Four players from the Bridgeport High School boys basketball team that finished the season at 20-5 have earned Class AAAA All-State honors, led by junior Phoenix Sickles being named to the second team.

 

Zach Ayoob, Ashton Curry and Landon Sanders all earned honorable mention status.

 

Sickles averaged 9.6 points per game as well as 5.0 rebounds per game.

 

Ayoob was considered one of the best perimeter defenders in the state and averaged 3.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

 

Curry scored 6.2 points per game and added 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

 

Sanders averaged 9.4 points per game and led the team in 3-pointers made with 49.

 

Morgantown’s Sharron Young was named the first-team captain for the second consecutive year after leading the Mohigans to their third straight state title. He averaged 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 5.8 steals per game.

 

He’s joined on the first team by Morgantown teammate Izzy Everett, who averaged 13 points while shooting 40% from the field and including 36% from 3-point range.

 

“Izzy really started to step up for us at the end of his junior year, and it carried over into his senior year,” MHS head coach Dave Tallman said. “They’re just winners. Neither one of them could get a shot to drop in the title game, but when it mattered most they stepped up and made the plays. I couldn’t be more proud of those guys.”

The Class AAAA runner-up, Spring Mills, was led by first-teamer Caleb Thomas, who averaged close to a double-double with 16.4 points and 9.9 rebounds. He also dished 5.5 assists and earned 4.9 blocks per contest.

 

“He can just do everything on both ends; shoot it, go both ways on offense,” SM coach Luke Samples said. “It’s the same thing on defense. He will guard any position. Caleb doesn’t care about stats he just wants to win and be a good teammate. He’s intense when he has to be but he will never lose himself out on the court. He knew what he had to do and he showed that all year.”

 

 Junior Aiden Davis of Wheeling Park joins the first team after leading the Patriots back to the state tournament. He averaged 25.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Davis tied his own school record of 89 made three-point field goals that he set last season. In a regional win on the road against Bridgeport, Davis led his team with 24 points, nine rebounds, and six assists without committing a turnover.

 

“Aiden was great this year in helping lead us back to states,” WP coach Michael Jebbia said. “His biggest jump was his ability to get to the basket and get to the foul line, where he shot 84% for us.”

 

 Woodrow Wilson senior Elijah Redfern joins the first team after missing several weeks of the season with a broken wrist. He averaged 19.4 points and 6.8 assists per contest for the Flying Eagles on their way back to the state tournament, where Redfern scored 22 points in a quarterfinal loss against top-seeded Spring Mills.

 

 He is joined by fellow-MSAC player Mikey Johnson. The senior from Huntington led the Highlanders with 17.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting 50% from the field. Johnson played a key role in the Highlanders' run to the state semifinals.

 

 George Washington sophomore Noah Lewis comes in at 13.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season. The GW big man was efficient at a 54% shooting clip from the field.

 

 Finally, junior Roman Kellum of South Charleston made the first team after helping the Black Eagles back to the state semifinals for the second time in three seasons. He averaged 13 points and seven rebounds per game.

 

Joining Sickles on the second team are Spring Mills’ Akwasi Opoku-Achampong (the captain), Sha’lik Hampton (Hurricane), Jaiden Gladney (Jefferson), Tate Adkins (Spring Valley), Cole Joy (Parkersburg South), Keshaun Cheek (Martinsburg) and Deshad Williams (South Charleston).

 

All-State honorees can obtain state-shaped, wood plaques with name, school, year and honor atwvswa.org or bearwoodcompany.com.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo of Sickles, second photo of Ayoob, third photo of Curry and bottom photo of Sanders by Joe LaRocca.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Class AAAA boys’ all-state team, released by the West Virginia Sportswriter’s Association Friday, March 29.

First Team

Sharron Young                        Morgantown          6-0            Sr.

Caleb Thomas        Spring Mills             6-7            Jr.

Aiden Davis            Wheeling Park                         5-11         Jr.

Mikey Johnson      Huntington             6-3            Sr.

Elijah Redfern        Woodrow Wilson 6-3            Sr.

Noah Lewis             George Washington              6-6            Soph.

Roman Kellum       South Charleston 6-6            Jr.

Izzy Everett             Morgantown          5-11         Sr.

 

Second Team

Akwasi Opoku-Achampong                  Spring Mills             5-9            Soph.

Sha’lik Hampton   Hurricane                6-3            Jr.

Jaiden Gladney     Jefferson                  6-0            Sr.

Tate Adkins             Spring Valley          6-3            Sr.

Cole Joy  Parkersburg South                 6-1            Sr.

Phoenix Sickles     Bridgeport              6-5            Jr.

Keshawn Cheek    Martinsburg           6-0            Jr.

Deshad Williams   South Charleston 6-0            So.

 

 Honorable mention: Max Anderson, Spring Mills; Xavier Anderson, Spring Mills; Zack Ayoob, Bridgeport; Ethan Blackburn, Cabell Midland; Ashton Curry, Bridgeport; Mykel Davis, Wheeling Park;  Coby Dillon, Woodrow Wilson; Nik Fleming, Princeton; James Fortney-Garbart, University; Zyon Hawthorne, Woodrow Wilson; Jamari Jenkins, Jefferson; Jacob King, Morgantown; Malachi Lewis, Oak Hill; Carson O’Dell, Hurricane; Gabe Patton, Greenbrier East; Clay Robertson, Spring Valley; Nate Rodriguez, Parkersburg; Brogan Samms, St. Albans; Landon Sanders, Bridgeport; Koen Sartin, Princeton; Brady Savage, Morgantown; Harry Silvis, Parkersburg South; Jackson Smith, Parkersburg South; Layton Toepher, Brooke; Jaden Westfall, Buckhannon-Upshur; Carter Zuliani, Buckhannon-Upshur.