It was an unprecedented amount of success for high school basketball in Coahoma County for the 2018-19 season.
All eight teams – four boys and four girls – advanced to the postseason. That 100 percent success rate means the Press Register all-area awards will go to every head coach and several athletes throughout the community.
The two MVPs will once again come from Coahoma County High School.
Senior Red Panthers small forward Markevius Phillips is the boys MVP for the third consecutive year with 12 points, five rebounds, four steals, two blocks and two assists per game. He won two junior high championships and two state championships, was the Tupelo tournament player of the game and earned first team all-district honors. He took the Red Panthers to the state tournament and still managed to make his usual contributions in spite of splitting time on the court with his teammates more than usual.
Junior power forward Nakia Cheatham of the Lady Red Panthers is the girls MVP for the second consecutive year. She was on the all-district first team with 11 points, eight rebounds, four steals, one assist and one block per game and led her team to a district championship. She played in the Mississippi all-star game March 23 and was the Coahoma Early College High School and Tupelo tournament MVPs.
Coahoma County coach Derrick Moore is the overall coach of the year for his work leading the boys and girls programs. Both teams were district champions -- the boys went to the 2A state tournament and the girls were eliminated with a one-point loss at Ingomar.
Coahoma Early College High School coach Corney George is the boys coach of the year. George led the Tigers to a 23-7 record during his first season, including a win against Holly Springs, who played for the state championship, and led his team to a road playoff victory.
CECHS coach Isaac Morris is the girls coach of the year. His team had a 15-game improvement in the win column during his first season at the helm and won the district tournament championship.
ALL-AREA BOYS
Junior shooting guard Bentavious Galmore is the offensive player of the year. He played in the Mississippi all-star game, was on the all-district first team, won two junior high championships and two state championships and was the Ackerman classic MVP. He directed the Red Panthers offense and finished with 11 points, three rebounds, three steals and 3.5 assists per game.
Four athletes earned the most all-around player for averaging a double-double during the season.
One is CECHS junior center Thomas Williams Jr. (6 feet, 4 inches, 180 pounds) with 12 points, 12 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. He shot 51 percent from the field, was on the all-district tournament team, led Class 3A in rebounds for the state, had 13 double-doubles, two 20-20 games, was player of week for his team seven times, and has more than 500 career rebounds. He is ranked No. 17 for the class of 2020 in the Hoops report.
Another is Red Panthers sophomore center Jai'sheldon Yates, who was district player of the year with 14 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and one assist per game. He was the MVP of the state championship game as a freshman.
Two Lee Academy players averaged double-doubles.
Junior post player Phillip Brownlee (6-4) finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and three steals per game and was on the MAIS AAA D-1 All-District. He was a force inside, altering opponent's shots and dominating the defensive backboard. He was a great team player and was a potential double-double each game in points and rebounds that aided Lee Academy to the MAIS AAA North State.
Colts junior forward and center Seth Campbell (6-0) finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds per game. He earned MAIS AAA D-1 All-District honorable mention. He was the team’s most consistent "points in the paint" scorer and best offensive rebounder helping lead Lee Academy to the MAIS AAA North State.
Two athletes will share the defensive player of the year award based on the recognition they have received at the district level.
One is Clarksdale High School senior Kevin Smith who was a second-team all-district player with two points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He was the runner-up for defensive player of the year in his district.
The other is CECHS junior shooting guard Trey Payno (5-8, 136) with 14 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.7 steals per game. He shot 35 percent from 3-point range, was on the all-district first team, was the district defensive player of the year, on the all-district tournament team, led Class 3A in steals, and held two 20-point scorers to less than 10 points. He is on the Magnolia Hoops player to watch list.
Clarksdale High School freshman Makevious Jackson is the newcomer of the year. He earned first-team all-district honors with 14.1 points, three rebounds and three assists per game.
CHS’s Dave Wilson is the most improved player with 5.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Lee Academy freshman guard and forward D.J. Vassel is the best junior high player to see action during high school games. He is a future star. He finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks per game. He was the "X" factor for Lee Academy by being a top three team leader in deflections, blocks, steals and rebounds while playing two quarters as a moved up varsity player. He is a great athlete and team player that helped lead Lee Academy to the MAIS AAA North State tournament.
BOYS FIRST-TEAM
CCHS junior point guard Markevious Holmes finished with eight points, one rebound, three steals and 2.2 assists per game. He won two junior high and two high school championships and was on the all-district first team.
CCHS senior point guard and small forward Alshun Ross was on the all-district first team, the CECHS tournament MVP and the team’s sixth man of the year with eight points, five rebounds and two assists.
Lee Academy junior guard and forward Brett Wilson (6-2) finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks per game. He earned MAIS AAA D-1 All-District honors. He was vital to Lee Academy's success as a stretch 3 player. Very gifted athlete who can shoot with NBA range and created match-up problems for every team we faced as Lee Academy advanced to the MAIS AAA North State.
Clarksdale High School senior Aikee Matthews averaged 10 points, three rebounds and two assists per game.
CECHS junior point guard Willie Eagins Jr. (6-1, 156) earned 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He shot 50 percent from the field 30 percent from 3-point range, earned all-district honors, had one triple-double and was a Magnolia Hoops player to watch.
BOYS SECOND TEAM
CCHS small forward and wing Jeff Fisher guarded two Dandy Dozen and several top rated players. He was the team’s “Mr. Shut You Down!” and on the all-district second team. He earned three points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals per game.
CHS junior Chris Allen finished with 9.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and one block per game.
CECHS junior shooting guard Hertavious Williams finished with 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 3.1 assists per game. He shot 31 percent from 3-point range.
CCHS junior power forward and center Keshun Holly earned player of the game four times and twice in the postseason. He had four points, four rebounds, one steal, one assist and one block per game.
ALL-AREA GIRLS
CHS junior guard Patrice Broomfield (5-7, 129) is the offensive player of the year with 17.2 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals per game. She earned all-district honors and scored a career-high 33 points against Gentry.
CCHS senior center Taakius Fonzy is the most all-around player with nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks per game. She was on the all-district first team, the runner-up player of the year in the district and the team’s most consistent player all year.
Senior power forward and point guard Eukemia Blanch is the sixth woman of the year. She was on the all-district second team with three points, six rebounds, four steals, three assists and one block per game. She does everything including playing with a broken finger and strained knee all season.
Freshman point guard Naria Artis is the best defender with three points, two assists, two rebounds and two steals per game. She guarded several athletes who averaged 20 plus points per game and only one scored at least 20 on her.
CECHS junior Nekedra Pittman is the defensive player of the year with eight points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. She once had a 20-20 game.
Lee Academy sophomore point guard Emily Moser is the newcomer of the year. She averaged three points, six assists, four steals and three rebounds per game. She earned MAIS AAA D-1 All-District honors. She led Lee Academy in assists and steals as the best on ball defender while being the team's second leading scorer. She played through a back injury and became a team leader as an extension of the coach on the floor helping lead Lee Academy to the MAIS AAA North State.
Lee Academy junior guard and forward Anna Byrd averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and two assists per game to earn all-around player honors. She led Lee Academy in scoring and rebounding averaging a double-double in points and rebounds. She exploded offensively this season with 6 games of 25 plus points with career highs of 31 points twice. She was the ultimate team player leading Lee Academy to the MAIS AAA North State.
GIRLS FIRST-TEAM
CHS junior Aliyah Fizer (6-2, 145) averaged 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks per game. She was an all-district player and earned a career-high 27 points against North Side.
CCHS shooting guard and wing junior Calysia Phillips was on the all-district first team averaging 11 points, three rebounds, five steals and three assist per game. She played in the Mississippi all-star game.
CCHS junior shooting guard Shakira Artis was also on the all-district first team with eight points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist per game. She was a couple votes from making the all-star game.
CECHS junior Aaliyah Davis averaged 15.3 points, three rebounds and two steals per game. She was on the all-district first team, led her team in scoring and shot 39 percent from 3-point range.
CECHS junior Zyriah Green averaged 11 points and four rebounds per game and was on the all-district second team.
GIRLS SECOND TEAM
CECHS junior Zyka Blanch averaged seven points and seven rebounds per game.
CECHS senior Mykeria Jones flirted with four triple-doubles, was on the all-district tournament team and averaged 7.7 points, six rebounds and three steals per game.
CHS senior Kierra Whitley (5-6, 135) averaged seven points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals per game and scored a career-high 21 points against Greenwood.
CHS junior Tameria Daniel (5-7, 130) averaged eight points, three rebounds and three steals per game and earned a career-high 15 points against CECHS.
CCHS senior point guard Ashley Spearman was second-team all-district, never missed a practice and was the team’s top hustler. She averaged five points, two rebounds, three steals and two assists per game.
COACHES AWARDS
Lee Academy’s Michael Peckham earns the most improved program award for the way he has turned around both the Colts and Fillies in just two years.
CHS’ Greg Wilson earns the most improved program award for the girls. Wilson had a team at the bottom of the division four years ago. The past three seasons, the Lady Wildcats have been toward the top of the district thanks to his leadership.
CHS’ Farrington Hill earns the most consistent boys program award. Hill is one of the longest tenured high school basketball coaches in this community and has led the Wildcats since 2011-12. The past two seasons, his teams have overachieved to make the playoffs. The two seasons prior to that, the Wildcats were in the state tournament. Hill gets the most out of his players every season.
CECHS’ Thomas Williams Sr. is the assistant coach of the year. He does the scouting reports for the boys and girls, keeps all of the statistics and led the junior varsity team to a 15-0 record.
