HEAD OF THE CLASS

Where has it gone? The current basketball season is half over, 26 days until the post season tips off at South Laurel High School with the district basketball tournament.
That means it is time to hand out some mid-term reports and best of the best. Let’s start with the boys this week:
Best Freshman
There have been several freshmen in the area that have made huge impacts on their respective teams. You don’t have to look far from my office to find Madison Johnson. Aaron Manns and Isaac Wilson at Corbin High School. Johnson is averaging in double figures with his best nights coming against Cawood (24 points) and Pineville (23 pts).
Manns has been in double figures four times, scoring 12 points against Middlesboro, Whitley County, Shekinah, Fla. and Crestview. Manns does so much more than just score. He is a force inside with just a nice shooting touch.
Wilson has been steady at the guard slot for the Redhounds as well. He has yet to crack double figures but has knocked at the door several times.
At Whitley County, two freshmen standout. Jamie Lebanion and Michael Crawford. Lebanion started the season on the bench with an injury he sustained during football but it didn’t take him long to get his first double figure game. He had a season high 23 points against North Laurel in a win over the Jaguars.
Crawford may be the best all-around freshmen of the bunch. He is a tremendous rebounder as well as scorer and has had several double-doubles for the Colonels. He has scored in double figures 11 times this season with a high game of 23 points against Jenkins.
Danel Pettit and Steven Taylor have made a lot of noise in Williamsburg. The rookie of the year candidates gives first-year coach Patrick Robinson something to build around. Taylor had a season high 15 points against the Lynn Camp Wildcats the second game into the season. He is coming around in all phases of the game.
Pettit, a 6-3 inside player, may not be the scorer yet, but he shows a lot of promise around the boards and is a workhorse for the Yellow Jackets.
Best Sophomore
No question here, you have to go with Corbin’s Josh Crawford. Crawford has the ability to play at the next level NOW. He is a very mature young man and shows a desire to learn more about the game and to improve each night out.
The only thing Crawford needs is a high percentage on his outside shooting and that will come. He is as strong as an ox on the inside and no one is going to stop him once he gets started. His season high came in the Cumberland Falls Invitational when he scored 36 points against Byrnes High School.
Other sophomores making the grade are: Corbin’s Josh Smith and Lee Crawford. Smith proved his worth as he had tossed in 28 points in two games against the South Laurel Cardinals. He has only failed to score in one game and he’s very consistent.
Crawford is very enjoyable to watch and is not afraid to take the ball inside against the giants of the game. This is one sophomore that will only improve with age.
At Whitley County, Jacob Lowrie and Ben Prewitt can certainly play the game and I wouldn’t hesitate choosing either to play on my team. Lowrie continues to improve each game and shows a great love of the game the way he plays. He gives you all he has and more. His last game against North Laurel proved that when he poured in 16 points.
Ben Prewitt is another of those that works hard to improve his game. He is becoming a scorer too of late. He has had back-to-back double-digit games, scoring 11 against Lynn Camp and 10 against North Laurel. But, Prewitt is becoming a complete player on the floor, not just a shooter.
Aaron Cunningham has stepped to the front of the class at Williamsburg. The 5-10, 140-pound guard can light it up from outside once he figures out how to get open. He has had three games in a row that he has scored 17 or more points. His season high came during that stretch when he had 20 points against Monticello.
Two sophomores at Lynn Camp have really stood out of late, Jonah Mitchell and David Sizemore. You look at Mitchell and think football, but he can move on the basketball court as well. He is averaging 13.6 per game and had a season high 26 points against Evarts.
One of the most underrated sophomores has to be Sizemore. Sizemore caught my eye with his double double against Williamsburg. The 6-2, 175-pound forward will give coach Anthony Pennington a lot of hope over the next three years.
Best Juniors
Jordan McCumbers may be the cream of the crop. The Whitley County guard was also another that got a late start because of a football injury. McCumbers averages 12.6 points per game and has scored in every game he has played in this season. He is a pure athlete with a tremendous work ethic.
The play of Corbin’s Deke Barley has been above par as well. I’m sure coach Tony Pietrowski can describe Barley as a hard working young man. He has the ability to rebound as well as score and can do a lot of little things for the Redhounds. His season high 19 points came against Whitley County and in his last outing scored 18 against Jackson County.
Maybe the sleeper in the class is Lynn Camp’s Darick Knuckles. Knuckles seems to be all over the floor when you are not expecting it.
Best Seniors
That mark definitely has to go to Lynn Camp’s Craig Bargo. One of the state’s leading scorers with a 24.8 average, he can turn a game around very quickly. Just ask the Whitley County Colonels. Bargo has led the Wildcats in 12 games this season with a season high 34 points against Williamsburg.
He reminds you of David Vance, who led Barbourville to several championships.
Williamsburg’s Michael McCray is also at the top of the senior class. McCray, like Bargo, can take over a game if he puts his mind to it. He currently holds the mark for highest single game scoring with 39 points against Jellico. He too has led the Jackets in scoring 12 times and is averaging 14.8 points per game.
Last but certainly not least, Corbin’s Josh Hamlin. Hamlin runs the Corbin Redhounds from his guard spot and does a nice job at that. But, when needed, he can score. His season high 15 against Whitley County proved to be the difference in a key district showdown.