LABC honors River Parishes trio
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 3, 2009
BY RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur
Reserve Christian coach Timmy Byrd, RCS guard Cedric Jenkins, and Hahnville coach Brian Lumar were each honored alongside college, pro, and fellow prep basketball figures at the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches annual awards banquet.
The 35th annual banquet, held recently at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Baton Rouge, saw the three honored for their respective selections as Class C Coach of the Year, Class C Player of the Year, and Class 5A Coach of the Year.
Under Byrd, Jenkins and the Eagles terrorized Class C en route to a state championship victory over Athens, the school’s seventh state championship in the last eight seasons. Reserve Christian finished 45-7 this past season, the last season for the Eagles program as the school announced the closure of its high school effective next school year.
A junior guard and a rangy shooter, Jenkins averaged 20.3 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He swung between point guard and shooting guard often this past season, rounding out his overall playmaking abilities. He was selected to the Top 28 All-Tournament team.
Lumar earned the top coaching spot in Class 5A by taking his Tigers, who were unranked entering the state playoffs, all the way to the championship game. Hahnville finished with a 31-8 record, and pulled upsets of No. 5 Westgate and No. 1 Huntington on its way to the final game.
Inducted into the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame were former star player Phil Hicks and John “Hot Rod” Williams, both of Tulane.
Another major honoree was former Haughton High coach and long-time Louisiana legislator from Bossier Parish, Billy Montgomery, who won the LABC’s prestigious Mr. Louisiana Basketball award, given annually to someone who has made a significant, long-term contribution to the game of basketball at any level in the state of Louisiana.
The LABC presented the Pete Maravich Memorial Award, honoring Louisiana’s Major College Player of the Year, to senior guard Marcus Thornton of LSU.
Coach Trent Johnson of LSU received the Tommy Joe Eagles Memorial Award as Louisiana’s Major College Coach of the Year.
The Bob Pettit Award, which is given to Louisiana’s Professional Player of the Year, was presented to Paul Millsap for the second straight year.
Ryan Brock of Loyola received the Louisiana Small College Player of the Year award, and Loyola’s Mike Giorlando received the Small College Coach of the year honor.
Whitworth Treasure and Coach David Francis of Southern-Shreveport were honored as the Louisiana Junior College Player and Coach of the Year, respectively.