The 2013-14 basketball season was filled with peaks and valleys for local teams. Blytheville made plenty of progress but still missed the state tournament for the third year in a row. Gosnell got caught in the middle of a strong conference as league champion, Brookland, eventually won the 4A state title. Armorel started slow before becoming the only team from the 1A-3 East to qualify for the 1A state tournament.
While there was no clear cut choice for All-Courier News Player of the Year, one head coach stood out for the job he did with his squad.
In just his second season as head coach, Armorel's Justin Ward helped lead his team to their first 1A state tournament appearance since 2008 and is this year's All-CN Coach of the Year. Ward replaced legendary head coach Charlie Brown in the 2012 season and had some big shoes to fill.
The Tigers won just six games in his first year but Ward and his crew posted an 11-game turnaround in 2013-14.
Armorel won 17 games this past season and finished third in the deep 1A-3 East. Although they trailed league powers, Bay and Maynard, who were at the top of the 1A rankings for most of the year, in the district Armorel was the lone conference team to survive districts and advance to the state tournament. Ward has put his own stamp on the Tiger program and has them heading in the right direction in the future.
Here's a look at this year's All-Courier News Basketball Team.
FIRST TEAM:
Larry Bolden--Blytheville
The heart and soul of the Chickasaws this season, Bolden did everything asked of him from hitting 3's to taking on inside big men in the paint. He averaged 14.6 points per game and 5.2 rebounds, earned All-conference honors and was all-state honorable mention. His game-winner against Nettleton late in the year helped keep the Chicks playoffs hopes alive.
Will Rose--Gosnell
While the Pirates struggled with injuries for most of the year, the senior Rose was a constant presence for coach Kirk Glintborg's team. The versatile big man for the Pirates averaged 10 points a game to go along with eight boards and two blocks. Rose earned All-conference honors for his efforts.
Dallas Nicholson--Armorel
Nicholson manned the paint for Justin Ward's Tigers this season but it was a his late three-pointer against Hillcrest that helped lift the Tigers to the state tournament. The senior center did the dirty work for Armorel. Nicholson averaged a double-double on the year (15 ppg and 12 reb) on his way to all-conference, all-regional and all-state honors.
Marquez Chew -- Rivercrest
Chew was named to the Class 3A all-state tournament team, after leading his team to the quarterfinals, where lost to state champion ECS. Chew averaged 18 points per game, 6.5 assists, and two steals per game for the Colts. The junior guard averaged 28.6 points in the Colts three regional games.
Tamas Bruce -- Osceola
Bruce concluded a stellar career being named to the roster of the East squad for the 2014 Arkansas High School All-Star game. Bruce averaged 17.8 points per game,12.5 rebounds, and six blocks per game patrolling the lane for the Seminoles. Bruce, a 6-6 senior, has signed to play with Shawnee (Ill.) Community College next season.
SECOND TEAM:
Jermaine Smith--Blytheville
He may have been the smallest player on the court but he was maybe the biggest competitor. Blytheville's sophomore guard averaged 5.4 assists per game and had an assist to turnover ratio of 5:1 and was a member of the 5A-East All-Conference 2nd team.
Kevion Henderson--Blytheville
A versatile "swing-man" for the Chickasaws. Henderson improved as the season progressed. The junior small forward averaged 12.5 points a game and five rebounds. He earned All-Conference 2nd team honors for his efforts.
Isaac Kelly--Blytheville
One of a host of sophomores for Coach Jeff Flanigan's team, Kelly proved he could hit the outside jumper as well as take his man off of the dribble. He averaged 10 points a game to go along with three assists and earned all-conference honorable mention.
Rod Jones--Gosnell
The junior point guard battled injuries for much of the year but when he was on the court, he made his presence know averaging 15 points a game as well as six boards and three assists and earned All-conference honors along the way.
T.J. Anderson--Gosnell
Anderson did everything head coach Kirk Glintborg asked of the junior.
Everything from playing the point to taking on inside post players, Anderson helped keep the Pirates in the playoff hunt all season.
Lane Finley--Armorel
Armorel's leading scorer averaged 18 points a game. Finley could put points up with the best of them. The senior small forward scored 32 on the road against then No. 2 Maynard in a late season victory. Finley earned all-conference honors for the second year in a row.
Peyton Brown--Armorel
Brown stretched the defense with his three-point ability and was often a target of the opposing team's defense. He averaged 10 points a game and six rebounds.
He had a season-high 26 points in a double-overtime win at Maynard and his 19 points against Hillcrest in the regional tournament earned him all-regional honors to go along with all-conference.
Scott Eubanks -- Manila
Eubanks was a force inside for the Lions and he could also play on the perimeter. An all-state selection in Class 3A, the senior was the Lions' leading scorer and played solid defense inside against the opposition's big men.