All-County Basketball Picks Announced

The DeKalb County Tip-off Club recently announced its 2011 Boys’ and
Girls’ All-County Basketball teams. The 20-member teams along with Players of the Year in Class AAAAA, Class AAAA and Classes AAA/AA had a strong non-senior lineup.

The girls’ All-County team has 10 juniors, two sophomores and one freshman while including just seven seniors while a sophomore, junior and senior claimed Player of the Year honors.

The girls’ Class AAAAA Player of the Year was sophomore guard/forward Kaliyah Mitchell of Stephenson. Mitchell averaged 11.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.4 assists and 1.4 blocks per game in leading the Lady Jaguars to a 22-6 record and a berth in the Class AAAAA state playoffs.

Stephenson’s Dennis Watkins was named Class AAAAA Coach of the Year while
his team also took Team of the Year honors.

Redan senior forward/center Aneesah Daniels was named the Class AAAA
Player of the Year after leading Redan to the Region 6-AAAA title. Daniels
averaged a double-double with 14.7 points and 10.9 rebounds along with 2.5
steals, 2.9 assists and 1.5 blocks while finishing her career with 1,342
points and 939 rebounds.

Miller Grove’s Renee Breedlove was named the Class AAAA Coach of the Year after leading her team to a runner-up finish in Region 6-AAAA and picking up the school’s first state playoff victory on the way to the Class AAAA quarterfinals. The Lady Wolverines were also named the Team of the Year after finished 20-10 on the season.

Stone Mountain junior guard/forward Chara Reeves claimed the Class AAA/AA
Player of the Year honor after scoring 465 points as the Lady Pirates finished third in Region 5-AAA and 18-10 overall. Reeves averaged 17.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.1 assists on the season as she closed within 253 points of the 1,000 point mark.

Columbia’s Chantay Frost was named Coach of the Year in Class AAA/AA after leading her Lady Eagles to the Class AAA Final Four for the second consecutive season. The Lady Eagles were named the Team of the Year after posting a 25-7 record.

The boys’ All-County team was a bit more senior laden as 11 seniors were selected along with six juniors, two sophomores and one freshman. The Player of the Year awards were split between a senior, junior and sophomore.

Stephenson also swept the Class AAAAA awards beginning with senior guard/forward Jonathan Tinch being named the Player of the Year. Tinch scored 606 points (20.2/game) as he climbed over 1,000 career points during the Jaguars Class AAAAA first round playoff victory over Campbell.

The Coach of the Year award went to Stephenson’s Curtis Gilleyan as he led the Jaguars to a 16-10 record, a Region 2-AAAAA runner-up slot and a Sweet 16 state playoff appearance. The Jaguars also took claim to the Class AAAAA Team of the Year honor.

The Class AAAA awards were swept by Miller Grove which became the first DeKalb County boys’ team to win three-consecutive state titles (2009-11) under Coach of the Year Sharman White.

Junior forward/center Tony Parker scored 561 points while averaging a double-double of 17.5 points and 15.5 rebounds to go with 3.9 blocks per game to take home the Class AAAA Player of the Year award. Parker also climbed to 1,170 points and 989 rebounds for his career during the season.

The Wolverines finished 32-1 on the season while claiming their third consecutive Class AAAA state title to be named Team of the Year.

The two-time defending Class AAA state champions Columbia Eagles swept the Class AAA/AA awards as they brought home their second consecutive Class AAA state title and fourth in six seasons (won Class AAAA in 2006 and 2008).

Sophomore point guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen was named the Class AAA/AA Player
of the Year after leading the Eagles to their second consecutive state title. He averaged 12.9 points, 8.8 assists and 3.1 steals per game as he climbed within 280 points of the 1,000 career point level.

Dr. Phillip McCrary took home the Class AAA/AA Coach of the Year award following his team’s second consecutive state title and the Eagles were the Class AAA/AA Team of the Year after compiling a 30-3 record in 2011.

Mark Brock is the Athletics Statistician and Information Officer for DeKalb County Schools Athletics.