Denton Record-Chronicle
All-Area Basketball Team 2015-16 Boys First team
Girls Most Valuable player
First team
Most Valuable player
DaCoven Bailey
Rebekah Hand
Pilot Point, G, Sr.
Liberty Christian, G, Sr.
There haven’t been many multi-sport athletes in the history of Pilot Point quite like DaCoven Bailey. Bailey, who is signed with Rutgers for football, averaged 11.4 points in 2016 along with 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game as one of the team’s floor leaders. He led the Bearcats to a 23-8 finish and a spot in the area round of playoffs.
Hand, the twin sister of Hannah Hand, led Liberty Christian in scoring with 18 points per game despite missing the team’s playoff run and eventual state title with a knee injury. A dangerous shooter, Hand was 40 percent from 3-point range and was a 91 percent free throw shooter. She also averaged 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.3 steals.
Drew Davis
Brooke Lewis
In his senior season, Davis was selected to the Class 4A Region II team and was the District 9-4A offensive MVP, leading his team to the fourth and final playoff spot. Davis, a 6-foot-1 senior, led his team with just under 21 points per game and he was also a half of a rebound shy of averaging a double-double for the season.
The senior center paced a deep Sanger squad with 11.6 points per game and was just shy of a doubledouble with 9.9 rebounds per game. Lewis was a defensive force with 1.8 blocks per game to go along with 1.3 steals and 1.3 assists per game. In her final game, she had 21 points with 10 rebounds in the Lady Indians’ third-round playoff loss.
Chase Harris
Madison Ralston
Sanger, C, Sr.
Aubrey, F, Sr.
Ponder, G, Jr.
Argyle, F, Jr.
Harris has never seen a shot he didn’t like and he usually drains them. Ponder’s junior guard wrapped up his third varsity season averaging 19.6 points per game. He was a 33 percent 3-point shooter and averaged 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game. With Anderson lost to graduation, Harris’ role with the Lions is sure to expand next year.
Nathan Priddy Argyle, G, Jr.
Priddy averaged 13.2 points per game in 2016 and was the Eagles’ lone representative on the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 4A All-Region II team. The junior guard also pulled down 5.2 rebounds per game while adding 4.2 assists and just shy of two steals. He shot 41 percent from 3-point range and was the District 9-4A MVP.
Zach Garza
David Davis Argyle, G, Jr.
Jacob Link
Liberty Christian, G, Sr. As the floor general for the Liberty Christian Warriors, senior point guard Jacob Link guided his team to a fourth place finish in the district and a playoff berth after missing out on the postseason last year. Link led the team with 18.4 points and 5.5 rebounds, while dolling out four assists and asserting his defensive prowess with 2.6 steals per game.
Omar Mohamed Ryan, G, Sr.
Mohamed turned in a breakout season despite Ryan failing to make the playoffs for a third straight year. The big senior guard kept the Raiders competitive in a tough District 5-6A slate while averaging 10.6 points per game. He was a 38 percent 3-point shooter and averaged 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 1.4 assists and a block per game.
Brady Anderson Ponder, G, Sr.
Argyle, G, So.
Standifer volunteered her services as Argyle’s point guard in the preseason and ended up helping the Lady Eagles to a 35-1 record and a second consecutive Class 4A state title. After a rough state semifinal, she responded in the title game with 18 points and nine rebounds to earn MVP honors for the game. She averaged 8.7 points and four rebounds per game.
The Arizona State signee averaged 17.6 points per game and was instrumental in guiding Liberty to its second straight TAPPS 5A title after losing its leading scorer. Goodson also had 3.7 assists, 2.9 steals, 2.2 rebounds per game and was a 41 percent 3-point shooter.
second team Jada Catlin Denton, G, Sr.
Lauren Heard Guyer, G, Jr.
The athletic point guard followed up her Defensive Player of the Year honors on last year’s All-Area team by upping her steals to an astounding 5.2 per game to go with her 5.1 rebounds, but she also led the Lady Wildcats in scoring with 19.5 points per game to earn District 5-6A Co-MVP.
Co-offensive Player of the Year
co-defensive player of the Year
Emerson Espinoza
Ashley Hayes
Lake Dallas, G, Sr.
Denton, G, Sr. Espinoza used his explosive quickness and gaudy hops to score in a multitude of ways. His versatility aided him to just under 16 points and 2.5 assists per game while also pulling down 4.6 rebounds with 65 steals as he formed a formidable pair with Tyrus Johnson.
co-newcomer of the year
co-defensive player of the year
Jalen Wilson
Bre Wickware
Wilson emerged as one of the top offensive threats for a 30-win Guyer team. The 6-foot-4 forward got better as the season wore on and helped the Wildcats claim an outright District 5-6A title. He averaged 14.7 points and 3.0 assists while also leading the team with 6.7 rebounds per game.
The Co-MVP in 5-6A was a key figure in Guyer becoming a contender in girls basketball and, subsequently, became the first player in program history to sign with a Division I program (Indiana). She averaged 15.8 points to go with her area-leading 11.9 rebounds and three steals per game.
Guyer, F, Fr.
Coach of the year
newcomer of the Year
Tyrus Johnson
Ky’lie Pitts
Jeff Price Pilot Point
After a one-year absence from the postseason, Pilot Point coach Jeff Price led the Bearcats to a 23-8 finish in 2016 and a spot in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs. Price has led his program to the postseason in two of the last three seasons, but this season certainly stood out after a 16-12 finish in 2015.
In his first season with the Broncos after a stellar freshman season at Ryan, Johnson fit right into the Broncos’ frenetic defensive scheme. Johnson’s quick hands delivered 89 steals on the season and led the Broncos in scoring with 16.5 points and 3.2 assists to go along with his 4.5 rebounds.
As the District 6-5A MVP and all-state representative, Hayes led the way for the Lady Falcons, who locked up the fourth spot in a tough district. Hayes led Lake Dallas with 16.2 points per game along with just under 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game. Her quick hands netted 77 steals in 30 games.
Guyer, F, Sr.
Defensive player of the year Denton, G, So.
Throughout his tenure for the Broncos, Nicholson had several games in which he delivered plays that weren’t adequately reflected in box scores, but his versatility as a defender, rebounder, passer and supplementary scorer were integral to the Broncos’ fourth consecutive playoff appearance. Nicholson notched 6.3 points and 5.5 rebounds a game, while also ripping off 70 steals.
Notable Hellman finished out his career averaging 8.4 points and 3.2 assists Point guard averaged 12.0 points to go with 4.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds Inside presence finished with 13.1 points, 8.2 boards per game Finished year averaging 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 steals Post presence averaged 7.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks per game
Sanger, G, Sr.
The senior point guard provided a steady veteran presence for the Lady Indians as she frequently found ways to keep her teammates involved, leading the team in assists at 4.5 per game while serving as a solid scoring option at just over 10 points per game. She also pulled down over four rebounds and 1.5 steals a game.
Helping lead her team to its first playoff appearance in 10 years, the senior guard was the Lady Broncos’ lead offensive option as she led the way for Denton with 15.5 points per game. Catlin also showed her versatility with 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game while getting Denton back to the postseason under second year head coach Erin Taylor.
Kendall Ellig
Denton, G, Sr.
Name, school Pos. Year RyLee Hellman, Pilot Point G Sr. Nick Perches, Krum G Sr. Braven Smith, Sanger F Jr. Hunter Sullivan, Krum G Sr. Rylan Waldo, Ponder F So.
Carissa Spiker
Gabby Standifer
Liberty Christian, G, Sr.
Anderson, a Texas A&M-Commerce signee, delivered time and time again for Ponder during his varsity career. The senior guard did a little bit of everything while averaging 15.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.1 steals while leading the Lions to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.
Dolan Nicholson
Third team
co-offensive player of the year
Sydney Goodson
Harmon lived up to his hype as a former middle school standout and transitioned with ease to the varsity brand of basketball. He showed a well-rounded game with 13.3 points and 4.5 assists per game to go with his 4.6 boards after he also started on Guyer’s football team.
second team
Helzer might not have played in the spotlight against small TAPPS opponents, but it didn’t take long for him to prove he could’ve played for any team in the area. The junior big man was the area’s leading scorer at 23.7 points per game while also leading area players in rebounds (11.7) and blocks (2.0). He added two assists and 1.8 steals per game.
co-offensive player of the year
Guyer, G, Fr.
Roberts returned from a team that lost a lot last year to graduation and helped the Wildcats have their best season in program history, rolling to 30 wins with just three losses. His versatility showed on both ends of the floor, as he could guard just about any position as well as post up inside or drain 3-pointers. He finished the year with 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Calvary, F, Jr.
co-newcomer of the year
The award was Gray’s to lose from the beginning — a coronation earned by leading Argyle to a Class 4A state title as a sophomore after losing in the final as a freshman. Her junior year ended with she and her teammates hoisting another state championship trophy. Gray is the No. 14 player in her class nationally, according to ESPN’s HoopGurlz, and is the third-ranked forward in the class. She averaged 22.1 points per game to go with 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 58 percent from the field. She showed just how versatile she is in the state championship game victory over Waco La Vega when she helped break an athletic press by running the point.
De’Vion Harmon
Guyer, G, Jr.
James Helzer
Argyle, F/G, Jr.
After a breakout junior season, it looked like the Guyer guard would be heavily relied upon for his senior season to carry a big part of the scoring load. That outlook changed in a hurry. The arrival of two freshman sensations and a well-rounded scoring team ended up giving the Wildcats four players who averaged double figures, but even still, Garza led the way. The 3-point assassin and floor general led the Wildcats with 15.3 points per game to go with his 4.9 assists as Guyer rolled to 30 wins before a second-round playoff exit in the toughest region in the state. He was a lockdown defender and earned District 5-6A Defensive Player of Year honors as well as Class 6A Region I all-region honors.
Jake Roberts
Davis was a key cog in a lightning quick Argyle team that won the District 9-4A title with an impressive unbeaten run and rolled to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. Davis, a junior, averaged just shy of 15 points per game along with 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals. He was a 39 percent 3-point shooter.
Vivian Gray
Guyer, G, Sr.
co-offensive player of the year
After serving as more of a role player as a sophomore starter on Argyle’s championship team, Ralston was entrusted with more a scoring load as a junior. Ralston, who has an uncanny ability to move to open spaces without the ball, was a favorite target of her teammates as she averaged 10.9 points per game to go with 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
Coach of the year
Ryan, G, Fr.
Ky’lie Pitts may be a freshman on paper, but she didn’t play that way in 2016 and was an easy choice for this year’s newcomer of the year award. Pitts averaged 11.3 points per game and was a salty 43 percent from the field while leading Ryan back to the playoffs. Also a solid defender, Pitts averaged 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 1.1 assists.
Liberty Christian, F, Sr. Ellig, a Rice signee, finished her senior year with 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. She came up huge in the postseason — especially in the TAPPS 5A title game — as the Lady Warriors managed to maintain consistency despite losing Rebekah Hand for the year with a knee injury. Ellig was named to the state tournament all-tournament team.
Hannah Hand
Liberty Christian, G, Sr. Hannah Hand capped a stellar four-year varsity career by averaging 11.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and three steals per game as Liberty claimed its fifth TAPPS state title in 10 seasons when it won the 5A championship over Plano Prestonwood. Hand, along with sister Rebekah, will attend Marist College in the fall.
Cara Hannegan Calvary, F, Sr.
Hannegan was perhaps the biggest reason the Lady Lions were able to advance to the TAPPS state tournament for head coach Todd Bramlett. Hannegan was the team’s leading scorer at 11.9 points per game and pulled down a team-high 5.9 rebounds per contest. She chipped in 1.7 steals per game while helping get the Calvary girls program on the map.
Jocelyn Pierce Argyle, F, Jr.
Pierce was a huge presence for the Lady Eagles on both ends of the floor. Against the top post player in her class, Liberty Hill’s Sedona Prince, Pierce held her to single-digit points in the state semifinal game. On the offensive end, Pierce was proficient with 8.9 points per game to go with 7.3 rebounds. She also averaged a team-high 3.6 assists per game.
Skip Townsend Argyle
The legendary head coach molded a repeat state championship team without a true point guard. He threw a curveball at Waco La Vega in the Class 4A title game by running star forward Vivian Gray at the point. Townsend’s second title at Argyle was his eighth in 10 tries as Argyle rolled to a 35-1 record.
Photos by David Minton /Denton Record-Chronicle, courtesy photos and file photos
The All-Area Basketball team was selected by the Denton Record-Chronicle’s sports staff in consultation with area high school coaches
Third team Name, school Pos. Year Olivia Gray, Argyle G Sr. Sydney Meador, Guyer G Jr. Julia McKeathen, Ryan G Jr. Rhett Robinson, Krum F So. Kaia Williams, Ponder G Fr.
Notable Lone senior starter was great defender, averaged 4.7 points Emerged midway through year to average 12.4 points, 4 boards Lockdown defender averaged 5.2 points, 1.5 steals, 2.0 assists Averaged 12.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists She led team’s turnaround with 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds per game