The University Interscholastic League’s State Boys Basketball Tournament will be rolling this weekend as teams will look to cut down the nets in celebration.

There are no Orange County teams in the mix but it was a solid season for our local teams as many of them will see plenty of standouts return to the court next season.

There is no question that the Orangefield Bobcats benefitted from dropping down to the Class 3A Ranks.

Coach Jake McDonald’s Bobcats rolled up a school-record 29 wins and advanced to the third round of the playoffs for the first time in school history.

The Bobcats (29-9) scratched their way to two big playoff wins, rallying back from double-digit deficits in each to claim victories.

The West Orange-Stark Mustangs nabbed a playoff berth for first-year head coach Bill Barstow it what was a very competitive District 22-4A.

Over at Little Cypress-Mauriceville, Coach Brad Jeffcoat went through a rebuild after losing a team deep of seniors and the Bears continued to get better throughout the season, sparked by senior Braden Bridges, who wound up with more than 1,800 career points. The Bears will welcome back a slew of key returners next season.

Ditto for Randall Robertson and the Bridge City Cardinals, who will return most of their lineup intact.

So without further ado, it’s time to select the 2019 All-Orange Leader Basketball Team.

Our Most Valuable Player is Orangefield junior post Valentin Catt, The 6-10 post certainly had a huge campaign for our Coach of the Year McDonald.

In his first year of competitive varsity basketball, the young man delivered on both ends, especially on defense, where he challenged almost every opposing shot.

Catt averaged 15 points, 11.4 rebounds and blocked 5.1 shots a game. He upped the ante in the postseason, where he was so instrumental. In the playoffs, he notched 15 points a game, 13.3 rebounds and 14 blocks in averaging a triple-double the hard way. He had an amazing 18 blocked shots in the bidistrict playoff win over Diboll.

Our Offensive MVP is certainly deserving in Bridges.

Bridges was such a key contributor for the Bears in his four-year run, none more so than in his senior campaign when he filtered in 27 points a game despite seeing double and triple teams. He wrapped up a great run in green and gold with 1,834 career points.

WO-S senior B’Jan Arvie is our Defensive MVP. He was such a key component on making the Mustangs go on both ends of the floor.

He was one of the top steals leaders in 22-4A, averaging almost four a game while also providing eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Congrats to all as we look forward to an even better 2019-2020 campaign.

 

Here is the 2019 All-Orange Leader Basketball Team:

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Valentin Catt, Orangefield

OFFENSIVE MVP: Braden Bridges, LC-M

DEFENSIVE MVP: B’Jan Arvie, WO-S

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jake McDonald, Orangefield

 

FIRST TEAM

Terron Brown, WO-S

Tyrone Waggoner, Orangefield

Cade Prejean, Orangefield

Nakai Arnold, WO-S

Kolten Weeks, Bridge City

 

SECOND TEAM

Jesse Doucette, LC-M

Coy Bryant, Orangefield

Kaiden DuBose, Orangefield

Austin Richardson, Bridge City

D.J. Williams, LC-M