Denton Record-Chronicle
2018 All-Area Boys Basketball FIRST TEAM
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Grayson Carter
Guyer, F, Sr. Carter played an important role in stretching the floor for the Guyer offense, forcing opposing big men to guard him on the 3-point line. The Georgetown signee was named the Offensive Player of the Year in District 6-6A and shot 39 percent from 3-point range. He averaged 12.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
Jay Wilson
Ryan, G, So. Wilson was the DRC’s Newcomer of the Year as a freshman, and he avoided a sophomore slump while leading Ryan with 18.5 points per game. Wilson used his height to nab 7.5 rebounds per game while chipping in 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocks. He will be relied upon even more offensively with Spencer Sanders gone next season.
Max Valentino
Argyle, F, Jr. Valentino proved to be one of the most well-rounded players out of District 9-4A, scoring 12.6 points per game, and adding an average of 5.8 rebounds to earn District MVP honors. The lengthy big man for the Eagles was on of the best defenders on the court and used his outside shot to lead the team in scoring.
Remi May
Krum, G, Jr. Few players were as crafty in the backcourt as May was as the junior guard emerged as the unquestioned leader and floor general for a much-improved Krum team under first-year head coach Corey Wallace. May was the Offensive MVP of District 9-4A after averaging 10.7 points, six assists and 2.8 steals per game.
Brandon White
Argyle, G, Jr. White commanded Argyle’s efficient offense all season, adding 12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. The first team all-district selection was known for his extra effort and elusiveness in the paint and created a matchup problem for opposing guards with his size and ability to handle the ball on the perimeter.
Hayden Smith
Aubrey, G, Jr. Smith was a sharpshooter for the Chaparrals this year and helped guide the team back into the playoffs as a junior. He averaged a team-high 16.2 points per game and was a first team all-district selection as Aubrey finished in a three-way tie for second place behind Celina in District 11-4A.
SECOND TEAM
De’Vion Harmon
Guyer, PG, Jr. Harmon set the tone for a big year by announcing his commitment to Oklahoma just before the season started in November and once again, he lived up to the hype. The junior point guard was the driving force behind a high-flying offensive attack and his creative passes and savviness in transition often led to exciting finishes around the rim for the Wildcats. With the season on the line against DeSoto in the area round of the playoffs, Harmon converted on a tough drive in the middle of the lane to knock off the sixth ranked Eagles. He shared co-MVP honors in District 6-6A with teammate Jalen Wilson after averaging 15.7 points, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game, leading the Wildcats to the regional final for the first time in program history.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jalen Wilson
JaKobe Coles
Guyer, F, So. Coles was the youngest starter in a loaded Guyer lineup and he has the potential to develop into a true superstar for the Wildcats over the next few years. He already holds offers from North Texas and SMU and averaged 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks as a sophomore. He was a first team all-district selection in District 6-6A.
Bryson Laird
Krum, G, Sr. Laird was a force for the Bobcats during one of the best years in recent history under first-year head coach Corey Wallace. Laird led Krum in scoring with 13.1 points per game and often finished off scoring opportunities from point guard Remi May. He notched 3.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals and dished out two assists per contest.
Rylan Waldo
Ponder, F, Sr. Waldo has long been a staple for the Lions over the years and helped anchor Ponder’s suffocating defense. The senior earned Defensive MVP honors in District 9-3A. He was one of the team’s top scorers with 10.3 points per game and led the Lions with 6.3 rebounds per game. He also added 4.7 assists and 1.6 blocks.
Guyer, G, Jr. Wilson was a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses as the 6-8 junior created problems both on the perimeter and around the rim. Wilson led Guyer in scoring at 16.1 points per game and added 6.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists. His athleticism and versatility alongside De’Vion Harmon and Grayson Carter powered the Wildcats to a schoolrecord 38 wins as the duo earned co-MVP honors in District 6-6A.
Tye Schluter
Ponder, G, Sr. Most people know Schluter as a dominant 3-point threat, which he was as he set the Ponder school record in 2017-18 for the most made 3-pointers in a season with 146. But Schluter was much more versatile than that while averaging 18.9 points to go with 3.3 assists. He was constantly around the ball and finished his final season having averaged more points per game than any other player in Denton County.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
IMPACT PLAYER OF THE YEAR Spencer Sanders
Ryan, F, Sr. Spencer Sanders capped an incredible high school career by proving he can be just as impactful on the hardcourt as he was on the gridiron. Returning from a torn ACL that cost him his junior season, the senior and Oklahoma State signee stepped off the football field and gave the Raiders a dynamic presence on both ends of the floor while leading them to the District 5-5A title. He used his unique skillset to average 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.9 steals per game as Ryan fell just short of advancing to the area-round of the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion.
Arbin Fera
Denton, G, Sr. Fera was a standout for an extremely young Broncos’ team in 2017-18 and guided the way as a senior while averaging 11.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He helped lead Denton to the playoffs while earning District 5-5A first-team honors to close out his high school career.
CJ Luster
Blake Gibson
Ponder, G, Sr. Gibson was one of the more athletic players in the area this season and stood out in transition for the Lions. The District 9-3A Offensive MVP averaged 8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists and had some of the more memorable dunks of the year. His aggressiveness fit well in the backcourt next to Tye Schluter.
MJ Leslie
Braswell, G, So. Leslie has played a key role in Braswell’s progress as a program. The sophomore averaged 12.2 points, 2.4 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 33 games. He hit 103 3-pointers while shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc. Leslie will surely be a piece coach Nick Sekeres will rely on the next two years.
THIRD TEAM Name, school Pos. Year Tre Evans, Ryan G Jr. Adrian Porter, Aubrey G Sr. Elijah Anderson, Denton G Sr. Le’Tre Darthard, Guyer G Sr. Luke Feely, Argyle F Sr.
Notable Averaged 6.5 points and 5.3 assists. Averaged 14.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. Averaged 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds. Averaged 7.7 points and 3.5 rebounds. Averaged 10.5 points.
Denton, G, Fr. The speedy guard averaged 11.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and one steal per game. Luster won Newcomer of the Year in District 5-5A and helped the Broncos to the playoffs once again. The soon to-be sophomore will have an expanded role for the Broncos the next year after the team loses a few starters to graduation.
COACH OF THE YEAR
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Cody Collinsworth
Pilot Point, C, Jr. Collinsworth, who stands at 7’0, deterred opponents from trying to work the ball inside the paint all year and the junior stood out as one of the top rim protectors in the state this season. Collinsworth averaged an eye-popping 18.3 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks per game, earning co-Offensive Player of the Year honors in District 9-3A. He will be one of the top prospects in the area as he heads into his senior year as more and more colleges begin to take notice of the presence he brings to the paint on both sides of the ball.
Grant Long
Guyer Long guided Guyer to 13 wins over teams ranked in the top 10 of classes 5A and 6A as the Wildcats advanced to the region final for the first time in history. Long created a cohesive unit out of a roster loaded with Division I talent and led Wildcats to a school-record 38 wins in the process.
Feature photo of De’Vion Harmon by Jeff Woo/DRC ; action photos from DRC files Section 5
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