MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 7, 2000

The 1999-2000 boys’ basketball season was definitely a memorable one for the River Parishes. West St. John, led by River Parishes co-Coach of the YearAntoine Edwards, became the first River Parishes school to win a state championship. They would be followed a day later by St. James as co-Coachof the Year Lionel Ezidore and MVP Corey Webster guided the Wildcats to the Class 3A title.

Corey Webster St. JamesSenior Guard Most Valuable Player

Ezidore best described Webster in his press conference after the Class 3A title game when he said “Without Corey we were a good basketball team.

With him we were a championship team.”Webster defined the term “leader.” That was never more evident than in thefinal seconds of the Wildcats’ semifinal game against Minden. With St. Jamesdown 60-57 with 42 seconds left, Webster hit a jumper in the lane, grabbed a steal in the backcourt and went in for a layup to give the Wildcats the lead.

Webster finished that game with 19 points, four steals and three assists.

Webster stepped up again in the championship game against St. Bernard,scoring 16 points and adding nine assists. For his achievements, he wasnamed the MVP of the Class 3A tournament and was selected to the all- tournament team.

Webster finished the season averaging over 26 points a game and was named the MVP of District 9-3A after helping the Wildcats to the district title.

Antoine Edwards West St. JohnCo-Coach of the Year

Until March 17, 2000, a River Parishes team had never won a state title in basketball. Within a 24-hour period, that streak would be broken by, not one,but two teams.

The first to do it was the West St. John Rams. The Rams overcame a slowstart when the football team members were out to roll to their third straight District 9-2A championship.

West St. John continued that roll into the playoffs where the Rams advancedto the Top 28 tournament for the first time in school history. There, theRams overcame a 10-point deficit with 5:24 left to defeat McCall in overtime, the first time a River Parishes team had won a tournament game.

It was more of the same in the championship game where the Rams overcame a late run by Coushatta to claim the school’s first basketball title.

Edwards and athletic director Laury Dupont sat down before the season to discuss how if the team came together, it would be hard to beat. Edwardsmelded the team together and it was indeed hard to beat.

Lionel Ezidore St. JamesCo-Coach of the Year

West St. John was not the only team to enjoy its trip to Lafayette for theTop 28 tournament. St. James joined the Rams in the champion’s circle a daylater with a victory over St. Bernard.The Wildcats also had the talent to win the title and was guided to that point by a head coach that had come close times before. Like the Rams, theWildcats had to overcome a late deficit to defeat Minden in the semifinals.

And like West St. John, the Wildcats did not panic when St. Bernard made alate run in the championship game. And that is a tribute to the coaches.Ezidore had his team hustling on both ends of the court throughout the season. And in the end, that hustle, determination and leadership is whatbrought the first basketball title to St. James.

Aaron Alexander Hahnville Junior Center

Alexander was one of the key players that helped lead the Tigers’ remarkable turnaround in 1999-2000. The all-District 7-5A selection averaged 12.5points per game. Alexander was a dominant force inside, pulling down 10rebounds a game.

Joe Christy St. JamesSenior Forward

Christy was one of those players who contributions to the team doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet. One of the best defensive players in thearea, he was nominated for the defensive MVP award in District 9-3A. It wasChristy who drew a charge late in the state championship game against St.

Bernard that helped the Wildcats preserve a one-point lead. He was named tothe all-district second team after averaging 10 points per game.

Harold Comminie Hahnville Junior Guard

Comminie was the floor leader on a Tiger team that went from a losing record in 1998-99 to the District 7-5A championship in 1999-2000. Thejunior epitomized coach Alvin Gauthier’s defensive plan, earning him the district’s defensive MVP award. Comminie could also get it done on theoffensive end, earning the District 7-5A MVP award after averaging 17 points a game. He also pulled down an average of four rebounds, grabbedfour steals and had three assists a game.

Addison Ellis Reserve Christian Senior Guard

Ellis was the senior co-captain on an Eagles team that made a second consecutive trip to the Top 28 tournament. The all-District 12-B selectionaveraged 10 points per game while grabbing six rebounds. He was also theteam’s best defender, grabbing 80 steals, blocking 42 shots, altering 60 others and forcing 106 turnovers. But Reserve Christian coach Timmy Byrdsaid it was the little things he did that don’t show up in the stats that made Ellis special.

“He was very unselfish,” Byrd said. “He did all the little things that made ussuccessful and he was a leader on the team.”

Louis Gardner East St. JohnJunior Forward

Gardner was an underrated player on an East St. John team that made a runto the playoffs. The honorable mention all-District 7-5 selection averaged ateam-high 14 points per game for the Wildcats.

Marlon Jackson West St. JohnSenior Forward

Edwards said Jackson was the player who kept the Rams rolling this season.

He was often the one who started the Rams on their fast breaks, grabbing rebounds and quickly getting the ball downcourt with his passing skills.

Jackson was often the main man inside, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds in the Class 2A championship game win over Coushatta. He also had a game-high six assists in that game. For the season, the second-team all-District 9-2A selection averaged 14.3 points per game. Jackson has already signed toplay football for Grambling next season.

Donriel Louis West St. JohnSenior Forward

One of the best athletes in the River Parishes, Louis added a state title in basketball to the ones he has already won in football and track. For thesecond time in his career, he was named the MVP in District 9-2A. Louisstarted slowly but really came on as the season progressed, especially in district play and in the playoffs. Against McCall in the semifinals he hadgame-highs in both points, blocks and rebounds. Louis followed that up with14 points and eight rebounds in the title game. He finished the seasonaveraging a team-high 18.4 points per game.

Jeremy Lumar West St. JohnSenior Guard

Lumar might have been the spark plug for the Rams’ drive to their first title.

The all-District 9-2A selection guided the offense on the court and averaged 12.4 points per game. But Edwards said Lumar’s biggest asset was thedefense he provided.

“Without a doubt, Jeremy came on strong as the season went on,” Edwards said.

Lumar especially stepped it up in the playoffs. He was named the Class 2ATop 28 tournament MVP and was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals a game.

Wayne Mendoza East St. JohnSenior Guard

Mendoza was a first-team all-District 7-5A selection for the Wildcats in 1999-2000. In East St. John’s upset of eventual district champion Hahnvilleat home, Mendoza scored a game-high 30 points, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer that sent the game into a second overtime.

Daress Nicholas St. Charles CatholicSophomore Forward

Nicholas went from the bench early in the season to become a starter by the time district play started for the Comets. Once in district, Nicholas reallystepped it up, averaging 14 points per game in district contests and 9.7overall. He also had an average of 3.4 rebounds in district games and 3.5overall in being named to the all-District 9-3A second team. Nicholas hadsome of his biggest games against the Comets’ biggest opponents, scoring 27 points against Donaldsonville, 20 against Lutcher and 18 versus state champion St. James.

Claudell Parker St. JamesSenior Forward

Parker showed good leadership skills, especially in the postseason. WithMinden clamping down on Webster in the first half in the semifinals, Parker kept the Wildcats close by scoring 12 points in the half. For the tournament,he averaged 14 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. For the season, the all-District 9-3A selection averaged 15.2 points per game. Damian Richard Destrehan Senior Forward

Destrehan coach Mike McNamara called Richard “the best athlete and most exciting player I’ve coached.” The senior could take the ball inside or hit fromthe outside, averaging 11 points per game. He scored in double figures inover half of his games this season in being named second team all-district.

Richard also got the job done on the defensive end, averaging six rebounds, two blocks and two steals a game.

Thomas Ricks Lutcher Senior Center

“Thomas was really a blue-collar worker who did a lot for us that didn’t show up in the stats,” Lutcher coach Don Fernandez said.

That included Ricks’ defensive play. The district coaches certainly tooknotice, selecting him as the District 9-3A defensive MVP. Ricks led the teamin rebounds with 7.4 per game, in blocked shots with an average of 1.5 agame and also drew 11 charges. He also averaged 10.1 points per contest inbeing selected to the second-team all-District 9-3A team. He was also theMVP of the St. Martin’s Christmas tournament.

Craig Tearney Riverside Junior Guard

Tearney was selected to the all-District 9-2A team by the district coaches.

The junior point guard led the Rebels with 16.0 points per game and was alsothe team’s leader on the floor.

Aaron Vogel Reserve Christian Senior Guard

Vogel was one of the best pure shooters in the River Parishes. The Eagles’senior co-captain along with Ellis, Vogel hit 40 percent from the 3-point line in averaging 16 points per game.

“He became our go-to guy in our biggest games,” Byrd said.

Vogel, an all-District 12-B selection also averaged 3.3 assists and 2.3rebounds a game while grabbing 109 steals and forcing 79 turnovers for the season.

Clarence Weber Lutcher Senior Forward

Fernandez described Weber as having “a heart as big as a mountain.””He played hard whether we were up by 30 or down by 30,” Fernandez said.

Weber led the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game was also tops with2.7 steals a contest. He had a career-high 29 points against state championSt. James. The first-team all-District 9-3A selection also grabbed an averageof 3.7 rebounds a game.

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