Miller, Gill, Foster all Bryant-Jordan regional winners

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Auburn High senior Jason Miller is the Class 6A-Region 4 winner of the Bryant-Jordan award in the “Scholar Athlete” category.

Miller was one of the Tigers’ top runners in cross country and is in the midst of track season right now. In fact, he just finished second in the 1600m as Auburn won the Pelham Speed Meet yesterday.

Tallassee’s Dollie Gill also won the “Scholar Athlete” distinction in 5A-Region 3, and Valley’s Allyson Foster won the “Achievement” award in the same region.

All five get to attend a fancy awards banquet on April 5.

The Bryant-Jordan Student-Athlete Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and has benefited over 2,200 students since 1986.

You like this picture?

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Well there’s a lot more just like it (only different) at Vasha Hunt’s slideshow from the Auburn High-Beauregard softball game tonight here.

Go ahead and click on it. You can do it.

Auburn players stump for Lebo to retain his job

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NASHVILLE, Tenn.—I got to talk with three Auburn players following tonight’s 78-69, season-ending loss to Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

All three rallied behind their embattled head coach.

Here’s what they had to say.

Lucas Hargrove

(He deserve another year?)
“Definitely. I think he should get many more years. Last season, we had a great season and truth is, this season didn’t quite turn out how we wanted it to be but we lost a lot of seniors last year. This year the seniors stepped up as best as we could. I think he’s a great coach and, going into the new arena, I feel like he should definitely have a chance.“

(What’s he do well?)
“I think he finds the strong points of the team. He’s able to bring that to the utmost extent. He’s very good at hiding the weaknesses and finding the strong points.“

Frankie Sullivan

(Talk)
“I really don’t have much to say on that, because the decision is going to be made whether I’m here or not. It’s not in my hands to make the decision. I enjoy playing for him. I played hard for just about every coach I’ve played for, and it’s not the first time I’ve been in this situation like this. But it’s different in the college level. I like playing for him. He’s a great coach. Whatever happens, happens.“

(Tough to hear, since you committed to Auburn?)
“Coach talked to me, telling me what he wanted me to do when I came in, he let me get it. Whatever happens happens, but I hope they make the right decision on it.“

(What does he do well?)
“The pick and roll game. He knows the players’ weaknesses and strengths. He’ll tell you beforehand, what you need to work on when you first come. When I first came, everybody knew I was a shooter, but my ball-handling had to get better over the summer. He helped me on my ballhandling, they had me in the gym two or three times a day. And when you play for a coach that was a guard, knows what it feels like to be a scorer coming out of high school, the hype of helping the team win, he knows all about that. He’s a great coach.“

(Has he kept this from being a distraction)
“He told us, don’t even worry about it. We just play the game, because we can’t worry about that and watch basketball. You can’t really play, as you can see. I don’t think it was on anybody’s minds. We just didn’t play well, whatever.“

Tay Waller

(Pay attention to the Lebo talk?)
“No, no, not really. We’re just trying to win ballgames. That’s all we focused on down the stretch. I think he should still be here, because he’s a good coach. Unfortunately, I think like three years ago, he had a lot of injuries. You really can’t control injuries. I think he still should be here.“

(What does he mean to you?)
“I knew Coach Lebo ever since I was a senior in high school, because they recruited me then, too. So we always kept in touch over there years. Once I found out there was a 2-spot open, close to home, I came. He’s one of the reasons I came though.“

(Photo credit: Todd Van Emst)

Lebo’s future: What’s up with it?

The truth is, no one knows for sure. Yes, we all have our theories, but only Jay Jacobs knows what’s going to happen. He’s Auburn’s athletic director. And he and Jeff Lebo will meet soon to discuss the head basketball coach’s future.

Here’s a portion of my column for tomorrow’s Opelika-Auburn News. You can read the rest of it, well, tomorrow.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If you haven’t heard by now, don’t expect Jeff Lebo to let you in on what’s going on.
He doesn’t know. And if he does, he’s not talking.
Neither is Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs. At least not Thursday, or the days leading up to it.
Lebo’s future is uncertain, at best. Actually, depending on who you talk to, it ranges anywhere from cloudy to really, really, really cloudy, especially after the Tigers’ 78-69 opening-round SEC Tournament loss to Florida on Thursday night.
The loss finished up Lebo’s sixth season on the Plains, where he’s 96-93 overall and 35-62 against SEC opponents.
By now, you know his stat line: winning just 36 percent of his conference games, only one postseason tournament to his credit (the NIT last year), no NCAA Tournament appearances in six years and only two SEC Tournament wins in that timeframe.
But, again, don’t look for Lebo to shed any light on what happens next. For the fourth time in the last week, Lebo only offered that he would meet with Jacobs.
Nothing else.
“We’ll meet like we always do at the end, like most head coaches and ADs meet,” Lebo said during his postgame press conference. “We’ll have our discussion. That will be private.
“It will happen at some point here soon, I’m sure.”
That’s about the only thing we do know for sure. A meeting will happen. Soon. Possibly today.
Anything else is anyone’s guess. And let me just say, I’ve heard them all. Everything from he’s staying to he’s going.
What will actually happen? Again, we’ll find out soon.
After talking to some of his players Thursday night, though, the consensus is that he should stay.
“I think he should still be here, because he’s a good coach,” senior guard Tay Waller said.
“I haven’t heard too much about it, but in my opinion he’s a great coach,” senior forward Lucas Hargrove said. “I think he should get many more years. … I think he’s a great coach and, going into the new arena, I feel like he should definitely have a chance.”
Will it happen? Well, something’s got to.

(Photo credit: Todd J. Van Emst)

These people will be playing basketball in Huntsville in July

   
   

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Indoors, I presume.

Three area players and one coach will suit up for the South boys and girls teams in the North-South All-Star basketball game in Huntsville this summer, the AHSAA announced Thursday.

Opelika’s Jacoby Payne and Auburn High’s Jeremy Nolen made the boys squad, while Central’s Monique Jackson made the girls team.

Edward Bell’s Mitch Joiner will be part of the South boys’ two-coach staff, along with Johnny Mitchell of Brantley.

Payne averaged 13.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this year for the 28-6 Bulldogs, who finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 6A poll and came up just short of making it to the Final Four thanks to an overtime buzzer-beater by Central at the Central Region final.

The 6-foot-5 Nolen was one of a rotating cast of post players for the 19-13 Tigers, who bowed out to Prattville in the sub-regionals.

Jackson averaged nearly 18 points and 19 rebounds per game this season for the 21-9 Red Devils, who made it to the Central Region finals before losing to Jeff Davis.

Joiner led the Bears to a 27-2 record and the 1A state championship this season, the first title in any sport at Edward Bell.

The two girls teams and two boys teams will square off in a Thursday doubleheader (July 15) at The University of Alabama-Huntsville’s Scogin Hall, beginning with the girls’ game at 5 p.m. The boys’ contest following at 7 p.m.

The 14th annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week runs from July 12-16 and features all-star teams of rising seniors in volleyball, baseball, softball and soccer, and a football game for graduated seniors.

Here’s the whole release if you want:

MONTGOMERY – Sixty outstanding junior basketball players from across the state have been named to the North-South teams for the 14th annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week competition in Huntsville July 12-16, according to Steve Bailey, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA)..

The two girls teams and two boys teams will square off in a Thursday doubleheader (July 15) at The University of Alabama-Huntsville’s Scogin Hall, beginning with the girls’ game at 5 p.m. The boys’ contest following at 7 p.m.

Sports Week, which also includes in-state all-star games in volleyball, baseball, softball, football and girls and boys soccer, will feature clinics and special sessions for coaches, principals, athletic directors, cheerleader coaches and officials. An All-Sports Equipment Expo and other related activities are scheduled throughout the week. A highlight of Sports Week will be a Sportsmanship Banquet honoring all schools that have not had an ejection or fine during the 2009-10 school year.

The AHSADCA operates under the auspices of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Membership includes coaches of all AHSAA sports as well as administrators of member schools.

The coaches for the SOUTH GIRLS team are Charlie Shipp of Class 6A Final 48 participant Davidson and Eddie Jackson of Class 3A state champion Sumter County. Tony Stallworth of the Crenshaw County Board of Education will serve as administrative coach for the girls and boys teams.

Members of the SOUTH girls team are:

Guards: Jatoria Carter, Jeff Davis; Madison Longchamp, Providence Christian; Eisha Person, Brantley; Tyika Robinson, J.F. Shields; Chelan Blow, UMS-Wright; Gabrielle Williams, LeFlore; Aundre Adams, Davidson; Esther Stokely, Faith Academy; Brittany Keel, Horseshoe Bend.

Forwards: Juanice Newton, Sumter County; Tia Faleru, Carroll-Ozark; Devina Moulds, Davidson; Monique Jackson, Central-Phenix City.

Centers: Sharee Williams, Greene County; Shatavia Farris, Carver-Montgomery.

Coaching the NORTH GIRLS team are Jana Killen of Class 4A state runner-up Deshler and Jim Brown of Briarwood Christian. Tim Miller of Bob Jones will serve as administrative coach for the North boys and girls teams.

NORTH girls team members are:

Guards: Delisa Madry, Austin; Krista Simmons, Fairfield; Lexie Stanley, Glencoe; Amara Mayers, Madison Academy; Alicia Williams, Fort Payne; Sharin Rivers, Sparkman; Rikeya McKinnon, Bob Jones.

Forwards: La’Keira Lowe, Midfield; Victoria Billingsley, Wenonah; Nyla Johnson, Madison Academy; Conner Jordan, Fort Payne; Ashley Southern, Deshler; Natasha West, Russellville.

Centers: Brittany Agee, Bessemer City; Chelsea Haggermaker, Clements.

Members of the SOUTH BOYS coaching staff are Johnny Mitchell of South Regional Class 1A finalist Brantley and Mitch Joiner of Class 1A state champion Edward Bell of Camp Hill.

SOUTH boys team members are:

Guards: Deion Curry, Pickens County; David Young, Greene County; Kevin Maye, Sumter County; Jeterious Johnson, J.F. Shields; Charles Eaton, Selma.

Forwards: Jacoby Payne, Opelika; Malcolm Riley, Selma; Rodney Cooper, Russell County; Jacob Coker, St. Paul’s; Preston Solomon, Daphne; Kent Langham, Robertsdale; Demario Butler, Baldwin County.

Centers: Roquez Johnson, Carver-Montgomery; Joshua Martin, Horseshoe Bend; Jeremy Nolen, Auburn.

Selected to coach the NORTH BOYS are Faron Key of Arab and Tommy Lewis of Class 3A Final 48 participant Piedmont.

NORTH boys team members are:

Guards: Samuel Luke Brackin, Hatton; Zach Owens, Faith Christian; Levi Randolph, Bob Jones; Ricky Tarrant, Pleasant Grove; Orlando Coleman, Pleasant Grove; Trevor Lacey, Butler; Spencer Palmer, Madison Academy; T.J. Vines, Albertville; Marvin Whitt, Homewood; Waynarous Snodgrass, Anniston.

Forwards: Devin Langford, Lee-Huntsville; Reggie Spencer, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa; Jamar Pope, Sparkman.

Centers: Jeremy Watson, Homewood; William Truss, Vestavia Hills.