at Texas A&M.

Some might think that all of the Houston talent has been picked over, but not so fast.

After a meteoric ride up the national recruiting boards this summer, Hightower’s Danuel House has become one of the hottest names in country.  

“I have to admit that I’m pretty shocked but I had a great summer circuit,” the 6-foot-7 wingman said, whose narrowed down list includes Ohio State, Georgetown, Kansas, Baylor and Houston among others. “I’ve just taken my game to an entire new level and people have taken notice.”

He committed to the University of Houston last week.

House is the highest ranked Houston hooper as rated by the Rivals150.com at No. 15, over Ridley (21), Sulaimon (32), Clear (44), HYCA’s Chicken Knowles (47), Reese (63), Lamar Consolidated’s Wanaah Bail (66) and Westbury Christian’s L.J. Rose (95). Houston accounts for eight of the top 100 prospects in country in 2012.

“Danuel had a heck of a summer and his stock rose quicker than any player in the city of Houston in 10 years that I can remember,” Jim Hicks of RCS Sports said. “He moved to the right summer team and got in front of the right eye balls. There’s no one more athletic than Danuel House. He makes the crowd go wild.”

Leading the Hightower Hurricanes to a Class 5A state title appearance, House’s confidence began to grow as he was named first-team all-district in an uber-competitive basketball district.

“It started coming together during the season and we just played within ourselves as a team,” he said. “We really could see out hard work paying off.”

As the high school season came to a conclusion, he began his tutelage under coach Marland Lowe, who left Houston Hoops to form his own Texas Pro.

“He’s athletic and he is tough,” Lowe said. “He can guard three positions and he has a real feel for the game. He’s a cerebral player who understands the intricacies of the game. His upside is higher than anyone’s in the city of Houston. Unless God has another plan for him, he’s going to get where he wants to go in his basketball career.”