Memorial athletes in action: College basketball

These men's basketball players, all with Memorial high school ties, have scheduled action this week:

Jeremy King, Loyola University (Illinois)
Position: Center
High school: St. Thomas Catholic High School
This week: Saturday, Dec. 29, at DePaul
About King: King is a freshman center for Loyola University (Illinois). He is a 2012 graduate of St. Thomas Catholic High School in Houston, where he was a three-time team defensive most valuable player and collected all-district and district defensive MVP honors for the 2011-12 season. He was ranked as the No. 24 player in Houston by rcssports.com. King is from Houston.

Anthony Collins, University of South Florida
Position: Guard
High school: Westbury Christian High School
This week: Saturday, Dec. 29, vs. George Mason University
About Collins: Collins, a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard for the the University of South Florida, is a 2011 graduate of Westbury Christian High School. He earned first team all-state honors three years in a row during high school. He is a Houston native.

Devon Turk, Loyola University (Illinois)
Position: Guard
High School: Westbury Christian High School
This week: Saturday, Dec. 29, at DePaul
About Turk: Devon Turk is a freshman guard for Loyola University. He is a 2012 graduate of Westbury Christian High School in Houston where he was considered one of the top shooters from the Houston area.

Bahrom Firozgary, Rice University
Position: Forward
High School: Stratford High School
This week: Saturday, Dec. 29, at Texas
About Firozgary: Firozgary is a junior forward for Rice University.He is a 2010 graduate of Stratford High School in Houston where he was the school's Defensive Player of the Year and helped lead the Spartans to the bi-district playoffs twice, and to the the 2009 Houston ISD Jaycees Tournament consolation bracket title. He was named second team all-district in 2010 and earned honorable mention accolades the season before. Firozgary was co-valedictorian of his class, graduating with summa cum laude honors. The biochemistry major is from Houston and is the son of Farrokh and Mahnaaz Firozgary.

Matt Staff, Texas State University
High School: Houston Memorial High School
This week: Saturday, Dec. 29, vs. San Jose State University
About Staff: Staff played at Memorial High School in 2005-2009 for coach Dave Lay. Both Rivals.com and Scout.com rated him as a two-star recruit at the beginning of 2008-2009. He carried a 3.75 GPA and was ranked in the Top-10 by RCSSports.com for the Houston area - Top-20 in Texas by TexasHoops.com. He is the son of Richard and Victoria.

Christian Sanders, Stanford University
Position: Guard
High School: St. Thomas HS
This week:Saturday, Dec. 29, vs, University of Connecticut
About Sanders: Sanders is a freshman guard for Stanford University. He is a 2012 graduate of St. Thomas High School in Houston where he was listed as the No. 23-ranked shooting guard by Scout.com and No. 36-ranked shooting guard in ESPNU's 100 national rankings. Sanders ranked as a two-time first-team TAPPS All-State selection after he led St. Thomas High School to a TAPPS 5A State championship as a junior while averaging 16.1 points 4.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He also garnered district MVP honors along the way and was three-time all-district selection earning third-team all-state accolades as a freshman member of AAU squad Houston Defenders. Sanders is from Houston and is the son of Brad and Linda Sanders.

Julien Person, Case Western Reserve University
Position: Guard
High School: Second Baptist High School
This week:
Friday, Dec. 28, vs. Alma College
Saturday, Dec. 29, vs. Albion College
About Person: Person is a sophomore guard for Case Western Reserve University.He is a 2011 graduate Magna Cum Laude of Second Baptist High School in Houston, where he was named to the All-State Tournament Team and All-District Second Team, and to the National Honor Society. The management major is the son of Christophe and Beatrice Person of Houston.