Hendersonville Standard
HENDERSONVILLE WEATHER

Main Street Preps names All-Sumner County boys basketball team




Bobby Luna, Gallatin head coach. 

Bobby Luna, Gallatin head coach. 

Coming off a 25-9 season, a district championship game appearance, a region championship and a trip to the sub-state, the Station Camp Bison have their fingerprints all over the All-Sumner County first team.

Though the Bison were the best team in the county this year, Player of the Year honors went to Gallatin senior Larodre Clark. Clark was without a doubt the most valuable player to his team this year, as that showed over the course of 34 games.

Gallatin coach Bobby Luna also earned Coach of the Year honors for leading a group of inexperienced players to a sub-state appearance, where they ultimately fell short on the road to Franklin.

The Main Street Preps All-Sumner County boys’ basketball team is comprised of eight Sumner County schools including Beech, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Merrol Hyde, Pope John Paul II, Portland, Station Camp and White House. We did not receive nominations for Westmoreland.

Main Street Preps is part of Main Street Media of Tennessee, publisher of nine weekly newspapers including the Gallatin News, Hendersonville Standard, Portland Sun and the Connection, which covers White House and Robertson County.

Coaches of all eight schools submitted nominations with the final decisions being made by our sports staff.

The full teams are listed below:

 

Player of the Year: Larodre Clark, Gallatin

Why chosen: Clark was without a doubt the county’s most valuable player this season. Without Clark this season (seven games), Gallatin went 2-5 with the two wins (Portland, West Creek) coming by a combined seven points.

Clark averaged 14.5 points per game, 5 rebounds per game and 3 assists per game. He was named to the all-district, all-tournament and all-region teams.

 

Coach of the Year: Bobby Luna, Gallatin

Why chosen: Coach of the Year was a very tough decision. On one hand, you have coach Seth Massey at Station Camp who was very deserving as well, leading his team to a 25-9 record, a region championship and a spot in the sectional round.

But if you look at the teams both coaches had to work with, I would say that Station Camp was a better overall team. They had more experience and that showed over the course of the year beating Gallatin three times. What Bobby Luna did with such a young, inexperienced group was truly remarkable and that was highlighted in their Region semifinal win over Mt. Juliet.

 

Most Improved: Beljwok Adaing, Gallatin

Why chosen: As a junior Beljwok Adaing averaged 14.5 points per game, 8 rebounds per game and registered 62 steals on defense. Not playing any variety as a sophomore, Adaing quickly grew into the Wave’s more potent offensive threats.

 

First Team

Dane Diaz, Station Camp

Why chosen: Diaz orchestrated the point guard position like a four-year player for the Bison this season except for the fact that he was just a two-year player for Seth Massey.

Diaz was no-doubt a vital member to the Bison and a key component to their Class AAA sectional run. Diaz averaged 10 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game and 3.5 assists per game for the Bison.

 

Kavon Blankenship, Station Camp

Why chosen: Blankenship has all the tools to come back and be the Player of the Year next year in Sumner County. A guard that showed he can slash to the basket and pull up from long range, Blankenship averaged 12.5 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game for Station Camp. It will be interesting to see his growth over the next 12 months.

 

Eli Thurston, Station Camp

Why chosen: As a junior, Thurston played his best basketball in the region championship and sub-state games. He averaged 11 points per game and nearly 4 rebounds per game from the guard spot and will definitely be a name to watch for next season. His 3-point shooting and ability to get to the basket are just a couple of reasons why Thurston earned first team honors.

 

Octavian Arnold, White House

Why chosen: Arnold made the switch from AAA ball last season to AA ball this year and stepped his game up. He averaged 19 points per game for the Blue Devils and earned all-district and all-tournament for White House. Arnold is without question one of the top 3-point shooters in Sumner County.

 

Zach Morris, Hendersonville

Why chosen: Morris was instrumental in Hendersonville’s success this season. Whether it was his longrange shooting, ability to get to the foul line, rebound or leadership, Morris showed from start to finish he was one of the top-five players in Sumner County.

Second Team

Noah Taylor, Hendersonville

Why chosen: Choosing between Morris and Taylor was like splitting hairs when comparing the two Commando teammates. Morris is a tough player, showing the ability to fight through injuries all season long. Taylor defends very well and can shoot lights out from distance is you give him the space.

 

Sam Specht, Pope John Paul II

Why chosen: Specht as a sophomore carried the load offensively for the Knights, scoring 14.5 points per game and shooting 45 percent from long distance. He averaged 3.5 rebounds per game and nearly 2 assists per game. Specht will be one of the top players in the county moving forward.

 

Kaleb Powell, Beech

Why chosen: Powell could have made a case for Most Improved this season as a sophomore. Part of a young team at Beech, Powell handled the load offensively night in and night out for the Bucs. Powell scored 13 points per game, averaged 3 assists per game and grabbed 5 rebounds per game.

 

Jared Ward, White House

Why chosen: Ward averaged 12 points per game for White House this season and was part of a 1-2 punch at the guard position that was vital to the team’s success. Ward can light up the scoreboard from distance and moved into second place in school history for scoring.

 

Mitchell Eagle, Portland

Why chosen: Eagle was the only Panther to earn all-district honors this season. Eagle averaged 11.5 points per game, 5 rebounds per game and 3.3 assists per game for coach Darryl Travis.

 

Third Team

Darius Bell, Portland

Why chosen: As a junior, Bell averaged 11.5 points per game for the Panthers and 5.5 rebounds per game. A versatile player, Bell was vital in the Panthers success this season.

 

Matthew Sykes, Merrol Hyde

Why chosen: Sykes scored 15 points per game for the Hawks this year and averaged nearly 4 assists per game. Sykes best game of the season came in a win over Pope John Paul II where he scored 38 points.

 

Ty Martin, Gallatin

Why chosen: Martin as a sophomore registered a 2-1 assist to turnover ratio and scored 6 points per game for the Green Wave.

 

Durstin Adams, White House

Why chosen: Adams scored 13 points per game for White House and was named to the District 9AA All-Tournament team.

 

Trey Moore, Station Camp

Why chosen: Moore was vital to the team’s success this year and was the first one off the bench for head coach Seth Massey. His ability to shoot the basketball coupled with his consistent ability to take care of the basketball puts him third team All Sumner County.

 

Honorable Mention

Austin Hicks, Portland

Why chosen: Hicks was probably the best defender for the Panthers this season. He averaged over 10 points per game for Darryl Travis.

 

Cade Martin, Gallatin

Why chosen: In order to get meaningful minutes as a freshman in AAA basketball you have to be a pretty special basketball player. Martin stepped into the starting lineup for much of the season and averaged 6 points per game and 3 assists per game for the Green Wave.

 

Asher Wolthers, Merrol Hyde

Why chosen: Welters averaged 13 points per game for the Hawks this season and pulled down 8.5 rebounds per game. Welters was a key member to the Hawks’ run at the region semifinals.

 

Ben Nixon, Pope John Paul II

Why chosen: As a senior, Nixon pulled down nearly 5 rebounds per game, averaged nearly 7 points per game, 1.5 assist per game and 1 block per game. Nixon was often counted on to go get scrappy points for the Knights this year.

 

Derek Kincaid, Hendersonville

Why chosen: Kincaid was a tough competitor for the Commandos this season and could be counted on basically every night to get the job done down low. He is a good defender and a strong rebounder.

Leave a Reply