Kyle Lovern/Daily News
Mingo Central’s Austin Banks (4) is shown driving to the basket against Scott earlier this season. The senior point guard becomes the first MCHS Miner basketball player to make an All-State team. His teammates senior Marqus Cunningham and junior Alex Lee were named on the honorable mention list.
Chris Johnson
Clarksburg Exponent Telegram
CLARKSBURG - Throughout his high school basketball career, Brett Morris was often referred to as the “best kept secret” in the state as Webster County High School is tucked away in an isolated part of West Virginia, an area stuck outside of most media’s primary markets.
Some secrets are impossible to keep hidden though and on Thursday, Morris was selected as the first-team captain for the Class AA boys’ basketball all-state team by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Morris, who was the top vote-getter in his class, led the Highlanders to within a game of a second consecutive state tournament appearance but Webster was ousted by North Marion is a thrilling double overtime Region I co-final. He finished his senior season leading the Highlanders in five statistical categories with averages of 25.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.5 steals and 4.6 blocks.
He’s joined on the first team by a pair of Bluefield players, junior guards Lykel Collier and Anthony Eades, who helped the Beavers capture their first Class AA state championship since 1996.
Eades, who averaged roughly 20 points per contest, joins Morris as the only repeat selection to the Class AA first team. Collier, was last year’s second-team captain, averaged 15 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
A trio of Big 10 Conference schools that moved down from Class AAA to Class AA this season and advanced to the semifinal round of the state tournament. Fairmont Senior, Bridgeport and Robert C. Byrd are represented on the first team by one player apiece.
For the Polar Bears, senior Travon Horton, who averaged 18.5 points and seven rebounds, was picked after leading his team up against Bluefield in last Saturday’s title game. Bridgeport’s Tyler Sprouse, who averaged 14.7 points, three assists and 2.5 steals, was the Indians top scorer and helped his team advance to the state semifinals.
Sophomore Devonti Birch has emerged as one of the state’s most versatile players and was the leading scorer at 13.2 points, along with averages of 6.1 rebounds and 3.1 steals.
The first team is rounded out by Chapmanville’s Mackenzie Martin and Liberty Raleigh’s Levi Cook. Martin averaged a double-double with 20.5 points and 11 rebounds per contest as did the sophomore Cook, who averaged 23.5 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.1 blocks and 3.1 steals per game.
Fairmont Senior junior point guard Jarin Hilson is the captain of the second team. He averaged 16.8 points and six assists per contest. Hilson is joined by Summers County’s Taron Ayers (27.5 ppg, 3 apg), Westside’s Corey Bowles (19 ppg, 4 apg, 3 steals per game), North Marion’s Matt Cain (12 ppg, 5 rpg), Ritchie County’s Andrew Davis (18.8 ppg), Scott’s Matt Dolan (17.0 ppg), Sissonville’s Zach Null (17.8 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Tolsia’s Morgan Stacy (17.0ppg).
The captain of the third team is Bluefield’ s Michael Yost (15 ppg). He is joined by Mingo Central’s Austin Banks (15.3 ppg, 8.5 apg, 6.1 rpg), Wyoming East’s Brett Bowling (16.9 ppg), Westside’s Justin Cogar (17.0 ppg, 8.5rpg), Poca’s Noah Frampton (14.3 ppg), Bridgeport’s Jordan Haywood (13.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.8 apg), Robert C. Byrd’s Iziah Hill (10.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.8 apg) and Fairmont Senior’s Shaquille Washington (11.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg).
Class AA
First Team
Devonti Birch, Robert C. Byrd, so., 13.2 ppg, 6 rebounds per game, 3.1 steals
Lykel Collier, Bluefield, jr.
Levi Cook, Liberty (Raleigh), so. 23.5 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 4.1 bpg, 5.6 apg
Anthony Eades, Bluefield, jr.
Travon Horton, Fairmont Senior, sr., 18.5 ppg, 7 rpg
Mackenzie Martin, Chapmanville, sr. 20.5 ppg, 11 rpg
Brett Morris, Webster County, sr. (Captain), 26 ppg, 9 rpg, 5 apg
Tyler Sprouse, Bridgeport, sr. 14.7 ppg, 3 apg, 2.5 steals
Second Team
Taron Ayers, Summers County, jr., 27.5 ppg, 3 apg
Corey Bowles, Westside, jr., 19 ppg, 4 apg, 3 steals per game
Matt Cain, North Marion, sr., 12 ppg, 5 rpg
Andrew Davis, Ritchie County, sr., 18.8 ppg
Matt Dolan, Scott, sr., 17.0 ppg
Jarin Hilson, Fairmont Senior, jr. (Captain), 16.8 ppg, 6 apg
Zach Null, Sissonville, sr., 17.8 ppg, 4.5 apg
Morgan Stacy, Tolsia, sr., 17 ppg
Third Team
Austin Banks, Mingo Central, sr., 15.3 ppg, 8.5 apg, 6.1 rpg
Brett Bowling, Wyoming East, sr., 16.9 ppg
Justin Cogar, Westside, so., 17 ppg, 8.5 rpg
Noah Frampton, Poca, so., 14.3 ppg
Jordan Haywood, Bridgeport, sr., 13.8 ppg, 3 apg, 4 spg
Iziah Hill, Robert C. Byrd, sr. 10.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.8 apg,
Shaquille Washington, Fairmont Senior, sr., 11.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg
Michael Yost, Bluefield, jr. (Captain) 15.0 ppg
Honorable Mention:
Kyle Appel, Berkeley Springs; Chase Banker, North Marion; Tyree Baker, RiverView; John Bowman, East Fairmont; Austin Brewer, Tolsia; Maurice Brown, Mount View; D.J. Burgess, Ritchie County; Antonie Calloway, Mount View; Austin Canada, Wyoming East; Stephen Cole, Clay County; Corey Coppola, Bluefield; Cam Cottrill, Poca; Marqus Cunningham, Mingo Central; Terry Davis, Tolsia; Nick Dyer, Robert C. Byrd; D.J. Edwards, Bluefield; Josh Groves, Weir; Tyler Harper, Roane County; Cody Howell, Oak Glen; Myles Johnson, East Fairmont; Brett Justice, Wayne; Levi Lambert, Westside; Alex Lee, Mingo Central; Austin Lyons, Liberty Raleigh; Jake Martin, Ravenswood; Jacob McKlarney, James Monroe; Cody Morris, Herbert Hoover; Jason Morris, Liberty Harrison; Quentin Mouser, Philip Barbour; Jacob Neal, Roane County; Cody Opron, East Fairmont; Eric Peyatt, Nicholas County; Kenny Plumley, Chapmanville; Chance Price, Philip Barbour; Austin Rhodes, Braxton County; Chris Smith, Grafton; T.J. Smith, Summers County; Trent Stowers, Sissonville; Jared Tharp, Nicholas County; Josh Tunstall, Wyoming East; Devante Waites, Fairmont Senior; Jason Weitzel, Pike View; John Wilfong, Bridgeport; Cameron Wilson, North Marion; Zach Wise, Berkeley Springs;
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