Thursday, April 7, 2005
| Dawkins
named to state’s top five By
BARRY BURLESON The postseason basketball honors keep coming for the two-time defending state champions, the Holly High Hawks. Last week The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson unveiled its 27th annual Boys All-State Team, and the First Team included Holly Springs senior guard Kenny Dawkins. The write-up on the 5’9” Dawkins, who averaged 18 points, eight assists and five steals per game, called him the “catalyst” as the Hawks (34-1) repeated as the state’s top team in Class 3A. In Holly High’s 47-35 state title win over Franklin County, Dawkins scored 23 points, including five three-pointers. Coach Naylond Hayes had this to say about his star player, also called “Mr. Consistency” by The Clarion-Ledger. “Kenny is much more aggressive than any player I’ve ever had,” he said. “He’s very smart and has a good basketball mind. He might be the smallest player on the court, but he’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever had. He’ll take a charge even if the guy is 6’8”. It doesn’t matter. “Kenny comes to practice every day ready to practice, and he comes to every game ready to play defense and offense,” said Hayes, who first noticed Dawkins as a 10-year-old in the National Youth Sports Program at Rust College. “You don’t find many kids like that. If I could find a kid who was half the leader Kenny is, I’d be in good shape.” The Clarion-Ledger listed the colleges interested in Dawkins as Auburn, Middle Tennessee State, Southern Miss and Ole Miss. Monta Ellis of Lanier was chosen Player of the Year. Others on the First Team were Courtney Fells of Shannon, Roderick Ollie of Indianola Gentry and Jeremy Wise of Murrah. Both Clevin Hannah, a 5’11” junior, and Justin Nabors, a 6’6’ senior, of Holly Springs, were named to the All-State Honorable Mention list. Jamarus Mitchell, a 6’1” senior from Hickory Flat, was also Honorable Mention. Dawkins in all-star game Dawkins will play in the 15th annual Alabama/Mississippi all-star boys basketball game this weekend. It will be played Saturday, April 9, at 3 p.m. at the Pelham (Ala.) Civic Complex. Coach Hayes was carrying Dawkins to Clinton on Wednesday of this week to begin practice for the all-star matchup. Joining Dawkins on the Mississippi squad are Craig Craft, Raleigh; Jocolby Davis, Meridian; Courtney Fells, Shannon; Donaries Hair, Picayune; Cyrus McGowan, Meridian; Sollie Norwood, Jim Hill; Roderick Ollie, Gentry; Reggie Shellwood, Bay Springs; Sam Walton, Lanier; Jarvis Williams, Provine; and Jeremy Wise, Murrah. Head coach is Ernie Watson of Meridian. Assistant coach is John Miller of Poplarville. Administrative coach is Steve Hampton of Quitman. “We have a very versatile group,” Watson said. “We’ve got size, good quickness and we’ve got kids who have played on winning teams.” All-Area Team Dawkins was also named to the 2005 All-Area Basketball Team, released Sunday in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal out of Tupelo. “He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen,” Hayes said. Joining him on the First Team were Courtney Fells of Shannon, Solomon Bozeman of Oxford, Chris Gamble of New Albany, Santez Johnson of Tupelo and Rodrico Ware of Starkville. Hannah, of Holly High, was selected a member of the All-Area Second Team, as was Hickory Flat’s Mitchell. On the Third Team was another Hawk, Nabors, while two others Holly High players, Brandon Ayers and DeUntral Mosley were named to the Honorable Mention list. Also receiving Honorable Mention honors were Brandon Young of H.W. Byers, Jacobye Davis of Potts Camp, Terrell Henderson of Ashland and Daniel Tatum of Hickory Flat. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal also released its 2005 All-Area Girls squad. Chosen for Honorable Mention recognition were Catasha Boxley of Holly Springs, Arnetta Howell of Potts Camp and Martamara Richard of Ashland. Report News:
(662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
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