All-star boys team spotlights standouts

Basketball season came to an end early for most of our area boys' teams this year. As competitive and suspenseful as the regular season was, the year ended without a single public school team in the state playoffs.

//

Despite a less-than-stellar postseason, our Columbia County News-Times 2006-07 All-County basketball team holds some quality players. As I said last week, this was by far the toughest all-county team to select since I came to this newspaper a year and a half ago. Ashley Brown and I put the teams together after speaking with coaches and reviewing all the reported statistics.

ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM

G - Jim Hull,

Augusta Prep, So.

Hull led the entire Georgia Independent Schools Association with a 26.1 points per game average. He scored 43 points in one game this year and has 756 career points with two years of high school ball remaining.

G - Brandon Durr,

Evans, Sr.

His 16.4 points per game led Evans to another winning season. Durr's four fourth-quarter 3-pointers in the Knights' win at Greenbrier were one of the highlights of his career.

G - Bryan Andrews,

Greenbrier, So.

He averaged 16.5 points per game and more than five assists per game. Two more years on the Wolfpack court should bring even better numbers.

F - Anthony Williams,

Greenbrier, Sr.

Williams nearly averaged a double-double with 17.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. One of the few county athletes who could play any position on the floor.

F - Jonathan Nicely,

Evans, Jr.

He'll be remembered for his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Greenbrier on the road. His long-distance shooting made him a more complete player and gave Evans an edge at the post position.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

G - DeMarcus Morris,

Harlem, Sr.

Morris almost single-handedly carried the Bulldogs this season. He finished the year with a 15 points per game average and 68 steals.

G - Tyler Bourdo,

Augusta Christian, Jr.

Bourdo got the job done on offense (13.7 points per game) and defense (56 steals).

F - Matt Clark,

Evans, Sr.

The Citadel-bound senior's numbers were down because of a broken nose, but his 57 blocked shots altered entire game plans for opposing offenses.

F - Fred Auston,

Augusta Christian, Jr.

Auston led the Lions with 14.2 points per game and shot a mind-blowing 55.9 percent from the field.

F - Josh Dailey,

Greenbrier, Sr.

Dailey led the entire county with 12.2 rebounds per game and was one of the unsung heroes who kept Greenbrier in the race for a top spot in the region until the end of the season.

Honorable Mention

Lakeside: Blake Brandenburg, Rosbie Mutcherson, Tad Holder, Cason Gordy, Cody Marsh

Evans: Wes Wuchte, Trey Henderson, Brandon McCladdie, Brandon Skinner

Greenbrier: John Hunter, Nolan Belcher, Andy Gray

Harlem: Cedric Boatner, Mike Leverett, Kenny Stampley

Augusta Christian: Travis Cerasuolo

Augusta Prep: Ajay Sethi, Spencer Morgan

2006-07 Player of the Year

Brandon Durr, Evans

2006-07 Coach of the Year

Kevin Kenny, Evans

After losing two of the best players in the county from last season's team, the Knights stumbled early in the 2006-07 season with a loss to Greenbrier. Kenny rallied the troops and battled back to claim the top spot in the county with a pair of unforgettable wins over Greenbrier and season sweeps over Lakeside and Harlem.