Cinco Ranch Chris Saiz R.I.P.

Chris Saiz R.I.P.

Earlier today I received an email from my friend Chip Morris, whose son had played summer basketball in the past with Chris Saiz on the Texas Cagers team.  Today the Saiz Family grieves the loss of a son.  The entire Texas basketball community and the D1 Ambassadors Family grieves with the Saiz Family.  God Bless.  Coach Max Ivany

By ADAM COLEMAN Houston Community Newspapers

Cinco Ranch standout guard Chris Saiz was killed late Tuesday in a car accident that left the Cinco Ranch community reeling. “Chris was such a fine young man, an intelligent young man,” said Cinco Ranch basketball coach Neil King. “He was a great student-athlete. He did everything in the classroom that was ever asked of him.

“Obviously you’ve seen him play before. He’s a very talented young man on the court. He comes from an outstanding family. His mom and dad and brother are just unbelievable people.”

The standout basketball player was in a car with fellow teammate Derrick Jones when the car spun out of control and hit a tree.

Saiz was taken by helicopter to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Jones was injured in the accident, but survived.

King said he received a phone call Wednesday morning about the accident.

At the hospital, King said, many of Saiz’s teammates as well as former Cinco Ranch players were there.

“ It’s a sad day,” King said. “We’re just trying to lean on our Cinco family and try to get through this.”

A memorial service was planned for Wednesday at the school’s gym. No other details on funeral arrangements were available.

Saiz was a talented point guard, who was the second-leading scorer on the team with 15.4 point per game. He also was a master at distributing the basketball and was the catalyst on a talented Cinco Ranch boys basketball team.

Saiz teamed with Garrett Wilson to form a dynamic backcourt for the Cougars.

Saiz was known as a slasher who penetrated defenses while Wilson is a standout shooter.

Saiz was also a master at making the right pass at the right time. He had a team-high 41 assists on the year.

He also was a asset on the boards, snaring 71 total rebounds this year.

In an interview earlier this year, Saiz said what he’s able to do on the court combined with Wilson’s ability made Cinco Ranch as dangerous as any team in the district. Opponents had to choose who they wanted to guard, which allowed the other to thrive.

“Garret’s a great shooter, so he stretches the floor,” he said. “So when he’s shooting well, it opens up the floor for me and when I’m driving, I can kick it to him. So it’s just hard to guard both of us at the same time.”

Wilson has the same sentiments as his teammate in remarks made earlier this year. He said it’s hard to lock both of them down defensively.

“Pretty much when one of us gets it going, the other feeds off that,” he said. “But even when one of us isn’t shooting as well, the other one picks it up. It’s just back and forth, back and forth.”

Cinco Ranch plays its next game in the Alvin Holiday Classic on Dec. 27. It was unclear as of press time whether the team would still play in the tournament.