EH31 2,523 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Little caps big year with award By LARRY HYPES Bluefield Daily Telegraph GREEN VALLEY  Fittingly, the 2006 Pocahontas Coal Association / Bluefield Daily Telegraph Boy’s Basketball Player of the Year comes from the coalfield capital itself  Pocahontas. Mark Little, the 6-foot-2 senior who fired in record numbers of black diamond bullets for the Indians, earned the honor in the fifth season the award has been presented. Little set a Poca school record with 1,517 career points in slightly more than two full seasons of varsity play. His average for season past was 33.1 per game for coach Scott Louthan’s Indians. Dexter Moore, the 2005 winner, was again a finalist after playing a pivotal role in helping the Bluefield Beavers advance to the West Virginia Class AA championship game. Moore averaged 20 points per game, 3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2 steals, hit 98-of-118 free throws, earned state all-tournament team honors, and will likely be on the all-state team. Mercer Christian’s Matthew Parker, hailed as one of MCA’s “Super Six†scored at a 23-points-per-game clip for the Cavaliers and added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and three steals per contest. His field goal percentage was 53 percent, and three-point percentage an impressive 43 percent. Parker helped the Cavs to the state Class A tournament for the fourth year in a row. Shane Roark of PikeView, Princeton’s Michael Winfrey, Jeremiah Lester of Twin Valley, Montcalm’s Adam Havens, Theo Justus from Grundy, Mount View’s James Edwards, and Tremayne Matthews of Bluefield were the other weekly winners. PCA President and Master of Ceremonies Rick Taylor praised players, parents, coaches, and fans for combining to make the student / athletes successful and noted the selection process this year was extremely difficult because of so many outstanding efforts. Little was the only two-time winner and he helped Pocahontas to nine victories and one of the best seasons for the Tribe in a decade. Taylor noted that some weeks, like week 6 when Little scored 142 points, were almost like a season for many players. “I thank the Coal Association, the Daily Telegraph, my coach, and my family, and I hope my teammates will keep our success going at Pocahontas,†said Little, who indicated he has been contacted by several schools including UVA–Wise, but has not yet decided where he will play college ball. “Mark made us competitive, and we had not really come close to being competitive in the Mountain Empire District for a few years,†said Louthan. “He made his teammates better but the game that stands out to me was the one with Galax when he was 16-of-20 from the floor, had 44 points, and we almost won. That was special for us to come that close.†Little scored 762 points in 22 games this past season, had 231 rebounds, 132 assists, and 141 assists. He was Mountain Empire District Player of the Year and All Region-C. He lives with his grandmother, Evelyn Little. “The game I remember most is the Big Creek game when we won 101-100 in overtime, and I scored at the end of the game for us to win it,†grinned Little. He also set a school record with 54 points in the historic contest. Brown's performance delivers top award GREEN VALLEY  Sierra Brown refused to settle for second best. On Tuesday night, she was selected as the best. Brown, a two-time All-Class AA performer from Summers County, was selected Tuesday night as the Pocahontas Coal Association / Bluefield Daily Telegraph girls player of the year during the annual banquet held at the Princeton Elks Club. Brown was one of five finalists for the top award, along with Bland County’s Tonya Wright, James Monroe’s Sara Tuggle, Montcalm’s Eva Grose and Tazewell’s Allison Hunter. “I was kind of surprised, but I was really excited,†Brown said. “It’s a great award to get.†“I thought all those nominees were great ...,†Summers County head coach Wayne Ryan said. “I was very pleased for her because I do feel she is very deserving. She’s had a great year. “The other kids up there as nominees were great. I’m happy for Sierra and our program both.†Brown had a stellar senior campaign, leading the Bobcats to the Class AA state championship game where they fell short against Winfield. “She was our go-to player and she had a lot of big moments,†Ryan said. “She got us into the championship game and we were within eight minutes of having that title and it just didn’t fall our way, but she certainly did a great job for us.†Brown earned All-Class AA recognition for a second straight season, averaging 22 points and eight rebounds per game. A McDonald’s All-America nominee, Brown also collected two blocks and two steals a contest, and led the Bobcats to a 23-3 record and nearly earned the state title. “It was a great year, we accomplished a lot, not what we expected out of ourselves, but everyone played hard,†Brown said. “Everybody on the team played well; through the whole year we had lots of great players. “For a couple of weeks, in that first week I was really grieving and I was really upset, but then I realized that runner-up was not so bad. “But it’s not as good as being a state champion.†Even Brown is surprised at her achievements. A future performer at Concord  along with Tuggle  Brown saw very little varsity action as a sophomore. I’ve definitely been surprised, going from the JV my ninth and 10th grade years to this,†Brown said. “It’s really great. I never would have expected it in a million years. I’m very grateful.†What Brown did after her sophomore campaign was go to work. And it paid off. “She is a true example of a young lady that decided she wanted something and she was going to be committed,†Ryan said. “She was going to do everything in her power to get it and I have great respect for her for her work ethic.†Brown, whose sister Jolysa is also a fine player for the Bobcats, hopes that her hard work will show other girls what they can achieve. “I definitely hope that my teammates can see what I did and I hope I can be a role model for them,†Brown said. “I’ve talked to a lot of girls on the team and they’re ready to go, ready to work out, and ready to get to work already so you’re going to see a better team next year.†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Did this mark little play against any quality opponents? If so did his team beat them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Dexter Moore should have been the BDT player of the year b/c he's flat-out the best player in the area covered by the BDT. However, the people that voted on the award obviously got a hard-on b/c Little scored a lot of points. I'm not knocking Little at all, but had Dexter taken as many shots he could have scored as many, and most likely, more points, especially against the competition level Little faced. Nonetheless, congrats to Little as he put up some lofty numbers. I'm sure Dexter will be fine and most definitely be the run away winner of the award next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narz_Wave 10 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Lit up just about everyone from the MED.....but, in the end, I believe Pocahontas ended up finishing either last or next to last in the standings. Just goes to show you that one player doesn't make a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Obviously he shouldnt get player of the year if his team finished dead last in standings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,523 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 No offense to dexter, but i guarentee you that mark is just as good or better than him. In mark's worst game of the year against graham, he scored 21 when they had brown and carper on him the whole game. Think what ya want though, mark's field goal percentage was around 60 percent on the year...he took alot of shots, but he made alot of those shots. It's not his fault that we don't have the atheletes to help the team as Bluefield does to help him win games, and Rules you have never seen him play so you have nothing to talk about. And what does finishing last in the district have to do with winning the BDT player of the year? The award was an individual one, not a team award, so why does it matter if Pocy didn't go to the state or whatever. Why can't people be happy for someone else instead of thinking their School's player should win everytime. He was rewarded for the incredible season he had, 33 point average and over 10 rebounds 5 assists and 4 steals. How long has it been since someone around here has put up those kinds of numbers? You know the old saying "give credit where credit is due" ? Some people need to learn that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 who did they play?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,523 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 http://tazewell.k12.va.us/schools/phs/boysbasketball.html but last time i checked in the entire high school Pocahontas barely had 100 students... if that much, so every school that we played had a bigger enrollment that us. We played schools that were around our size so we could be competitive, that's not Mark's fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldskool 10 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 HOnestly guys, I've seen them both play and actually played with both of them and Little is just as good if not better than Moore. Little could have played and started for any team in the area. He didn't transfer because he grew up there and wanted to play for Pocahontas. He is a very skilled player though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Again I repeat, Moore is flat-out the best player in the area covered by the BDT. Little played nowhere near the competition level Moore played against. Little had to shoot the ball and a score a lot for his team to have any chance. Little was his team, Moore was a part of a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hokies4Ever 23 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Well i'll agree that Moore is good but come on your not giving any respect to Twin Valley. Anyone of there five starters could have won that award. Its just to bad they were on the same team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porchy 10 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 I'll agree with that!! Lester was even Va. Player of the Year... just goes to prove.. how political these things are.. Pocy hasnt had much go their way in awhile.. so its good that they have a player recogonize in that manner.. The Bristol paper named Mark Dockery from Twin Springs Player of the Year.. so i guess we got alot of players of the year!! Congrads to all of them and to all their team mates that helped them get those awards!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 "Anyone of there five starters could have won that award. Its just to bad they were on the same team." and they finished last or next to last in placings for there region? Thats sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundy10 10 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] "Anyone of there five starters could have won that award. Its just to bad they were on the same team." and they finished last or next to last in placings for there region? Thats sad [/ QUOTE ] Twin Valley made it to the Single A state championship game, won Region D, and won the Black Diamond District... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hokies4Ever 23 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 Twin Valley won the BDD and Region D and was the state runner up. Thats very far from finishing last. And i know Bluefield has some great athletes but i'd put Twin Valley up against them anyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyblue 10 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 No disrespect to Little... But, did he make All State??? I really cant comment on Little or Moore. I didnt see them play. But, I did see alot of players in SWVA that were very worthy of this award... So... again congrads to all.. To the Beavers and the TV Panthers for their great seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,523 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 he made honorable mention all state coaches and once again rules...if you have never seen Mark play how do you Dexter is beter than him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Because Dexter has made a name for himself playing against much better competition, especially during the spring and summer AAU circuit. He played with the East Coast Scholars last spring and made such an impression he earned 3-star status from Scout.com. Scout doesn't just hand out stars, a kid has to earn them. He played in a number of tournaments against other upper level players on the East Coast after that with the Bluefield Blazers and earned 1st team all-tournament selection in every tournament he competed in. He's getting looks from a number of D1 schools including Penn State, VT, Marshall, Western Michigan, Ohio U., and Kent State just to name a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,523 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 It's not Mark's fault that Pocahontas doesn't play a W.V. AA schedule. I'm not going to argue this on and on, but you give all these reasons why Dexter is better, but he has alot more oppertunities(sp) than Mark does. If you would see him play, you would know what I mean, but you haven't so I guess I'll just leave it at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaverbaseball 10 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Dexter is a 3-Star recruit...When u come up with something about Little being recruited by D-1..Then u can talk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] but you give all these reasons why Dexter is better [/ QUOTE ] Yes, I have because you asked for them. I've yet to see you come up with a reason why Little is better than Dexter other than you obviously know him personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,523 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 Mark plays for Pocahontas guys.... noone cares about Pocahontas, thats why he's not being recruited big time from anyone. All I'm saying is talent wise Mark is just as good or better than Dexter, if you would see him play then you would know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 If he had the talent he would be recruited reguardless of where he plays.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaverbaseball 10 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] If he had the talent he would be recruited reguardless of where he plays.. [/ QUOTE ] VERY TRUE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,523 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] If he had the talent he would be recruited reguardless of where he plays.. [/ QUOTE ] VERY TRUE [/ QUOTE ]Not True at all..... you think a division 1 school is going to search all over for a school that hasn't won more than 1 game in a season in the past 5 years to find the next great player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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