All-Metro team

[VTIME]

All-Metro team

03/27/2007

FIRST TEAM

Kavon Lacey was an All-Metro second-team selection as a junior, when he averaged 15 points, 3.6 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals per game as Alton went 27-4. The Redbirds were again one of the area's top teams this winter, and Lacey was a big reason for that. The guard averaged 16.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals as the Redbirds went 27-5 and tied East St. Louis for the Southwestern Conference championship. Lacey was also an All-Metro football first-team selection as a defensive back.

Josh McCoy may not have been well known to area basketball fans after scoring 13 points a game as a sophomore, but he's a name to remember now. McCoy led Fort Zumwalt South to a district title triumph over Troy and playoff victories over Columbia Rock Bridge, Springfield Kickapoo and Lindbergh. McCoy scored a game-high 26 points against Lindbergh in the Class 5 third-place game. For the season, he averaged 17.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals and made 59 of 143 3-point attempts (41 percent).

Leon Powell was an All-Metro second-team selection as a sophomore and a third-team pick as a junior. Powell, who helped Vashon win state titles as a freshman and junior, averaged 20.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and four blocked shots per game his senior season. Over his four-year varsity career, Vashon also won four Public High League titles and had a cumulative record of 107- 10. Powell is Vashon's fourth first-teamer in four years, following Dwayne Polk (2004), Johnny Hill (2005) and Bobby Hill (2006).

After McCluer North defeated KC Rockhurst to win the school's first basketball state championship, Torres Roundtree declared that it took the entire team to get to Columbia and win it all. He was right, but it was Roundtree who took over in the final six quarters at Mizzou Arena. He scored 17 points in the second half of the semifinal victory over Lindbergh and a career-high 38 points in the title game. For the season, Roundtree averaged 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals as the Stars went 26-3. He has already committed to play at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Kramer Soderberg, a high-scoring combo guard and the son of St. Louis University coach Brad Soderberg, was a second-team All-Metro selection as a sophomore when he averaged 23 points and 4.8 assists per game. He was even better as a junior. He was the area's scoring leader this winter when he averaged 25.9 points per game. He also made 77 of 159 3-point attempts (48.4 percent) and sank 185 of 210 free throw attempts (88.1 percent). St. Charles West went 24-4 and won the GAC North Division crown for the fifth consecutive season.

SECOND TEAM

Paul Eckerle, Borgia 6-1 Sr. 24.7 ppg, made 69 3-pointers

Josh Harrellson, St. Charles 6-9 Sr. 18.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 3.6 bpg

Kenny Leverette, O’Fallon 6-3 Jr. 13.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg and 4.4 apg

Anthony Mitchell, E. St. Louis 6-3 Sr. SLU signee; 14.5 ppg and 11.1 rpg

Zach Plackemeier, Duchesne 6-3 Sr. IU-PU at Fort Wayne signee; 24.7 ppg

THIRD TEAM

Rodney Ford, Affton 6-4 Sr. 18.3 ppg, 9.1 apg, 8.2 rpg and 3.3 bpg

Drew Hanlen, Webster Groves 5-11 Jr. Suburban South player of the year; 17.5 ppg

Sam Pearson, Hazelwood C. 6-1 Sr. Suburban North player of the year; 18.2 ppg

Richard Rose, Troy 6-3 Sr. 19.3 ppg, made 63 3-pointers

Scott Suggs, Washington 6-7 Jr. 19 ppg and 7.5 rpg

HONORABLE MENTION

Michael Adamson, sr., Freeburg; Jake Alexander, sr., Herculaneum; Joe Allaria, sr., Edwardsville; Bryant Allen, soph., Maplewood; Richard Anderson, soph., Beaumont; Mike Baker, sr., Whitfield; David Bass, jr., University City; Lonnie Boga, soph., McCluer; Deonte Carlisle, sr., Lovejoy-Lincoln; Cornelius Chatt, jr., Madison; Brad Copelin, sr., O’Fallon; Josh Dale, sr., Affton; Jeremy Felton, sr., Belleville West; Tyler Griffey, soph., Lafayette; Ben Hoener, soph., Parkway South; Ed Jamerson, jr., Wellston; Anthony James, jr., Normandy; Femi John, jr., McCluer North; Ryan Lawrence, sr., De Soto; Mike Malat, sr., O’Fallon; Marvin McNutt, sr., Hazelwood Central; Isaac Moore, jr., Normandy; Alfred Nelson, sr., Chaminade; Jesse Perry, jr., Gateway Tech; Mersad Ramic, sr., Bayless; Sean Rakers, jr., Wesclin; Barry Robinson, jr., Construction Career; David Ruckman, jr., Freeburg; Darian Sain, jr., East St. Louis; A.J. Steward, sr., Riverview; Dave Stewart, sr., Vianney; Chris Stokes, sr., Miller Career; Abel Tillman, jr., Berkeley; Cornelius Walker, jr., Vashon; Ron Waller, jr., Zumwalt West; Chris Williams, sr., Lebanon; Robert Williams, sr., Lindbergh; Andy Wolff, sr., Metro-East Lutheran

[VTIME]

I think I would've put Leverette on 1st team over Lacey because he had about the same scoring and assists numbers, plus way more rebounds and he led his team to 2nd place finish at state in Illinois. Also, Josh Harrellson over Kramer Soderberg. Harrellson went to state. He also averaged 18ppg and 10.5 rpg. He was the top center in the area.

[AJ]

Suggs on the 3rd team is absolutely insane. But then I guess Bernie and his boys at the Post know more about BB talent than every major college recruiter in the country.

[Scoop]

This has probably been posted, but I have not been current with the board because of the constant negativity. However, What's the deal with Powell? Has he signed anywhere. Are we still an option?

[VTIME]

No and Yes

[AJ]

Scoop,

He's not academically qualified and probably headed for JUCO. However, Powell is telling people he is going to attempt the ACT test again and is still interested in SLU if he passes. Pray hard.

[VTIME]

you said it

[billiken_roy]

i watched leaverette and lacey both three separate times. both are very good players, but lacey is better. lacey is a better shooter and a little bit faster.

leaverette is only a junior though and one would expect him to be near the head of the class next season.

[billiken_roy]

aj, let's not forget the post named langdon shipley the poy a couple of years ago over kevin lisch. hell langdon wasnt even the best player on his own team. i envision them picking this all metro team over a couple of bottles of scotch.

my favorite oversight on this years team is burying jeremy felton in the honorable mentions. granted he didnt play until december, but when he did play, there wasnt a single game he was outplayed by anyone.

[VTIME]

but leverette was better in most statistical categories and led his team to 2nd place at state in illinois, which is always loaded with talent.

[VTIME]

lisch is the same situation with felton. He missed a lot of game his senior year with the injury. I think it was his knee.

[jp18]

Yeah, I'm not sure what the Post is thinking with this thing either. My big beef is with the coaches. Anthony Bonner gets a mention as someone considered for coach of the year, and we all know that team underachieved. But Jason Wolfard, who coaches Lindbergh, doesn't even get a mention when his team went to the state final and was probably the surprise of the season. And Lindbergh isn't even ranked in their poll at the end of the season. I think they had more than scotch when making these selections.

[billiken_roy]

i believe lisch got hurt in the last home game of the season and missed the playoffs which without lisch, althoff went out quickly.

[brianstl]

He should get consideration for coach of the decade. The record was not up to recent standards, but this was not the team that was on the cpourt last year or the team people thought would take the court at the beginning of the year. He lost players that did not live in the district and should have never been on the team before he got there. Had to scramble to get hhis team the basic necessities for them to play (uniforms). He also had a bunch of people even some players trying to make sure he he failed at every turn. What he did this year, in his first season coaching, to keep the whole thing from blowing up and produing the results they did is amazing.

[brianstl]

Is the fact Floyd and DJ haven't found a way to get rid of him yet. AB, I would stay as far away as possible from certain former V players.

[VTIME]

Doss was underutilized. Leon Powell should've touched the ball EVERY time down the court. They should've won state. Leon Powell had never not been to state. He didnt deserve to go out like that. Powell, Walker, Doss and Davis were 4 year varsity players. They had the state's most dominant player and didnt use him right. Losing to Parkway South was inexcusable.

[thetorch]

Despite your hyping of him, Doss is not that great. He was underutlized because he's not all that talented. A kid like like Doss gets 5 minutes a game on some of the Vs recent championship teams. Save for Powell, Vashon's team was a collection of role players forced into starting duty because of the loss of so many great players before them. Usually Vashon could recharge after losing D-1 players, but the talent was not there this year, not even close.

[brianstl]

Doss is the same player he was his at the beginning of his sophmore year. He hasn't improved one bit in three years. He would show flashes every now and then but he never could put it together. Walker you have probably over hype more than any player in the area he was just a little bit better than average player nothing more. And Davis is just a guy nothing more nothing less. Powell is a stud. It is easy for youto say he should of touch the ball everytime down the court, but how do you know he didn't tell the players that. This years team had players trying to torpedo Bonner. They had Floyd in their ear telling them that AB wasn't using them right and they had to play for themselves.

[casualbil]

>but leverette was better in most statistical categories and

>led his team to 2nd place at state in illinois, which is

>always loaded with talent.

I think overall Lacey was the better player. But in the end O'Fallon was the better team. Although Leverette is talented, I would disagree that he "led" them to 2nd place. Throughout the tournament there was a different hero every night. Jared Woolfolk played a big part getting the Panthers through the regionals and sectionals, and Brad Copelin was huge in Peoria, gaining first-team all-tournament honors. O'Fallon's bench had a few key players that contributed along the way also. Overall, it was a great run when everything gelled at the right time.

[Tonka]

I was talking to a couple guys who follow HS basketball pretty closely and they said Lacey can play. I thought I read we haev not offered him. I know he is a dual athlete and is considering football. Why wouldn't we be offering him though?

[billiken_roy]

it has been mentioned a few times when discussing lacey that he doesnt have the academics down. it seems to be a common trait that recent slu recruits are not borderline academic scenarios as some of coach soderberg's earlier recruits were. if lacey was the quality of tommie liddell it might be worth throwing a line out there, but i am assuming soderberg is playing other point guard cards first that already have the academics behind them.

[Milwaukee Billiken]

Anthony Mitchell made Ramey's 2007 First Team:

1st Team All-Area

6’7 SR Leon Powell Vashon High School

Led the PHL Champion Wolverines with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks a game.

5’11 JR Kramer Soderberg St. Charles West High School

Soderberg led the Warriors to a 24-4 record with averages of 26 points and 4 assists a game.

6’9 SR Josh Harrellson St. Charles High School

Harrellson led the Pirates to a district championship & averaged 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks a game.

6’0 SR Kavon Lacey Alton High School

Averaging 16 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals for the redhot Redbirds.

6’4 SR Anthony Mitchell East St. Louis High School

Averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds for the 23-4 Flyers.

2nd Team All-Area

6’2 SR Zach Plackemeir Duchesne High School

Averaged 25 points and 5 rebounds a game for Duchesne.

5’8 SR Chris Stokes Career Academy High School

Led the Phoenix with a 20 point, 6 assist, and 4 steals per game average.

6’7 SR Lucus O’Rear Nashville High School

Leads the only undeafeted area team (30-0) with 19 points and 9 rebounds a game.

6’3 SR Richard Rose Troy High School

This sharpshooter finished the year averaging 19 points and 4 rebounds a game.

6’1 SR Paul Eckerle Borgia High School

Averaged 25 points, 2 assists and steals per game this year for 18-9 Knights.

3rd Team All-Area

6’6 JR Scott Suggs Washington High School

The areas premier recruit averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks a game.

6’3 JR Torres Roundtree McCluer North High School

Averages 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists for the District champion Stars.

6’0 SR Sammy Pearson Hazelwood Central High School

Led the Hawks to the Suburban North title and averaged 18 points, 4 assists

and 2 steals a game.

6’8 Soph Tyler Griffey Lafayette High School

Led the Lancers to a conference and district championship with averages of 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks a game.

6’0 Soph Bryant Allen Maplewood High School

Averaging 23 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists heading into districts.