The Floor General: Simpson's Grant named parish MVP
By DANIEL GREEN/Sports Editor
Published: Monday, April 7, 2008 9:08 AM CDT
Simpson senior Austin Grant (5) and Anacoco head coach Kevin Jeane picked up the top honors on the all-Vernon Parish boys' basketball team, as chosen by the sports department of the Leesville Daily Leader. Grant was named the parish's Mosts Valuable Player, while Jeane waas chosen as Coach of the Year. 
To be honest, Simpson senior Austin Grant looks more like a fullback or a linebacker than a standout on the basketball court.

But when it comes to hoops in Vernon Parish, the 6-2 guard/forward was in command on the court.

Grant, a second-team all-state selection in Class B, was recently selected as the Vernon Parish Player of the Year, as chosen by the sports department of the Leesville Daily Leader.
"Austin was our leader," Simpson head coach Mike Charrier said. "He was always motivated to be his best and he left it out on the court."

Grant led Simpson to a share of the District 5-B championship last season, as the Broncos finished the league campaign with a record of 9-1. For the season, the Broncos were 29-12, making the playoffs for the first time in four years.

The Broncos were eliminated in the second round of the Class B playoffs by the Simsboro Tigers, a team that reached the Top 28.
Grant, who was the Co-Most Valuable Player in the district, led Simpson in scoring at about 22 points per game. He was also responsible for close to eight rebounds an outing and was their best threat from the perimeter, able to knock down the three-pointer with consistency.

"Austin's size gave him an advantage," Charrier said. "He's a physical player and can shoot the three. I really believe he could play at the next level if he can find the situation best suited for him."

The Vernon Parish Coach of the Year goes to Anacoco head coach Kevin Jeane.
A former point guard for the Indians during his playing days, Jeane returned to his alma mater for the 2007-08 season as previous head coach, Keith Waddell, was deployed to Iraq for military service.

Jeane led the Indians to 22 wins in his rookie season, which included a berth in the Class B playoffs. The Indians dropped a heartbreaking three-point decision in the first round of the postseason to district rival Simpson, 51-48.

Joining Grant on the all-Vernon Parish first team squad are Pitkin junior Chris McKee, Rosepine senior Matt Burns, Leesville senior Dionte Kennedy and Pickering freshman John Isaac.
McKee, who shared the District 5-B Player of the Year award with Grant, one of his best friends, guided Pitkin to a share of the 5-B crown as well. McKee averaged 12 points and four assists per game as he was the catalyst on the court for the Tigers.

McKee, an honorable mention all-stater, guided the Tigers to the second round of the Class B playoffs, falling to Centerville.

Burns, a first-team all-district performer in District 4-2A, led the Eagles in scoring and was among the top scorers in Vernon Parish. Able to shoot from the outside and drive to the basket, Burns led Rosepine to a third-place finish in 4-2A behind Oakdale and South Beauregard. The Eagles fell in the first round of the playoffs to Many, which reached the Top 28.
Kennedy, a second-team all-district pick in 3-4A, was one of the Wampus Cats' leading scorers in league play from his shooting guard slot. After opening slowly, Kennedy rounded into one of Leesville's top players in league play and was awarded for it by the district's coaches.

Isaac, an honorable mention all-stater as an eighth-grader, had another stellar year as a freshman. He led the Red Devils in scoring, rebounding and assists, leading Pickering to the playoffs, where the Red Devils fell to Episcopal of Baton Rouge.

Isaac was named second-team all-district in 4-2A by the league's coaches.
Anacoco's Jon Lenahan, Hornbeck's R.J. Prince, Leesville's Norman Allen, Pickering's Brendan Smith and Pitkin's Chase Johnson were named second-team all-Vernon Parish.

Lenahan was the floor general for Jeane and the Indians this season, averaging about 15 points per game. He was a first-team all-district selection and was given honorable mention status on the Class B all-state team.

Prince, the state's three-point shooting champion, was a first-team all-district pick by the coaches in 5-B and was also honorable mention all-state. He was among the top shooters for the Hornets this season, leading Hornbeck to the second round of the playoffs.
Allen, an honorable mention all-district choice, was Leesville's top ball-handling guard this season. He was capable of scoring lots of points, but preferred to get his teammates involved.

Smith was the second-leading scorer for the Red Devils this season, averaging close to 17 points per contest. He was honorable mention all-district in this, his junior campaign.

Johnson, a first-team all-district performer in 5-B, rounds out the second team. Johnson was one of Pitkin's top threats from the outside and was an honorable mention all-state choice as well.
The all-Vernon Parish third team consists of Evans' Elijah McClintock, Hicks' Ryan Hagan, Rosepine's Clay Harbison, Simpson's Jordan Terrell and Leesville's Phillip Edwards.

McClintock averaged a double-double in league play for the Eagles, good enough to be named second-team all-district, while Hagan was honorable mention all-district for the Pirates.

Harbison was among one of the top three-point shooters in the area and was a second-team all-district pick in 4-2A, while Terrell was a first-team all-district selection in 5-B, averaging nearly a double-double per contest.
Edwards was among the top scorers for the Wampus Cats as a senior and rounds out the third team.

A total of 14 players were named honorable mention all-Vernon Parish. They include Anacoco freshman Matt Moss, Michael Borders of Hicks, the Hornbeck duo of Justin Alford and Jakey Mitcham, Rico Garcia of Evans, the Leesville duo of Kevin Edwards and Levander Liggins, the Pitkin pair of Colby Tilley and Jake Deason, Pickering's Nathan Stevens, the Simpson trio of Kade Martin, Travis McDonald and Garrett Monroe and the Rosepine tandem of Julius Jackson and Chase Blankenbaker.