Danbury's Jake DeBerry named to all-county basketball team

[Martin DeBerry]

Area’s best in basketball recognized
Joel Luna ~ The Facts
April 20, 2009

For Angleton’s Garrett Brown, the end of his high school career came at the hands of Houston Jones (81-52) in the Class 4A Region III area round.

But for his dominance on the court in his senior year, Brown was named the All-Brazoria County most valuable player as voted on by area coaches and The Facts sports staff.

“It was a long career, and not many get to play four years on varsity,” Brown said, summing up his experiences with the Wildcats. “From my freshman year going to state, and in my sophomore year playing with one of the best players I’ve seen in Issac (Reid), to last year’s struggles and this year picking it back up and playing to our potential.”

But Brown was just one of several area hoops players who had outstanding seasons. Sweeny sharpshooter Dane Hooker was named the offensive player of the year; Angleton’s undersized post Waylon Jones was the defensive player of the year; Brazosport’s D.J. Griggs was the newcomer of the year; and Brazosport’s Josh Waddy netted the sixth man of the year award.

Sweeny’s Shane Hooker was named coach of the year by his peers as the Bulldogs made it to the Class 3A Region IV tournament in Corpus Christi.

Brown averaged double digits all season and won the most valuable player of the Lee College Classic. For him, the tight-knit nature of his team allowed it to finish 24-11 overall.

“Definitely the cohesiveness on our team,” Brown said. “I had never played on a team as close as we were. We were so team-oriented and there wasn’t a player on the team who thought they had to score all the points; instead there were players who understood what their jobs were.

“Trying to win, that was our main goal.”

Brown now will head to the Ivy League to play for the Dartmouth Big Green, hopefully for the next few seasons.

“I am bringing a winning tradition because that is one thing that the coaches up in Dartmouth told me they need,” Brown said. “They haven’t had a winning tradition there so they want me to come with the attitude and take all the leadership because I’ve been a captain since I was a sophomore.”

Sweeny’s Hooker also finished a four-year career on the varsity by averaging in double digits this year and helping lead the Bulldogs to a region-semifinal finish. Dane averaged 18 points, five re-bounds and four assists for the 26-7 Sweeny squad this year.

He also shot 43 percent from beyond the arc and made 100 3-pointers on the year. So far, Dane has not decided where he will next play.

Jones is a 6-foot-2 specimen who battled on the inside for the Wildcats all season.

“I still had to use somewhat my size and, yes, I was undersized all year. But I was also able to use my quickness and conquered a lot of my opponents,” Jones said. “My hops are pretty good for a little man, 6-2. I’d have to say that my karate really helped me with the quickness and agility that I used on those big boys.”

Though he hasn’t decided, Jones either is going to play basketball or football at the next level.

“I am still trying to find somewhere to go, but hopefully somebody will call soon so I can get a school,” Jones said.

Brazosport’s Griggs came out of Lake Jackson Intermediate as an instant success. He proved it as a freshman with the Ships by leading the district in scoring.

“It was kind of tough because AAU ball has the same kind of players I faced this year, which were juniors and seniors,” Griggs said.

“But I went out there and competed, and I thought I competed pretty well. But in high school they play tougher defense, because in AAU it is all about offense.”

After an outstanding 2008 campaign, the Exporters faltered a bit this past season, finishing 4-11 in district play and 11-19 overall. But with the likes of Griggs, the future is quite bright.

“I clicked at the right time this year, and when the team needed me I tried to come through,” Griggs said. “But I just tried to do as much as I could.”

Another youngster on the team is sophomore Waddy, who didn’t start but played a lot of minutes off the bench.

“I just wanted to be a role player because we had players like D.J. and Dajon (King) and I just tried to come in and play my role,” Waddy said. “I tried to do the little things, like the more hustle, and I just tried to do my best while I was on the court.”

Since taking the Sweeny Bulldogs program over four seasons ago, Shannon Hooker has produced an 87-42 record, making the playoffs the last two years. This year, the Bulldogs broke a nine-year drought from making the region tournament.

Though the Bulldogs will lose their top scorer in Dane Hooker and top rebounder in Terrell Bedford, Sweeny returns John Williams, Chancely Wright and Tre’ Lemon next year.

Making the first-team all-county team were Brazoswood’s Kinney Mouton, Alvin’s Tyler Archie, Angleton’s Anthony Alexander, Brazosport’s King and Sweeny’s Williams.

On the second team were Columbia’s Chad Ledbetter, Danbury’s Jake DeBerry, Pearland’s Kelly Lawson, Angleton’s Christian Spears, Brazoswood’s LaDarrin James, Sweeny’s Wright and Pearland Dawson’s Anthony Miles.

Honorable mention honors went to Alvin’s Christian Leadon and Sam Washington; Columbia’s Chris Taylor and Zach Garcia; Brazoswood’s Hayden Monical and Cody Bryant; Brazosport’s Cary Tolbert and Kris Quiller; Angleton’s Beau Bridgland; Sweeny’s Lemon and Bedford; Pearland’s Dorian Purnell and Manvel’s Kenneth Oye, Jhleon Session Jr. and J.J. Jordan.



Joel Luna is the sports editor for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 237-0160.