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PD players awarded all-region honors
Jamison, Reynolds, and Venable make all-region first team
Thursday, March 14, 2013
By BULLETIN STAFF REPORTS -
Region IV basketball coaches reinforced the Piedmont District basketball Player of the Year selections made earlier this year with their selections for the all-Region IV basketball teams.
Martinsville’s Paris Jamison, Patrick County’s Ebony Reynolds, and Bassett’s Andrea Venable were all selected to the all-Region IV first team. Jamison was the 2013 boys Piedmont District Player of the Year, and Venable and Reynolds were girls co-PD Players of the Year.
Magna Vista’s Chris Hampton was a boys all-Region IV second team selection.
Of the PD players making an all-Region IV team, it was Venable who led her team the farthest with an upset win over Heritage High School in the Group AA, Division 4 state quarterfinals. Bassett’s girls team lost to Courtland in the state semifinals.
“She was such a big defensive part of our game and offensive part. She meant everything (to our team),” BHS coach Melissa Blair said. “Great attitude. Great leadership.”
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Venable’s twin sister Simone Venable was an all-Region IV honorable mention.
“They just have such a love for the game and they always have,” Blair said.
Patrick County coach Glenn Burnett said Reynolds and Bri Dodson, who was an all-region honorable mention, have both been easy to coach.
“The main thing about Ebony is she works hard,” Burnett said. “She’s very quiet overall, even though she’s one of our better players and she just wants to win. ... She’s been very coachable, she’s tried to work on things we’ve asked her to work on to improve, and that’s a big compliment to her.
“Anytime you have two great basketball players, you give yourself a chance to be successful. ... They’re special kids. Bri is by far probably our most improved player in a lot of ways.”
Reynolds was one of two sophomores on the girls all-region first team.
Magna Vista point guard Brandi Warner was also an honorable mention all-region player. Warner and Magna Vista finished third in the Piedmont District this season.
On the boys end, Jamison picked up the all-Region IV honor to wrap up a senior season in which he reached 1,000 career points and led the Bulldogs to a title.
“He led this team to the Piedmont District championship,” Martinsville coach Jeff Adkins said. “He led this team to a Regional berth and a No.1 seed and the state tournament. ... I think it’s great to have your best season your senior year, and I think he should be very proud of that.”
Adkins said the improvement the rest of Martinsville’s team made last season was a testament to Jamison’s leadership.
Hampton was the only other PD player to make the all-region first or second teams on the boys side. Magna Vista’s sixth man was anything but a bench-warmer. Often playing starter’s minutes, Johnson liked to play Hampton off of the bench for the boost and flow it seemed to provide his team.
“It’s worked so far,” Johnson said following a Feb. 17 win against Bassett. “People kind of leave him alone because he doesn’t start. But we consider him a starter.
“Chris kind of sneaks up on you. He fills the stat sheet -- it seems like every night, and you hardly see it. He’s a very efficient player.”
Three boys PD players were named all-Region IV honorable mentions.
Tunstall’s Evan Huffman, who helped lead the Trojans to a share of the regular season PD title, was an honorable mention.
Patrick County’s Marquise Nowlin was also an honorable mention. Nowlin led PCHS with 22 points in a 75-34 win against Craig County earlier this year that snapped a 49-game losing streak for the Cougars. It was the first win in three seasons for PCHS in either boys basketball or football.
Bassett’s Devontae Wimbush was the final honorable mention from the Piedmont District. Wimbush’s play turned up late in the season and he consistently led the Bengals down the stretch. He was the only sophomore on the boys all-region list.
Region IV
All-Region Teams
* - denotes Player of the Year
BOYS BASKETBALL
First Team
Ryan Gravley, Sr. (Carroll County)*
Dylan Hodson, Sr. (Hidden Valley)
Paris Jamison, Sr. (Martinsville)
Josh Hess, Jr. (Abingdon)
Mack Owens, Sr. (Abingdon)
Second Team
Troy Mann, Jr. (Salem)
Chris Hampton, Sr. (Magna Vista)
Michael Ayares, Sr. (Blacksburg)
Joey Augustine, Sr. (Salem)
Ethan Richardson, Sr. (Marion)
Honorable Mention
Matt Hill, Sr. (Salem)
Noah Walker, Jr. (Tazewell)
Evan Huffman, Sr. (Tunstall)
Marquise Nowlin, Sr. (Patrick County)
Devontae Wimbush, So. (Bassett)
Terrell Simmons, Sr. (Cave Spring)
Division 3 Coach of the Year
B.J. Lasley (Abingdon)
Division 4 Coach of the Year
Brad Hawks (Carroll County)
GIRLS BASKETBALL
First Team
Tay Taylor, Sr. (Salem)*
Brittany Allen, Jr. (Richlands)
Ebony Reynolds, So. (Patrick County)
Tayor Blevins, So. (Abingdon)
Andrea Venable, Sr. (Bassett)
Second Team
Tessa Foley, Sr. (Salem)
Taylor Catron, Sr. (Tazewell)
Darian Thorton, Sr. (Christiansburg)
Hailey Singleton, Fr. (Hidden Valley)
Cassie Richardson, Sr. (Richlands)
Honorable Mention
Brandi Warner, Sr. (Magna Vista)
Bri Dodson, Jr. (Patrick County)
Taylor Martin, Sr. (Carroll County)
Simone Venable, Sr. (Bassett)
Jordan Ballein, Jr. (Blacksburg)
Kelly King, Sr. (Hidden Valley)
Division 3 Coach of the Year
Dennis Palmer (Richlands)
Division 4 Coach of the Year
Dwayne Harrell (Salem)
