Franklin's Terry, Jackson Metro Stars -- Cleveland Boys Basketball Coach Reaps Rewards Of Rebuilding Effort
Stockpile talent. Cultivate talent. Take your lumps while athletes learn to play together. Be patient. Then enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Calvin Johnson, Cleveland High School boys basketball coach, follows that philosophy. Finally, after five years, he's assembled a team that rivals the 1990 squad he took to the Class AA state tournament.
The Eagles still need to win one of their next two games in the consolations of the Sea-King AA District tournament, but no one can refute the overhaul job Johnson has accomplished.
For his efforts revamping a team that finished 13th in the Metro League last season, Johnson was selected as The Seattle Times' Metro League boys coach of the year.
Cleveland (18-6) plays Blanchet (17-8) today at Seattle Pacific University's Brougham Pavilion for the district's fourth state berth.
The Eagles compiled a 10-4 Metro record and finished fifth in the league, an eight-game improvement over last season's 2-12 league finish.
Four senior starters returned for the Eagles, but the team wasn't complete until senior forward Travon Hubbard transferred from Franklin High School. Hubbard won a starting job and led the team in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game. He was selected to the third team All-Metro team.
Franklin senior guard Jason Terry, who led the Quakers to a AA state title last season, was chosen as Metro boys player of the year.
Before the season, Terry was in the middle of a brief recruiting battle between the University of Washington and Arizona. He orally committed to the UW, before changing his mind and accepting a basketball scholarship with the Wildcats.
The preseason distractions had little effect on Terry. He averaged 15.8 points and led Franklin to a 20-3 record and a return trip to the state tournament.
The Quakers play Metro League champion O'Dea (23-1) in the district finals Saturday at 3:45 p.m. at Edmundson Pavilion.
Terry is joined on the All-Mertro first team by teammate Tommy Mitchell, a senior forward. Other first-teamers are O'Dea center Jason Perry, Garfield forward Gabe Rapier and Ballard guard Michael Johnson, who led the league in scoring with a 24.4 average. Johnson, a 16-year-old sophomore, is the youngest member on the boys team.
There are no repeat first-team choices. Terry and Johnson were second-team selections last season.
Gerry Boston of Garfield, voted onto the first team last year by Metro coaches, was chosen for the second team this year.
Along with Johnson, Hale junior forward Tyrwone Still, a second-teamer, and Roosevelt junior Greg Anderson, a third-team choice, were the only underclassmen selected to All-Metro.
The team was selected by The Seattle Times after input from several Metro coaches.
----------------------------------- 1994-95 ALL-METRO LEAGUE BASKETBALL -----------------------------------
BOYSFIRST TEAM PLAYER SCHOOL HT. POS. YR. AVG. # . ------------------------------------------------------. Michael Johnson Ballard 6-4 G/F So. 24.4 . Tommy Mitchell Franklin 6-4 F Sr. 16.3 . Jason Perry O'Dea 6-6 C Sr. 16.2 . Gabe Rapier Garfield 6-5 F Sr. 17.1 . Jason Terry Franklin 6-1 G Sr. 15.8 .
SECOND TEAM Gerry Boston Garfield 6-0 G Sr. 15.2. Chris Johnson O'Dea 6-0 G Sr. 13.6. Jimmie Rainwater Chief Sealth 6-5 G/F Sr. 21.1. Andrei Shepankov Ballard 6-5 C Sr. 18.8. Tyrwone Still Hale 6-5 F Jr. 21.9.
THIRD TEAM Greg Anderson Roosevelt 6-3 G/F Jr. 19.2. Adrian Egger Eastside Catholic 6-1 G Sr. 18.6. Travon Hubbard Cleveland 6-3 F Sr. 18.1. DeShaun Stinson Rainier Beach 6-3 F Sr. 15.8. Brad Millard Blanchet 7-0 C Sr. 16.4.
# regular season. Best of the rest - Vladimir Akishin, Sr., Ballard; Jon Minter, Jr., Blanchet; Michael Johnson, Sr., Cleveland; Jesse Bond, Sr., Eastside Catholic; Francis Vela, Sr., Franklin; Alex Landeen, Jr., Garfield; Patrick Gonzalez, Sr., Hale; Mikael Moore, Jr., Ingraham; Mark Zubko, Sr., Lakeside; Allen Greene, Sr., O'Dea; Kenny Washington, Jr., Rainier Beach; Antonio Dennis, Sr., Roosevelt; Brandon Bede, Jr., Seattle Prep; Mike Jacobs, Sr., West Seattle. Player of the year - Jason Terry, Franklin. Coach of the year - Calvin Johnson, Cleveland
GIRLSFIRST TEAM PLAYER SCHOOL HT. POS. YR. AVG. # . -----------------------------------------------------------------. Regina Bresee Roosevelt 5-9 F Sr. 13.8. Takiyah Jackson Franklin 6-0 F/C Sr. 22.2. Fono Keni Chief Sealth 5-10 F Jr. 13.1. Sheila Lambert Chief Sealth 5-6 G Fr. 24.5. Monique Zampera Blanchet 5-7 G Jr. 15.2.
SECOND TEAM Melissa Gusaas Ballard 5-8 F Sr. 15.0. Enjoli Izidor Roosevelt 6-0 C Fr. 13.3. Rachel Martin Hale 5-9 F Sr. 13.7. Holly Millard Blanchet 6-0 C So. 10.6. Nadia Morgan Blanchet 6-1 F Fr. 14.8.
THIRD TEAM Joi Edwards Garfield 5-10 F Sr. 10.3. Meghan Gould Lakeside 5-2 G So. 10.0. Lilly Siatunuu Chief Sealth 5-6 G Jr. 11.7. Helen Keyser Seattle Prep 6-0 C Jr. 11.7. Shannon Curvey Holy Names 6-3 F So. 11.0.
# regular season. Best of the rest - Ashley Zardis, So., Ballard; Shannon Sifferman, Jr., Blanchet; Monica Ross, Cleveland; Dorothy Talamaivao, Jr., Chief Sealth; Allison Gurrad, Jr., Eastside Catholic; Sara Levin, So., Garfield; Felicia Daniels, Sr., Franklin; Allison Christy, Jr., Franklin; Leta LaVigne, Sr., Hale; Heather Allen, Fr., Holy Names; Anne Evans, So., Holy Names; Katie Toth, Sr., Ingraham; Faye Hutchison, Sr., Lakeside, Theresa Wagner, So., Lakeside; Celeste White, Jr., Rainier Beach; Meghan Comunale, Jr., Seattle Prep, Kristen Reetz, Sr., West Seattle. Player of the year - Takiyah Jackson, Franklin. Coach of the year - Terry Wilkinson, Blanchet.