Huck's South Awards, 2002

Ed "Huck" Palmer is one of our trusty statisticians/observers. He is not to be confused with Tom "Puck" McKenna. (Huck is normal. Puck is not even close). He will make occasional reports on games he sees. You may contact him at TEDDYCAT10@aol.com.

     The following are my picks for the CL Southern Division all-league team. I have also provided top five players in specific categories. Due to a change in my personal schedule this year, I have not been able to see many teams from other leagues. I would have loved to have done the same for the Public, Inter-Ac, and CL Northern division. I just didn't see enough of these teams, and feel it would be unfair to give my opinion on these leagues in this manner. I feel I have kept up with the Southern Division pretty consistently this year, and feel that these lists are not off-based. Remember, these are my opinions and truthfully that doesn't mean much. However, if anyone would like to state a case for a player I may have left off a particular list or would like to agree on a something I listed, I be happy to chat about it with you. I encourage people to e-mail me with thoughts, rather than go to Ted, and the random thoughts section of the site.

HUCK'S SOUTHERN DIVISION ALL-CATHOLICS:

1ST TEAM                               2ND TEAM                          THIRD TEAM

Kashif Payne (AC) MVP              Chris Grandieri (OH)             Mike Springman (AC)
Charron Fisher (RC)                    Ryan Rich (KK)                     Marshall Taylor (WC)
Richard Cunningham (SJN)         John Griffin (SJP)                  Amarildo Matos (KK)
Mark Zoller (SJP)                        Jordan Ingram (AC)               Anthony Bennett (MB)
Matt Kearney (MB)                     Badir McCleary (MB)            Antwain Wynn (SJN)

10 Honorable Mentions: Evan Dittler (AC), Pat Baylor (OH), Harry Dougherty (OH),
Andre Sloan-El (RC), Chris Del Brocco (SJN), Adon El (SJN), Kevin Lauer (SJN), Chris
Clark (SJP), Brandon Weston (WC), and Brandon Wicker (WC).

MOST COMBINED POINTS SCORED BY A PLAYER AGAINST ONE TEAM:
(MINUMUM OF 40 POINTS)

1. Ryan Rich (KK) 62 pts vs. AC.
2. Ryan Rich (KK) 55 pts vs. WC.
3. Charron Fisher (RC) 51 pts vs. WC.
4. Charron Fisher (RC) 51 pts vs. SJN.
5. Brandon Weston (WC) 47 pts vs. KK.
6. Mark Zoller (SJP) 47 pts vs. RC.
7. Charron Fisher (RC) 45 pts vs. KK.
8. Richard Cunningham (SJN) 44 pts vs. OH.
9. Kashif Payne (AC) 43 pts vs. SJN.
10 John Griffin (SJP) 43 pts vs. AC.

---The Southern Division this year was very competitive. Though the league may not have featured a truly dominant team. It was loaded with some very good teams. Even the teams on the bottom of the division like, West, O'Hara, and Kennedy-Kenrick were good enough, that on any given night they could create problems for the better teams in the league. Of the 56 league games this year, 16 were decided by five or fewer points. Another 17 games were decided by ten points or less. This is a strong indication of how balanced and competitive the league was this season. The following list is my top 10 games of the season:

1. Jan. 21---   Prep 52   Roman 50
2. Feb. 1 ---   Roman 48 Neumann 47
3. Feb. 15--   Carroll 64 Prep 60
4. Jan. 13---   Neumann 49 Prep 48
5. Feb. 1 ---   Carroll 56 O'Hara 54
6. Jan. 11---   Bonner 53 Neumann 52
7. Jan. 4 ---   O'Hara 44 Carroll 42
8. Jan. 13---   Bonner 54 O'Hara 51
9. Jan. 11---   Roman 72 O'Hara 70
10. Feb. 2--- Bonner 42 Neumann 39

TOP PLAYERS BY CLASS:

SENIORS                     JUNIORS                      SOPHS                               FROSH

Matt Kearney (MB)       Kashif Payne (AC)          Charron Fisher (RC)             Kenny Tribbett (AC)
Chris Grandieri (OH)     Mark Zoller (SJP)           Richard Cunningham (SJP)    Bobby Jordan (RC)
Ryan Rich (KK)            Jordan Ingram (AC)        John Griffin (SJP)
Badir McCleary (MB)    Antwain Wynn (SJN)     Mike Springman (AC)
Anothony Bennett (MB) Brandon Weston (WC) Marshall Taylor (WC)

BEST SCORER: (Players who can fill it up)
1. Charron Fisher (RC)
2. Ryan Rich (KK)
3. Kashif Payne (AC)
4. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
5. Chris Grandieri (OH)

BEST PLAYMAKER: (Players who set things up for others)
1. Kashif Payne (AC)
2. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
3. Antwain Wynn (SJN)
4. Chris Clark (SJP)
5. Tyree Wallace (RC)

BEST REBOUNDERS: (Guys who routinely clean the glass)
1. Charron Fisher (RC)
2. Jordan Ingram (AC)
3. Mark Zoller (SJP)
4. Anthony Bennett (MB)
5. Kevin Lauer (SJN)

BEST REBOUNDER 6-2 & UNDER: (Smaller guys who pull boards down)
1. Brandon Weston (WC)
2. Brandon Wicker (WC)
3. Mike Rafferty (KK)
4. Kenny Fulton (SJN)
5. Chris Grandieri (OH)

BEST SHOTBLOCKERS: (Guys that say: "Not here, not tonight."
1. Jordan Ingram (AC)
2. Marshall Taylor (WC)
3. Adon El (SJN)
4. Anthony Bennett (MB)
5. Todd Johnson (SJN)

THE STEALS DEPARTMENT: (Guys that take your lunch, and ask questions later.)
1. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
2. Antwain Wynn (SJN)
3. Kashif Payne (AC)
4. Chris Clark (SJP)
5. Andre Sloan-El (RC)

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM:
1. Jordan Ingram (AC)
2. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
3. Antwain Wynn (SJN)
4. Anthony Bennett (MB)
5. Adon El (SJN)

MY ALL AT&T TEAM: (Guys that dial up long distance)
1. Ryan Rich (KK)
2. Chris Del Brocco (SJN)
3. Badir McCleary (MB)
4. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
5. Chris Grandieri (OH)

MOST VERSATILE TEAM: (These guys do a little of everything)
1. Matt Kearney (MB)
2. Mike Springman (AC)
3. Marshall Taylor (WC)
4. John Griffin (SJP)
5. Chris Grandieri (OH)

MOST DYNAMIC: (These guys bring an extra something to the court.)
1. Kashif Payne (AC)
2. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
3. Amarildo Matos (KK)
4. Marshall Taylor (WC)
5. Matt Kearney (MB)

HIGH RISERS: (These guys go to the glass and rim like there's a $100 bill up there.)
1. Charron Fisher (RC)
2. Brandon Weston (WC)
3. Todd Johson (SJN)
4. Amarildo Matos (KK)
5. Anthony Bennett (MB)

ALL-CLUTCH TEAM: (Players you want with the ball at the end of a close game.)
1. Kashif Payne (AC)
2. Matt Kearney (MB)
3. John Griffin (SJP)
4. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
5. Badir McCleary (MB)

ALL-UNDERAPPRECIATED: (Guys that contribute, but sometimes go unnoticed.)
1. Jim Good (SJP)
2. Mike Rafferty (KK)
3. Tyree Wallace (RC)
4. Harry Dougherty (OH)
5. Evan Dittler (AC)

ON THE VERGE OF STARDOM: (Good players that could hit the next level soon.)
1. Mike Springman (AC)
2. Marshall Taylor (WC)
3. Adon El (SJN)
4. Antwain Wynn (SJN)
5. John Griffin (SJP)

ALL-HIT-THE-FLOOR-TEAM: (Guys that go after it, and come home with bruises.)
1. Mike Rafferty (KK)
2. Matt Chambers (AC)
3. Jim Good (SJP)
4. Kevin LeSage (MB)
5. Ryan Cleary (OH)

MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS: (Guys that came out of nowhere to have a solid year.)
1. Pat Baylor (OH)
2. Brandon Weston (WC)
3. Jon Duperon (RC)
4. Evan Dittler (AC)
5. Anthony Bennett (MB)

BEST DIVISION-1 PROSPECTS: (Guys that have the best chance to play D-1.)
1. Charron Fisher (RC)
2. Richard Cunningham (SJN)
3. Kashif Payne (AC)
4. Amarildo Matos (KK)
5. Kenny Tribbett (AC)

BEST FOUL SHOOTERS: (Guys you want on the line late in the game.)
1. Ryan Rich (KK)
2. Chris Grandieri (OH)
3. Chris Del Brocco (SJN)
4. T.J. Valerio (SJP)
5. Matt Kearney (MB)

---One thing I would like to mention about my 1st Team All-Catholic selections. I had no problem coming up with Payne, Fisher, Cunningham, and Zoller. In fact, I'll be very surprised if the coaches as well, don't have these four on their first team. I did have a tough time deciding on that fifth spot. I considered Rich, Grandieri, and to a degree Griffin for that fifth spot. I gave the nod to Kearney because his team did very well, and because he had solid all-around season. I think he is the type of player that could have scored more if needed. A lot of times we look at scoring average as barrier for deciding these things. I've stated this because I know that fifth spot is going to be up for debate.