Nobody asked me but...the second annual girls basketball NAMB Awards are front and center. As with the boys, NAMBY's only go to those high school players or coaches that I personally saw perform.
* Offensive Player of the Year - Senior Kaci Menz of the Delta Lady Bobcats. Menz led her squad to a perfect 26-0 regular season and a district title. Delta was upset by Scott County Central in the sectionals of Class 1.
Menz, a 5-foot-7 guard, averaged 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals per game for Delta.
2. Kristain Burger, Notre Dame, Sr. The 5-11 forward for the Lady Bulldogs has more post moves than Kevin McHale. Burger averaged close to 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Class 4, District 1 champs.
3. Hailee Deckard, Naylor, Jr. Deckard did it all for the Lady Eagles. At 5-10, Deckard brought the ball up the floor and dominated in the paint. Deckard averaged around 23 points and 11 rebounds per game.
* Defensive Player of the Year - Junior Sarah Ruff from the Kelly Lady Hawks. Ruff averaged over four steals per game for a Kelly team that reached the quarterfinals in Class 3, before falling to eventual state champion, Metro. In fact, throughout the entire playoffs, Kelly gave Metro its toughest game.
2. Brittney Peet, Scott Central, Sr.
3. Katelyn Heil, Dexter, So.
* The NAMB starting five...
Kaci Menz - Delta
Kristain Burger - Notre Dame
Hailee Deckard - Naylor Sarah Woodgeard - Greenville
Morgan Davis - Doniphan
Second team...
Hannah Rone - Portageville
Amanda Dooley - Dexter
Leola Hubbard - Caruthersville
Meridith Medlin - Notre Dame
Brittney Peet - Scott Central
* Coach of the Year - Semona Penrod from Scott Central.
Scott Central lost to Walnut Grove 41-38 in overtime in the quarterfinals. Walnut Grove went on to win first place in Class 1. Walnut Grove won their semifinal and final games by an average margin of 25 points.
2. Rod McQuerter - Kelly
3. Jerry Grim - Notre Dame
* Some other individual awards and recognitions.
Best shooter - Morgan Davis, Doniphan
Best passer - Jaysa Blackwell, Doniphan
Best rebounder - Latoya Gipson, Sikeston
Best senior - Kaci Menz, Delta
Best junior - Hailee Deckard, Naylor
Best sophomore - Katelyn Heil, Dexter
Best freshman - Shameika Williams, New Madrid County Central
Game of the Year - March 7 in a Class 3 sectional game at Poplar Bluff High School. Kelly defeated Doniphan 49-46.
Best crowd support - Kelly
And finally, nobody asked me but...congratulations to Michael Porter and Julian Beard of the Sikeston basketball team for making their second consecutive Class 4 all-state team. Beard showed tremendous desire playing through an injured foot for much of the year.
Porter has the opportunity to pull a James T. Kirk, go where no man has gone before, by making an all-state team -- first team no less -- all four years of high school. Don't count him out, Porter has a great work ethic and the smart money is for him to accomplish this rare feat.