PHIL HICKS, phicks@tylerpaper.com
Eden Ewing and Kwinton Hinson, two high-flying key players in Tyler Junior College’s bounce-back season, were named All-Region XIV, the league’s basketball coaches announced.
Other All-Region XIV players were Trinity Valley Community College’s Hyron Edwards, Kilgore College’s Ndene Gueye, Panola College’s Tope Arikawe, San Jacinto College’s Corey Davis and Jorden Duffy, Lee College’s Tony Farmer, Lamar State-Port Arthur’s John Comeaux and Angelina College’s Isaiah Bailey.
Ewing, Edwards, Davis and Duffy were the four All-America nominees from Region XIV, which encompasses the eastern portion of Texas and the western part of Louisiana. The territory is from Paris Junior College to the north, Navarro College of Corsicana to the west, Bossier Parish Community College of Bossier City, Louisiana, to the east and Coastal Bend College of Beeville to the south.
San Jacinto College coach Scott R. Gernander was voted Coach of the Year.
The first-team All-North Zone were Ewing, Hinson, Edwards, Gueye and Arikawe. The first-team All-South Zone were Davis, Duffy, Farmer, Comeaux and Bailey.
Ewing, a 6-8 sophomore forward from Houston, averaged 13.1 points per game and 6.9 rebounds in helping TJC to a 24-5 record and a share of first place in the Region XIV North Zone. He has signed with Purdue University.
Ewing, whose uncle Daniel Ewing played at Duke, originally committed to Nevada out of Fort Bend Bush High School in Richmond before deciding to enroll at TJC.
Hinson is a 6-4 sophomore guard from Fairmont, North Carolina. He averaged 14.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Apaches. Before coming to TJC, he finished his high school career at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas.
Hinson signed with Washington State after receiving offers from Missouri and Virginia Military.
Edwards, a point guard, has committed to Texas Tech, while Gueye has signed with St. Bonaventure.
TJC’s Jaqwan McCauley earned second-team All-North Zone. He was joined by TVCC’s Amaad Wainright and Andres Ibarguen, Bossier Parish’s Jerry Perry and Panola’s Devyn Wilson.
McCauley, a 6-6 wing from Greensboro, North Carolina, averaged 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists for the Apaches. The sophomore has signed with Morehead State.
Second-team All-South Zone were Jacksonville College’s Ben Nakwaasah, Lamar State-Port Arthur’s Petar Radojicic, Coastal Bend’s Willie Rooks, San Jacinto’s Tay Hardy and Angelina’s Gary Blackston.
TJC’s Brian Warren, a 5-11 freshman guard from Indianapolis, earned honorable mention on the North Zone team.
Other honorable mentions from the North were: Paris - Abrian Edwards, Devin Jackson; Panola - Marlon Taylor, Eric McGill, KJ Byers; Bossier Parish - Lasani Johnson, Emmanuel Ejeh, Brandon Johnson; and Navarro - Eric McCollum, Saint Hilaire.
Jacksonville College’s Quinton Gillette and Jarrett Henderson were honorable mention on the South Zone.
Other South Zone honorable mentions were: Lee - LaDarrius Chester, Andre Edwards, Kajon Brown, Andre Pierce; Blinn - James Harrison, LaKendric Hyson, Tyler Barlow, Juwan Green; Angelina - Corinthian Ramsey, Robert Lewis; Coastal Bend - Dylon Maggio, Taywyn Mason Jr.; and San Jacinto - James Kirksey, Kabir Mohammed.
San Jac and Panola represented the league at the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Davis earned all-tournament in Hutchinson.
San Jacinto, after receiving a bye, defeated Connor’s State (Oklahoma), 115-77, in the second round before falling to Northwest Florida State, 98-82, in the quarterfinals.
Panola won over Shelton State (Alabama), 77-65, in the first round before bowing to South Plains from Levelland, Texas, 88-84.
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