Left: Jacksonville’s Vito High blocks out against Bullard Jan. 28 at Wagstaff Gymnasium. High was voted Most Valuable Player in District 16-5A. Right: Winnsboro’s Faith Acker shoots a free throw against Fairfield in the Class 3A championship game on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Jacksonville’s Vitorian “Vito” High and Tyler’s Derrick McFall earned top honors on the All-District 16-5A basketball team, the league’s coaches announced.

Voting was by the district’s coaches.

High was named the Most Valuable Player of the district. He was instrumental in leading the Indians to a tie for the league championship with Lufkin and a 27-7 record.

The senior has signed to play for the Bossier Parish Community College Cavaliers of Region XIV.

McFall was named Newcomer of the Year. The sophomore, who is also a standout football player, helped the Lions earn a playoff berth.

The Lufkin duo of Elijah Johnson (Offensive Player of the Year) and Elijah Moody (Defensive Player of the Year) also earned superlative honors. The Panthers tied with Jacksonville for the district championship. Lufkin finished 35-5 on the season.

Tying for Coach/Coaching Staff of the Year were Jacksonville’s Mark Alexander and Lufkin’s J.T. McManus.

Tyler players on the first team were junior Ashad Walker and senior Bryson Hill.

Joining the Lions on the first team from Jacksonville were sophomores Karmelo Clayborne and Jermaine Taylor, and junior Devin McCuin.

Whitehouse junior DeCarlton Wilson earned first-team honors as well as Lufkin junior Brandon Walker and senior Christian Mumphrey.

Rounding out the first-team were Huntsville senior AJ Wilson and Nacogdoches senior Jahquay Sweat.

Second-teamers from the area included — Tyler: Shakavon “Tank” Brooks and Kyron Key; Whitehouse: Jaydon Brandon and Keller Smith; and Jacksonville: K’Mari Gipson and Koda Canady.

Earning Academic All-District from Tyler were Key, Brooks, Marquette Martin and McFall.

Jacksonville’s Academic All-District members were McCuin and Ryan McCown.

Whitehouse’s Max Clemons, Dylan Acker, Isaac Lacy and Smith made Academic All-District.

Lufkin represented the district as the No. 1 seed, earning three playoff wins over Texas High (62-47), Forney (59-41) and Sulphur Springs (42-32) before falling to Dallas Kimball (72-44) in the regional semifinals.

Jacksonville was the No. 2 seed, winning over Hallsville (60-52) in bi-district, before falling to Highland Park (55-54 in overtime) in area play.

Tyler was the No. 3 seed and the Lions fell to Mount Pleasant (50-41) in bi-district. Huntsville was fourth in the district and fell to Sulphur Springs (62-52) in bi-district.

This is the final season of this district alignment.

For the 2022-23 and 2023-2024 seasons, Tyler and Whitehouse will be in District 15-5A along with Hallsville, Longview, Pine Tree, Marshall, Mount Pleasant and Texas High.

Lufkin, Nacogdoches and Huntsville will be in District 16-5A with Dayton, Humble Kingwood Park and New Caney Porter.

Jacksonville will be in District 18-4A with Bullard, Hudson, Madisonville, Palestine and Rusk.

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All-District 16-5A Basketball

Most Valuable Player — Vitorian High, Jacksonville, senior

Offensive Player of the Year — Elijah Johnson, Lufkin, senior

Defensive Player of the Year — Elijah Moody, Lufkin, junior

Newcomer of the Year — Derrick McFall, Tyler, sophomore

Coach of Year — Mark Alexander, Jacksonville; J.T. McManus, Lufkin

First Team

Lufkin — Brandon Walker, junior; Christian Mumphery, senior

Tyler — Ashad Walker, junior; Bryson Hill, senior

Whitehouse — DeCarlton Wilson, junior

Huntsville — AJ Wilson, senior

Nacogdoches — Jahquay Sweat, senior

Jacksonville — Karmelo Clayborne, sophomore; Jermaine Taylor, sophomore; Devin McCuin, junior

Second Team

Lufkin — Isaiah Bennett, senior; O’Ryan Hart, junior; Tre Harris, junior

Tyler — Shakavon “Tank” Brooks, junior; Kyron Key, senior

Whitehouse — Jaydon Brandon, senior; Keller Smith, junior

Nacogdoches — Jaylon Brown, sophomore

Huntsville — Tre Taylor, senior

Jacksonville — K’Mari Gipson, sophomore; Koda Canady, junior

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Honorable Mention

Jacksonville — Jayden Boyd, Devarian Boyd

Tyler — Jabari Harris, Montrell Wade, Ahstin Watkins

Academic All-District

Jacksonville — Devin McCuin, Ryan McCown

Tyler — Kyron Key, Shakavon “Tank” Brooks, Marquette Martin, Derrick McFall

Whitehouse — Max Clemons, Dylan Acker, Isaac Lacy, Keller Smith

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