03-18-18
BY JACK BULLOCK
MT. VERNON - When looking at the
contenders for the ABV “Player of the Year” and “Coach
of the Year” in both 1A and 2A is very difficult to pick
out a clear cut winner in each category.
You
could make a case for many players and coaches, with few arguments
against.
ABV
has had some “no brainers” and some that had to
take some serious thought and research.
The
verdict is sometimes tough to come up with, but this "jury
of one" made the choices.
For
a kid like Braden Webb at Goreville,
you could tell by watching him play that he wears his heart
on his sleeve.
This
5-foot-11 senior guard has been sporting that Black and Yellow
uniform in both basketball and baseball for four years as a
prep and has excelled on the diamond and the hardwood.
Although
he didn't have a great weekend at the 1A Final Four, due to
illness, it was clear throughout the 2017-18 season that his
Goreville club wasn't getting anywhere near Peoria without him
leading the way.
For
the season he finished with a 16.4 points per game average but
his postseason performance was the main reason they got to Carver
Arena.
He
netted a game-high 29-points in the Blackcats 67-60 regional
championship game victory over host Mounds Meridian.
Goreville
trailed Webber Township 26-9 in the sectional at Hardin County
before Webb and Company rallied.
Webb
netted 23-points in the win and defensively he came up with
a couple of key steals that turned into late baskets that made
the difference as Goreville won their first ever boy's sectional
game, 58-50.
He
was the catalyst in the Blackcats 48-44 sectional championship
win over rival Sesser-Valier.
Webb
scored 13-points and he helped lead the Blackcats' defensive
effort in the victory.
In
the 74-60 1A supersectional triumph over Moweaqua Central A&M,
Webb scored 14-points and snagged 11-rebounds to send Goreville
to the final four.
Webb
is now the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,104 total
points.
He
also has the school mark for most 3-pointers made with 232 and
the single season record with 68 in 2017-18.
He
was named Black Diamond Conference West Division Most Valuable
Player as both a junior and a senior while also being all-league
as a sophomore.
Webb
was honorable mention AP All-State last winter while being choosen
third team IBCA all-state.
He was first team in both in 2017-18.
Webb
was all-tournament in all three of the Blackcats regular season
tournament's this season; the Goreville
Invitational, Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament and the Massac
County Superman Classic.
He
has been a starter on two Goreville baseball squads that have
finished first and third the past two seasons in Class 1A.
For
Goreville head coach Todd
Tripp the 2017-18 brought about changes in defensive attitude
which made the world of difference in his team reaching the Final
Four.
During
their fourth place run to the state finals, the Pinckneyville
Panthers relied on a couple of seniors that put together nearly
identical stats with each being important to the team reaching
the Final Four.
As
far as the 2A “Coach of the Year” award, there were
many deserving candidates.
