Riverside’s Gathers, Byrd lead All-Parish boys basketball team for 2009-10 season

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 3, 2010

By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE – It was clearly the season of the Rebels.

The expectations were heavy after coach Timmy Byrd and all of his returning state champion Reserve Christian players made the short trip to Riverside after RCS shut its doors following last school year. But Byrd’s group delivered on all counts. Riverside racked up its most single-season wins, its first district championship, its first top seed, its first trip to the Top 28 basketball tournament and, yes, its first state championship.

So it goes without saying the Rebels have some representation on L’Observateur’s All-St. John Parish team for the 2009-10 season.

Three Rebel players and its coach lead the team, headed by the area’s biggest hoops star — in literal terms. At 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds, the sophomore center delivered on the high promise of his freshman campaign, averaging 19.9 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and two steals a game. Gathers’ huge impact at both ends of the floor nets him honors as our selection for St. John Parish’s MVP this season.

“He was a great inside presence on offense and defense,” said Riverside coach Timmy Byrd. “Teams really didn’t have an answer for him. When you’ve got a guy like him and you add him to the rest of the mix that we have, it becomes really hard to stop us.”

Byrd is our choice as 2009-2010 coach of the year after leading the Rebels to unprecedented heights this season. Riverside went 35-6 and captured the Class 2A championship — previously, the school had won only a single playoff game in its history.

Senior Cedric Jenkins capped a decorated career this season with district MVP honors, his fourth All-State selection, and his fourth state championship victory. This is also the fourth All-Parish selection for the sharpshooter and his career 20 points per game average.

Sophomore Louis Dabney rounds out the Rebel contingent. He attacked the basket this season and averaged 13 points per game behind that effort. Once again he played stellar defense for the state champs.

East St. John senior guard Kaylon Placide makes the squad after leading his team to a district runner-up finish. Placide led ESJ in scoring as he emerged as the Wildcats’ clear go-to guy.

Dray Joseph stuffed the stat sheet for West St. John and earns his way onto the team after averaging 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Rams’ senior point guard.

Sophomore St. Charles swingman John Williams Jr. rounds out the team. Williams provided the lead scoring punch for the Comets all season, consistently finding himself in double figures.