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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Whole New Ballgame
Collin County, TX
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By: Kevin Hageland
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Photo(s) By: Alex Lee
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Roberson’s Departure Leaves District Race Wide Open
District 9-5A is synonymous with being one of the toughest in the district, no matter what the sport.
And basketball is no different.
The names may have changed, but after being the only playoff quartet in the Metroplex to sweep in the bi-district round last year, much is expected out of 9-5A as the 2007-08 season gets underway.
The two premier big men in the district last season, Lake Highlands’ duo of Cameron Johnson and Courtney Dunn, have graduated, and perhaps because of that many coaches in 9-5A think this will be the year of the guard. A fact that is ironic considering the best guard in the league last season, Plano’s John Roberson, has also graduated.
“John might have been one of those once in a lifetime players,” said Doug Bleadorn, East head coach. “But there are still a lot of good guards in this district; not a lot of bigs, but plenty of talent.”
A lot of that talent resides on the East side of Plano as the majority of coaches and players in the district have pegged the Panthers as the team to beat this season.
The graduations from Berkner, last season’s district champion, and Lake Highlands, which tied for second, have put the five teams from Collin County in a prime position to capture a postseason berth.
Allen
Coach: Jeff Higgins
Players to Watch:
Jeff Campbell, G, Sr. - 9.0 points per game and 4.5 assists per game last season
C.J. Ogbuehi, F, Sr. - 9.0 ppg and 5.2 rebounds per game
Jeff Campbell and C.J. Ogbuehi lead an Eagles squad that Jeff Higgins says, “Has as much talent as any team I’ve had here at Allen.”
Higgins is in his fifth season at Allen, but is still looking for his first trip to the playoffs. To that end, Higgins said he measures all his teams by his first group (2003-04 season) which was the closest the Eagles have been to the playoffs since their last trip in 1998-99.
Allen lost two of its top four scorers from last year, Ryan Shrum and Malte Kramer, and three of its top four rebounders, Shrum, Kramer and Darius Boling. But those losses aren’t necessarily a bad thing for these Eagles.
“We had a lot of individual talent last year, but we have more team chemistry this season,” said Rocky Lewis, Allen senior. “We play AAU ball together, and hang out at and outside of school. We want to end this season on a good note and make a name for ourselves.”
Allen has 9-10 players that see significant time in each game as the Eagles plan on playing press defense throughout the game in an attempt to push the pace on both sides of the court. Allen heads into the season seeking its first Class 5A playoff win.
“There is no doubt the talent is there,” Higgins said. “We are athletic and can shoot; I think this team could be really good.”
Plano East
Coach: Doug Bleadorn
Players to Watch:
Anthony Hill, G, Sr. - 10.5 ppg and 5.3 apg
John West, F, Sr. - 11.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 2.8 apg
Kevin Smith, C, Sr. - 11.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg
The Panthers are the favorites in the district race this season, but they have much bigger aspirations.
“We have depth, talent and a lot of returning players,” John West said. “Making it to Austin [for the Class 5A State Tournament] would be a major achievement, but I believe we have that kind of potential.”
And it is a failure in last year’s playoffs that appears to be driving this incarnation of the Panthers. After losing four players due to grade problems, East was defeated by Skyline, 53-51 in overtime, in the area round.
Doug Bleadorn knows that can’t happen again if East has any chance of becoming the first team, in any sport, in school history to win a UIL State Title.
“Grades are No. 1; these kids are here for an education,” he said. “With all the different leagues and exposure it can be easy to lose sight of that, but it’s our job to get the players to look past the hype.”
But with Anthony Hill, John West and Kevin Smith all returning, the team’s top three scorers last season have all verbally committed to Division I schools, as well as the addition of senior forward Mike Uwaga and junior guard Grayson Carroll, it’s easy to see how East could get caught up in the hype.
But the Panthers look primed to avoid that trap.
“We aren’t the team to beat in 9-5A, yet,” Hill said. “But by the time district comes around, we will be.”
Plano
Coach: Tom Inman
Players to Watch:
Rex Burkhead, W, Jr. - Key component of 2005-06 state title team)
He isn’t even a part of the Wildcats anymore, but the name most mentioned when talking about Plano’s team this season is John Roberson.
But considering Roberson was the top scorer in the district last season and is the reigning Texas Mr. Basketball, that is understandable.
“John John is amazing,” said Eric Hall, Plano senior wing. “But we have a lot of other guys that can play too.”
But with the Wildcats football team primed to make a lengthy postseason run, Plano does not have a wealth of experience as Eric Hall and Reggie Britton are the only returners. Rex Burkhead and senior wing Nate Christian will provide more firepower come January, but Inman said his team isn’t waiting for reinforcements.
“People outside the program may think we’re down and this is their chance to take shots at us,” he said. “And that’s fine; those slights can serve as motivation for us.”
The other thing motivating the Wildcats this season is extending their streak of six consecutive playoff appearances.
Aside from Britton and Hall, Plano is looking to senior wing Chase Jones and senior post John Sullivan to make an impact. With no superstar on the team, the Wildcats should be far more balanced than last season when Roberson and fellow spring graduate Landon Skinner were routinely the top 2 scorers.
“We are going to need more people to produce this season,” Britton said. “We want to do as well as the last few years and that means the team is first; we have to be productive in a team system.”
Plano West
Coach: Anthony Morgan
Players to Watch:
Jackson Jeffcoat, F, Soph. - 9.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Tyler Melville, G, Jr. and Mark Damiani, F, Jr. - Both on varsity since freshman year.
The Wolves lost one of the top players in the district with the graduation of Sterling Melville (22.2 ppg and 8.2 rpg), but using lots of players last season, and young ones at that, should pay dividends for West this year as the team brings back seven athletes with varsity experience.
“We should be more balanced this season,” Morgan said.
The Wolves have 14 players on the roster this season, which is good considering West routinely went 12 deep in Morgan’s first season at the helm.
“West will be tough because they have such tremendous young talent,” Bleadorn said.
And any discussion of young talent at West begins with the name Jeffcoat. The sophomore showed shades of Greg Oden, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, as he doesn’t have the most polished offensive game, but is a force inside and on the boards. So much so that Inman wishes Jeffcoat would, “Focus on football, football, football.”
And while the attention on Jeffcoat is deserved, he isn’t the only component to the Wolves team. Melville looks primed to step out of his brother’s shadow and establish himself as the Wolves top guard, while senior center Ross Self should be able to team with Jeffcoat to give West a formidable inside presence.
After missing the playoffs last year, look for a hungry group of Wolves this season.
Wylie
Record: (5-25 overall, 0-14 in district [8th], no playoffs)
Coach: David Black
Players to Watch:
Cederick Clark, G, Jr. - 9.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg.
Tedrick Urune, G, Sr. and Thad Varmall, G, Sr. - Among top 5 on team in both points and rebounds.
After going winless in district last season, no one would question if 9-5A teams were to overlook Wylie this year.
But that won’t be the case.
“Coach Black is always competitive,” Bleadorn said. “Plus this may be the most athletic team he’s ever had there; and they brought in Garland’s best player.”
Bleadorn is referring to Cederick Clark, who, when teaming up with Tedrick Urune and Thad Varmall, epitomizes why 9-5A is seen as a guard league this season.
The Pirates may have gone through district play without a win last season, but 10 of those 14 losses were decided by 10 points or less, with Wylie taking Allen to overtime and Plano to double overtime before falling.
“We might have overlooked them last year,” Inman said. “But not this year.”
If the Pirates want to improve on their first season after moving from Class 4A to 5A, the team will have to score more points. Wylie was last in the district last year with 54.1 ppg, a total which put them 7.1 ppg behind the next-to-last team, Richardson.
If the Pirates can do that while keeping their defensive prowess intact, 59.9 points against was third in 9-5A, Wylie should be able to improve. Playoffs may not be probable, but climbing out of the cellar is.
“Every team has to be ready to play in this district,” Higgins said. “Overlook a team like Wylie and you will get beat.”
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