SPORTS SHORTS: Week of Jan 5

High school basketball

The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches released their Top 25 for each class Jan. 2 and several teams from Southeast Texas were touted.

On the boys’ side, Beaumont United is No. 2 in Class 6A; Silsbee in No. 3 in Class 4A, followed by Hardin-Jefferson, Hamshire-Fannett and LC-M at No. 14-15-16, respectively.

For the girls, West Brook is ranked No. 17 in 6A, while Hardin-Jefferson is No. 7 in 4A along with Silsbee at No. 15.

Evadale Lady Rebels are No. 11 in 2A.

Preseason tournament action wrapped up during Christmas break and United’s Wesley Yates III, who is committed to play college basketball at the University of Washington, scored a basket with 3 seconds remaining to help the Timberwolves beat Pine Bluff 53-52 in the King Cotton Holiday Classic King Bracket on Dec. 29 in Arkansas. For his efforts, Yates was named MVP.

Not to be outdone, Silsbee won the Creed Bracket in the same tournament by defeating White Hall Arkansas 84-80. Junior Dre’lon Miller, who was named first-team all-tournament, led Silsbee with 30 points.

At the East Chambers Holiday Classic, the EC boys beat LaGrange, 59-37, for the tourney title. LC-M girls defeated Jasper, 57-51, to win the first-place trophy. Keylie Washburn was named MVP.

PA Memorial won the James Gamble Classic with wins over WO-S, Aldine Eisenhower, Bryan Rudder and Alief Taylor. Superlatives were Ke’Andre Jones (MVP), Maurion Edwards (All-Tournament), Cam Bryant (All-Tournament) and Amir Young (Mr. Outside Shooter).

The Lady Hawks of Hardin-Jefferson clipped No. 1 Pearland, 60-58, to win the Sandra Meadows Classic in Duncanville on Dec. 30.

Jackson scores in Duke win

Former Hardin-Jefferson standout Ashlon Jackson scored 7 points and had 2 steals in the Lady Blue Devils’ 63-56 win over Louisville on Jan. 1. Jackson, a true freshman, is averaging 5 points per game and scored a season-high 12 points in a 100-49 win over Richmond on Dec. 4.

SETCA

The Southeast Texas Coaches Association recently announced their Coaches of the Year. They will be honored during an event Saturday, Jan. 28, at the MCM Eleganté Hotel in Beaumont at noon. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $20.

Award winners were Jeff Joseph of PN-G and James Reyes of Lumberton (Football); Conner Wilbur of Orangefield (Boys Cross Country); Dena Adkins of LC-M (Girls Cross Country); United’s David Green (Boys Basketball); Mike Fogo of Hardin-Jefferson (Girls Basketball), Orangefield’s Tim Erickson (Baseball); Karen Slack of Liberty (Softball); Johnnie Kay Harrell of LC-M (Girls Golf); Todd Trawhon of Orangefield (Boys Golf); Brett Nicholson of LC-M (Boys Tennis); Kirbyville’s Dianna Caston (Girls Tennis); Aaron Manous of Lumberton (Boys Powerlifting); Frank Snoddy of LC-M (Girls Powerlifting); East Chambers’ Jackie Brown (Boys Soccer); Jason Hopson of Lumberton (Girls Soccer); Jeremy Abshire of Hamshire-Fannett (Boys Track and Field); Jamie DeShazo of Bridge City (Girls Track and Field); Chase McDonald of Lumberton (Assistant Coach of the Year) and Gene McKinley (Christus).

Golf

After a rain delay of one week, the Louisiana USSSA Junior Golf Tour finally teed off its final event of 2022 at the Country Club at Golden Nugget on Dec. 31. Beaumont golfer Reece Williams took top honors by 14 strokes in the Boys 12-14 Division.

The STPGA announced their upcoming junior tour golf tournaments, which begins Monday, Jan. 16, at the Beaumont Country Club. Henry Homberg Golf Course will host a tournament Feb. 19 followed by a March 13 event at Beaumont Country Club and April 8 at Idylwild Golf Course.

For more information, view stpgajuniorgolf.com.

Lamar Cardinals

A season ago, Akasha Davis was just a freshman racking up weekly awards from the Western Athletic Conference. Now, the Dallas, Texas native can proudly say she earned weekly awards in two conferences as the Southland Conference announced that Davis was selected as the Women's Basketball Player of the Week. This is the sixth career weekly honor for Davis and first from the SLC.
Although LU played one game this past week, the award includes stretches all the way back to the game before the Christmas break. In the last two games, Davis averaged 20.5 points and made 17-of-25 (68%) from the field in wins over Texas A&M-Texarkana and the conference opener in McNeese. Against the Eagles of TAMU-Texarkana, Davis netted a season high 25 points, two shy of her career high while also grabbing 11 rebounds to complete her seventh career double-double. Then on Dec. 31, Davis made all but two of her eight shots to score 16 points and block two shots while grabbing seven rebounds against McNeese.
This week, she and the Cardinals will hit the road to New Orleans, Louisiana to meet up with the Privateers on Thursday, Jan. 5, at 5 p.m.

On the men’s side, LU dropped their fifth consecutive game in an 81-62 conference tilt with McNeese.

The Cardinals (4-10/0-1) were led by sophomore Jakevion Buckley (13 points) and junior Chris Pryor (11 points).

LU will play the University of New Orleans on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. inside Lake Front Arena.