Pictured are, from left, front row, Ken Scott, Zay Heidelberg, Thomas Grayson, Stetson Moore and Dalton Sandeford; middle row, Stone Fielder, Chayton York, TJ Ben, Bobby Anderson and Harvest Brunson; back row, Jay Malone and Sayveon Bumpers. Not pictured are LeDarrius Brewer, Bailey McDill, Gus Nave and Matt Dale. 

The 2016-17 basketball season saw 14 area teams receive berths in the postseason, with several getting to at least the third round and three making it all the way to a state championship game.

These teams were led by many standout performers, and a handful of those standouts were named to the 2017 Premier Preps boys basketball teams. 

Premier Preps is The Meridian Star’s all area sports teams. Through the different seasons, coaches nominate players from their teams, and the Star’s sports staff selects from the pool of nominees which players will make the squads. In basketball, due to the number of nominees and the level of competition, smaller schools and larger schools were divided into two separate categories.

In the small schools division, Kemper County’s Matt Dale and Gus Nave — who also made the Premier Preps football team in December — were two major pieces for the Wildcats as they made it to the quarterfinal round of the Class 3A postseason. Dale was the The Star’s 2016 player of the year, and Nave made the team for the second year in a row.

At Newton County Academy, senior power forward Bailey McDill averaged a double-double to help the Generals to a postseason berth, and Kemper Academy’s Dalton Sanderford was selected to the squad after scoring 19 points and averaging 12 rebounds per contest to help the Rams make it to the MAIS Class A title game.

Clarkdale’s Ken Scott scored 454 points last season, good for 18 points per contest, and also hauled in 111 rebounds per game, serving as a dynamic force for the Bulldogs. Philadelphia’s Stetson Moore used his impressive height and strength to average 20 points and eight rebounds per game for the Tornadoes.

Southeast Lauderdale senior Thomas Grayson was a big part of the Tigers making it to Jackson in the postseason for the first time in almost 30 years, scoring 14 points and hauling in nine rebounds per contest while adding in three assists and one steal per game.

Sometimes, it takes a talent like Russell Christian’s Zay Heidelberg to help turn a team around. A year prior to Heidelberg’s arrival at RCA, the Warriors won just one game. They won more than 20 each of Heidelberg’s two years, culminating in his 30 points per game this past season to help RCA reach the AISA Final Four.

In the big school division, Neshoba Central landed three players on the Premier Preps squad that helped the Rockets advance all the way to the MHSAA Class 5A state title game. TJ Ben, Bobby Anderson and Chayton York averaged 19, 16 and 14 points per game, respectively, for the Rockets.

Meridian’s LeDarrius Brewer and Jay Malone have been fixtures in the Wildcats’ starting lineup for several seasons, and both made the team for the second year in a row. Together, they helped guide a Wildcat team that ranked No. 1 in the state by the end of the season and brought home the MHSAA Class 6A state championship.

Sayveon Bumpers out of Quitman earned a spot on the team by pacing the Panthers with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals per contest. He was named to the North-South All-Star game and was also selected as Region 5-4A’s Most Valuable Player. 

A pair of Lauderdale County athletes rounded out the team, as Northeast Lauderdale’s Harvest Brunson and West Lauderdale’s Stone Fielder were both selected as two of our area’s Premier Preps. Brunson’s 15 points per game was a major reason Northeast Lauderdale made it all the way to the third round of Class 4A postseason. Fielder’s 16 points per game led his team, earning him a spot on the All-Region 5-4A squad.

SMALL SCHOOLS

Bailey McDill

Senior

Forward

Newton County Academy

Why he’s here: McDill’s 13 points per game and 11 rebounds per game paced Newton County Academy. McDill, an All-District selection, shot 70 percent from the free-throw line as a senior, while averaging two steals per game.

 

Stetson Moore

Junior

Forward

Philadelphia 

Why he’s here: Moore scored 20 points per game while adding eight board per contest. The 6-foot-4 junior landed on the postseason All-Region team.

Dalton Sanderford

Senior

Guard

Kemper Academy

Why he’s here: Sanderford played an integral role in helping the Rams reach their first state championship game. Sanderford averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, four steals and one block per game. The Kemper Academy five-tool player earned MAIS District 2 MVP honors, was named North Region Tournament MVP, was listed on the All-State Tournament team and was an MAIS All-Star selection.

 

Ken Scott

Senior

Guard

Clarkdale

Why he’s here: Scott led the Bulldogs in scoring behind 18 points per game to go along with 11 rebounds per game. Scott, who was an All-Region selection and landed on the All-District Tournament team, scored 454 points last season. He’s signed to play collegiate baseball at East Central Community College.

 

Matt Dale

Senior 

Center

Kemper County 

Why he’s here: Kemper County’s big man averaged a double-double as a senior after scoring 18 points per game and pulling down 15 rebounds per game. The two-sport star was named to the All-District team. Dale is committed to play football next season at Hinds Community College.

 

Gus Nave

Senior

Point Guard

Kemper County 

Why he’s here: Nave averaged 14 points, six assists and four rebounds per game to help Kemper County reach the Class 3A quarterfinals. Nave, who will play football at South Alabama next year, was an All-District selection. 

 

Thomas Grayson

Senior

Forward

Southeast Lauderdale 

Why he’s here: Grayson helped lead the Tigers to Jackson for the first time in 27 years behind 14 points and nine rebounds per game. Grayson also tallied three assists and one steal per contest. He has committed to play collegiately at Meridian Community College. 

 

Zay Heidelberg

Senior

Guard

Russell Christian Academy

Why he’s here: Heidelberg scored an eye-popping 30 points per game last season for the Warriors to help Russell Christian Academy reach the AISA Final Four. The electric guard also averaged six rebounds, 4.3 assists and four steals per game. Heidelberg was named the 2017 AISA All-Star Game MVP after leading all scorers with 19 points. He was also a finalist for the AISA player of the year award. 

LARGE SCHOOLS

 

TJ Ben

Senior

Guard

Neshoba Central

Why he’s here: Ben played an instrumental role in helping lead the Rockets to the MHSAA Class 5A state championship game, tallying 19 points and eight rebounds per contest for Neshoba Central. He was named to the All-Region tournament team and the All-Region team. Ben is undecided between several junior colleges, including East Central Community College and East Mississippi Community College.

 

Chayton York

Senior

Guard

Neshoba Central

Why he’s here: York rain point for Neshoba Central to help the Rockets to a berth in the MHSAA Class 5A championship game. He finished the season averaging 14 points and five rebounds per contest, and was named to the All-Region, All-Regional tournament and All-State tournament teams. He’s signed to play basketball at Itawamba Community College.

 

Bobby Anderson

Senior

Forward

Neshoba Central

Why he’s here: Anderson was a force at forward for the Rockets as he helped guide them to a berth in the MHSAA Class 5A state championship game. The senior finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds per game while make the All-Region and All-Regional tournament team. He currently has an offer to play at East Central Community College.

 

Jay Malone

Senior

Guard

Meridian

Why he’s here: Malone ran point for the Wildcats and played a big role in Meridian’s memorable MHSAA Class 6A state championship season. Malone averaged 12 points per game, six assists per game and five steals per contest. The senior was named to the All-Region 5-6A team and earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Class 6A title game. Malone is currently undecided on where he will play college ball.

 

LeDarrius Brewer

Senior

Forward

Meridian

Why he’s here: Brewer led the Wildcats in scoring this past season with 17 points per game and also hauled in seven rebounds per game, helping guide Meridian to a 30-2 record and an MHSAA Class 6A state championship. An All-Region 5-6A and Mississippi/Alabama All-Star selection, Brewer is considering Mississippi State and Tennessee Tech for college.

  

Sayveon Bumpers

Junior

Guard/forward

Quitman 

Why he’s here: Bumpers was a dynamic player for the Panthers this season, averaging 20 points per game, eight rebounds per game, four assists per game and three steals per contest. He was named Region 5-4A’s Most Valuable Player and was selected to the North-South All-Star game.

 

Harvest Brunson

Senior

Guard

Northeast Lauderdale

Why he’s here: A strong scoring threat for the Trojans, Brunson led his team in scoring with 15 points per game in a season where Northeast Lauderdale made it to the third round of the Class 4A playoffs. Brunson was also named Region 5-4A’s Best Offensive Player and made first-team All-Region, as well.

 

Stone Fielder

Junior

Guard/forward

West Lauderdale 

Why he’s here: Fielder led the Knights in scoring this past season, averaging 16 points per game to help lead West Lauderdale to a playoff berth. The junior also tallied five rebounds and three assists per game and was selected to the All-Region team.