First Lady: Gorman’s Obach Is All-East Texas Player of the Year

Published 11:57 pm Thursday, March 28, 2013

Michelle Obach grew up reading about the All-East Texas basketball team, never thinking she’d ever be on it.

The Bishop Gorman star reached the third team as a sophomore and was on the first team last year as a junior.

After guiding the Lady Crusaders to a 30-4 record in 2012-13, Obach has reached the pinnacle of East Texas basketball.

Obach is the Tyler Morning Telegraph and ETFinalScore.com All-East Texas Player of the Year. She follows Bullard’s Minta Spears, now playing at Texas Tech, as the award’s recipient.

“I’m real thankful to everyone that’s been a part of my life leading up to this and who’s made me into who I am now,” Obach said.

During her senior year, Obach averaged 23.9 points, 3.9 assists, 4.0 steals and 2.8 rebounds. She shot 58 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc, where she hit 59 3-pointers.

“She obviously has the ability to score when she wants to score; she has a great shot and shooting percentage,” Gorman coach Katie Robertson said. “But the thing I think people underestimate is just how smart of a player she is.

“She would only have one or two turnovers a game. For a point guard to have the ball in her hands that much and take care of it — that, I feel like, is why she was so successful and why we were so successful as a team.”

Obach led the Lady Crusaders to a fifth consecutive TAPPS 2-4A title, going undefeated for the third straight year. Gorman went 118-26 in the four years with Obach in the lineup.

The Lady Crusaders were the top team in Tyler and among the best in the region. Gorman beat Class 1A Division I champion Martins Mill to win the Great East Texas Shootout and knocked off Class 3A’s second-ranked Fairfield.

Robertson said Obach was always working on her craft, but what stood out to Obach this season was the growth of her teammates and their chemistry on and off the court.

“That’s what really I loved the most about the season, everybody really grew,” the point guard said. “Brooke (Lee) and Susannah (Williams) and everyone — all the starters — everyone just got so much better from last season. I think it just made the season really fun.”

The top-ranked Lady Crusaders were upset in the quarterfinals of the TAPPS 4A playoffs by Lubbock Trinity Christian, which went on to win the state championship by 41 points. Watching that title game was bittersweet for Obach and her teammates, knowing had they won they likely would have been state champs.

“It was definitely heartbreaking; it still hurts,” Obach said Wednesday. “It’s still tough to think about because every year past, you come out of the game you lose and you think there’s next year — but there’s no next year for the team.

“Immediately after the game, coach told us to not define the season from the one game. It’s true. It’s hard to accept but it’s true that we had a great season in spite of losing the last game.”

Obach put a capstone on a stellar high school career by surpassing the 2,500-point plateau in the playoffs, finishing with 2,549 career points.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Obach said of her time at Gorman. “It didn’t really hit immediately after we lost our last game that it was my last time to play with them. The weeks following and even now it’s weird to think that I’m never going to put this jersey on again or play with all the girls I grew up with, especially with coach Katie being our coach since I was in eighth grade.

“It’s weird to think that I’m never going to be the kid that she’s yelling at or the kid that she’s making run anymore. Our relationships are changing.”

Obach’s last game has yet to be played, however. In November she signed to play with Merrimack College, an NCAA Division II school just north of Boston.

“I really believe that she has the ability to come in as a freshman and make a difference at Merrimack,” said Robertson, a former college point guard. “I’m going to have some time to work with her (this summer) and we’ll get her ready with her strength and conditioning.”

Obach, like all of her fellow Lady Crusaders, grew up knowing the story of Macy Chenevert, the standout basketball player who passed away to cancer after her eighth-grade season at Gorman. Obach, like Chenevert, played with all her heart.

“She’s just been the foundation,” Robertson said of Obach’s impact on Gorman basketball. “A lot of the girls have relied on her, she’s set the tempo, been a leader through her actions of how hard she works and extra work she puts in.

“I think Michelle has been a great example of continuing the Macy Chenevert legacy.”

Alba-Golden, Mineola coaches share award

By Shane Stark

Two first-year coaches.

Two memorable seasons.

That’s what Alba-Golden’s Brad Gibson and Mineola’s Clayton Harris were able to produce in their first seasons at their respective helms. Both took over programs and changed their cultures, turning them into winners while also jumpstarting their fan bases.

Gibson and Harris share Coach of the Year honors on the Tyler Morning Telegraph and ETFinalScore.com’s All-East Texas Girls Basketball Team. They follow Edgewood’s Kyle Short as the award’s recipient.

BRAD GIBSON

Gibson made the move to Al-ba-Golden after spending the last decade as an assistant at state power Winnsboro. He studied under longtime Lady Raiders coach Buddy Hawkins (now retired) and took what he learned to Alba-Golden, which won 19 games during the 2011-12 season.

“If you are going to run somebody’s system, why not get that person to come over and help,” Gibson said of Hawkins. “We were just trying to speed up the process in the beginning. He came over probably seven or eight times. That meant a lot for him to come over and do that.”

Gibson knew he was taking over a promising program when he first went to Alba-Golden, but never in his wildest imagination did he expect the success to arrive so soon. The Lady Panthers finished the season with a 28-8 record and reached the regional tournament for the first time since 1968, falling in the regional semifinals to eventual state champion Brock.

“I knew Alba had some good young kids,” Gibson said. “Everybody knew Alba was going to be good two or three years down the road, but I wanted to see if we could be good right now. That was the biggest selling point. Once I got it in their heads that we could be good this year, it worked out good.”

When did Gibson realize his team’s capabilities?

That occurred in a 10-point loss in December to 2011 state qualifier Edgewood, which beat Alba-Golden 58-26 and 70-33 the previous season. The next week the Lady Panthers beat Dallas Madison (70-56) and Winnsboro (50-44); they fell to the Lady Raiders 75-23 and 60-19 the previous season.

“After we lost to Edgewood we won 11 in a row,” Gibson said. “That’s when the light came on for our kids. This wasn’t past years. This was a different team.”

Macie Arrington, a first-team All-East Texas performer, paced Alba-Golden with 17 points a game and 98 3-pointers leading up to the regional quarterfinals. She was followed by freshman Caitlin Lennon, one of East Texas’ most promising point guards who averaged 10 points a game.

The young Lady Panthers also featured size in the paint, which included 6-0 freshman CeTara Carter (six rebounds per game) and 5-8 freshman Kaylee Bizzell (five rebounds per game).

Meanwhile, senior guard Michaela Moffett and junior guard Corlie Lennon both averaged about four steals an outing.

CLAYTON HARRIS

Harris, who went to Mineola from the Austin area, guided the Lady Jackets to a 29-5 record and their first playoff berth in program history. The turnaround season followed a 10-win campaign in 2011-12, which featured a young and inexperienced roster.

Two factors helped Harris get the program on the right course seemingly overnight: raising the interest level for potential players and implementing a defensive-minded system.

“You see kids walking down the hall who can’t stay out of trouble and can’t pass their clas-ses,” said Harris, whose team moved into the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches top 25 during the regular season. “You find ways to get those kids to buy into a system of a program. That’s the one thing you’ve got to do; recruit the kids you already have to play basketball.”

That worked in a major way for the Lady Jackets, who operated out of 12 to 15 different pressure defense sets and produced almost 25 steals a game, resulting in easy transition baskets.

Seven of the 10 players on the roster averaged two or more steals a game, led by Peyton Stephens (4.1 spg), Marisa Ledkins (3.6 spg) and Jordan Dawson (3.3 spg).

Dawson also led the team with 11.6 points and 7.1 rebounds a game.

“We had high expectations when I got here,” Harris said. “Me and my family are accustomed to having high expectations. No way in the world did I think we would win 29 games, but I knew we were going to be good. I knew we had some players; we just needed to put it together.

“The scheme I run fully fit the way the girls were capable of running. To win 29 games; that’s phenomenal. When you win 29 games, you’ve definitely got the ball rolling. That’s just an incredible accomplishment by the girls.”

Bullard freshman earns Newcomer of the Year

By Shane Stark

Bullard’s Lexi Kirgan made a smooth transition to high school basketball this season.

The freshman contributed from the start, helping the Lady Panthers to another successful run.

Kirgan is the Newcomer of the Year on the Tyler Morning Telegraph and ETFinalScore. com’s All-East Texas Girls Basketball Team. She follows Martins Mill’s Cheyenne Brown as the award’s recipient.

“She’s someone who’s really hungry to learn and improve so much,” Bullard coach Barry Gill said. “Her best basketball is ahead of her. She’s starting to develop some versatility. She shoots the 3-pointer really well and has really good inside post moves.”

Kirgan, a 6-1 center, earned Newcomer of the Year honors on the All-District 16-3A team as well. That followed a season in which she averaged 10.8 points to help the Lady Panthers go 24-10 and capture a league title.

“She started from the word go but she definitely improved,” Gill said. “As the year started she was just someone who could score on putbacks and inside buckets. With confidence and experience she really improved.”

One of Kirgan’s top performances of the season came at the East Texas Playoff Preview at UT Tyler’s Herrington Patriot Center. She produced 24 points and drained a pair of 3-pointers in helping the Lady Panthers beat Zavalla 54-41.

Kirgan was no stranger to double-doubles during the regular season, plus has three more years to get even better.

“I just think her size, combined with her desire and her work ethic, the sky’s the limit,” Gill said.

2013 All-East Texas Girls Basketball Team

Player of the Year: Michelle Obach, Bishop Gorman

Co-Coaches of the Year: Brad Gibson, Alba-Golden; Clayton Harris, Mineola

Newcomer of the Year: Lexi Kirgan, Bullard

First Team

MACIE ARRINGTON, ALBA-GOLDEN

Credentials: Arrington, a sophomore, averaged 17 points per game to lead the Lady Panthers to the Class 2A Region II semifinals. Arrington was the District 14-2A Offensive Player of the Year.

MICAELA BROWN, EDGEWOOD

Credentials: Brown, a senior, averaged 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs to earn Class 2A all-region honors.

ZHANELLE GEATHERS, LINDALE

Credentials: Geathers, a junior, paced the Lady Eagles in scoring and rebounding, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors in District 16-4A.

HAILY JENKINS, MARTINS MILL

Credentials: Jenkins, a senior, battled back from injury to lead Martins Mill to the Class 1A Division I state championship. She is a McNeese State signee.

TIAKA LEE, JOHN TYLER

Credentials: Lee, a senior, led JT in scoring with 14 points per game and steals with 3.7 per contest.

Second Team

Cheyenne Brown, Martins Mill; Brooke Lee, Bishop Gorman; Demi Cumby, Athens; Cheyenne Ramey, Pittsburg; Tra’Veshia Ross, Chapel Hill.

Third Team

Samantha Anderson, Bullard Brook Hill; Charity Page, Nacogdoches; Natasha Malone, Lindale; Taylor Munns, Martins Mill; Jordan Dawson, Mineola.

Honorable Mention

Alba-Golden — Caitlin Lennon, Cetara Carter, Carlie Lennon; All Saints — Sydney Barrett; Athens — Josee McNeese; Bishop Gorman — Susannah Williams, Allie Buzbee, Danielle Smith; Brownsboro — Sydney Hightower; Bullard — Madison Slayter; Bullard Brook Hill — Alyssa Eden, Morgan Moss, Charlie Niles; Canton — Kassidy Wilkerson, Emery Elliot; Edgewood — Cortney Holmes, Hannah Jameson, Paige Parker, Destini Warren; Eustace — Casey Bramblitt, Kacie Rogers; Frankston — Mallory Winkler; Gilmer — Diamond Shaw, Jameekia Homer; Gladewater — T. Bria Rogers; Grace Community — Rebekah Provines, Catherine Rook; Grand Saline — Emily Cantrell, Brooke Denton; Hawkins — Alisha Taylor, Jessica Taylor; Jacksonville — Jasmine Parson, Chancii Scott; Harmony — Keirsten Seahorn, Jacy Lloyd, Bailey Rhodes; John Tyler — Quaneshia Johnson; Kilgore — Annie Mehringer, Tony Burks; Lindale — Hannah Malone, Neeley Doss, Makenna Allen; Longview — Macy Hopkins, Mikayla Smith; Mabank — Kourtney Holyfield, Meagan Holyfield, Bailey Swain; Mineola — Ali Galaz, Peyton Stephens; Nacogdoches — E.J. Johnson, Justice Lockett, Ki’Audra Hayter; Palestine — Dana Whitehead, Paradyse Page, Kierra Wilson; Pittsburg: Meagan Peters, Shakira Duffey, Denasia Washington; Pine Tree — Sky-Lyn Holmes, Mckaya Baylor, Daneisha Patterson; Quitman — Dawn Houck; Spring Hill — Leslie Blevins, Audrey Popelar, Ashlyn White; Robert E. Lee — Emem David; Tatum — Kiana Turner, Alexes Bell, Amee Smith, Kaylah Starling; Union Grove — Malorie Attaway, Kassidy Kruse; Van — Halee Carter; West Rusk — Sarah Buckner, Tierney Reddic; Whitehouse — Kenslie Dews; White Oak — Whitney Simmons, Dorothy Swanson; Winnsboro — Mackenzie Swanner, Danielle Mabry, Hannah Pinnell, Bailey Swanner.