Watchman names basketball coaches, players of the year
The West Alabama Watchman announced its postseason basketball awards Friday, acknowledging the 10 male and 10 female athletes from throughout the county as well as two local coaches.
Coach of the Year honors for the boys went to first-year A.L. Johnson head coach Johnney Ford, who guided his team to a 14-5 record and its first ever tripe to the state semifinals. Ford, who also took home ASWA Class 1A Coach of the Year distinction, helped ALJ to beat rival Linden for the first time in 16 years and win the area before marching through postseason competition and ultimately falling at the hands of Sacred Heart.
Coach of the Year honors on the girls side go to Demopolis High’s Tony Pittman, who took his defense-oriented squad to a 23-8 record and an appearance in the region tournament. Pittman led a group with only two seniors, losing UWA signee Caleb Washington to an injury just before the start of the postseason.
Player of the Year honors on the boys side go to Demopolis High’s Charles Tripp. Narrowly edging A.L. Johnson junior Shermon Kennedy, Tripp averaged 14.2 points and 8.1 rebounds a game. The 6-5 senior, who signed with Marion Military last week, evolved into the go-to performer for the Tigers as he expanded his game into a well-rounded inside-out repertoire. Tripp’s Tigers contended with a region that included perennial powers Wilcox Central, Dallas County and Sumter Central, a slate of competition that often saw the DHS forward put together his best performances.
On the girls side, Tiffany Barber of A.L. Johnson earns Player of the Year honors. Barber was as close to everything for her team as any player could have been in 2014-2015. She averaged a county high 15.5 points per game and willed her A.L. Johnson squad from its customary doormat position to the area championship and the best record in program history.
The boys and girls squads are listed below in their entirety.
2014-2015 All-County Basketball Boys
First Team
- Jemar Monroe, Sweet Water – Jr.
- Josh Moore, Demopolis – Jr.
- Cason Cook, Marengo Academy – Jr.
- Charles Tripp, Demopolis – Sr.
- Shermon Kennedy, A.L. Johnson – Jr.
Second Team
- Jeremy Mitchell, A.L. Johnson – Sr.
- Desmond Mair, A.L. Johnson – Jr.
- Dequan Charleston, Linden – So.
- Cordarius Pritchett, Marengo – So.
- Sam Renner, Marengo Academy – Sr.
2014-2015 All-County Basketball Girls
First Team
- Tomysha Boykin, Linden – So.
- Caleb Washington, Demopolis – Sr.
- Andrea Edmonds, Marengo Academy – Sr.
- Imiya Agee, Linden – So.
- Tiffany Barber, A.L. Johnson – Jr.
Second Team
- Ivery Moore, Demopolis – Jr.
- Anna Michael Crocker, Marengo Academy – Jr.
- J’Mya Hall, Marengo High – 7th
- Larobyn Harris, A.L. Johnson – Sr.
- Sha’Deitra White, Demopolis – Jr.