Ceres High’s and Central Valley’s boys basketball teams had a combined six players earn all-league honors for their stellar play this winter.
T.J. Walker Jr., fifth-year leader of the Bulldogs, also garnered recognition.
Ceres High’s Verlis Smith was voted Most Valuable Player of the Western Athletic Conference.
The senior forward/guard averaged 18.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
“I was shocked that he won it,” said Walker, whose team placed fourth in the WAC standings with a 10-5 record. “The other coaches saw what Verlis did for us every night. I felt like he was the best player in the league. He was dynamic in what he did on both sides of the ball. He played so hard. The other guys followed him.”
Smith was promoted to varsity in the ninth grade.
“He just wanted to win,” Walker said. “He was very coachable. He was a great teammate.”
Bulldog Adrian Ontiveros was named to the WAC First Team.
The 5-foot-7 130-pound junior point guard averaged 13.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
“He always worked hard,” Walker said. “He wasn’t afraid to take big shots. He was the best guard on the floor every night.”
Ceres High’s Lebron Stallworth was named to the WAC Second Team.
A role player as a sophomore, Stallworth enjoyed a breakout junior year with the Bulldogs.
He averaged 11.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while logging playing time at center and forward.
“He was our X-factor this year,” Walker said. “If he was on offensively and defensively, we were hard to beat. He got more confidence in himself and the system. I still feel he has a lot to give us. The sky’s the limit for that kid.”
Walker was named WAC Coach of the Year.
“That was another shock,” Walker said. “It’s nice my peers in the WAC felt that way about me. I thought I did a good job with this group. But we didn’t reach our goal.”
Beyer edged Ceres High 71-70 in a tiebreaker game for the WAC’s final playoff spot.
“We had our opportunities,” Walker said. “We didn’t take care of business.”
Central Valley’s Jordan Powers was selected to the Central California Conference Second Team.
The senior forward/guard averaged 15.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
“All the coaches recognized he was one of the better players in league,” Hawks’ head coach Mike Rodriguez said. “He would have been First Team if we racked up more wins. He’s known for getting to the basket. He’s also a good rebounder. He played with a lot of energy.”
Powers contributed off the bench at the beginning of the season.
“He had no problem accepting his role,” Rodriguez said. “He became a starter because we needed some points on the board and rebounding.”
Powers contributed at varsity for three seasons.
“He got better at everything each year,” Rodriguez said.
Hawk junior guard Gage Mastropierro was an honorable-mention selection.
He averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
“He did a little bit of everything for us,” Rodriguez said. “He got stronger physically. He was aggressive on offense, His rebounding got better. We’re going to expect a lot of things from him next year.”
Central Valley senior guard/forward Yoshi Kumar was a CCC Sportsmanship Award winner.
He averaged 7.0 points, 8.6 rebounds. 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
“He’s our team captain and leader,” Rodriguez said. “He played hard. He always showed good sportsmanship.”
The Hawks (0-12) placed last in the CCC standings.