Soquel’s Walters repeats as MVP
PCS’s Douyon gets top honor in B Division
Soquel High senior guard/forward Max Walters repeated as MVP of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League’s A Division during the COVID-19 shortened season.
Walters, headed to NCAA Division II Chico State next season, averaged 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists. He shared the honor with Aptos guard Jojoe Moreno in 2020.
“I think the special thing about Max is he makes everyone better,” Knights coach Stu Walters said. “He can do a little bit of everything. I thought he was a great rebounder for a guard. He has great vision and he’s a great passer. I think anyone who understands the games knows how valuable he is.”
The Knights finished 13-7 after electing not to compete in the Central Coast Section Division playoffs.
Santa Cruz head coach Lawan Milhouse was named coach of the year.
The Cardinals (19-1 overall), who won the SCCAL regular-season and tournament titles before advancing to the CCS Division III final, dominated the first team with four of the six players.
Two of the Cardinals players honored were the only underclassmen on the first team: sophomore power forward Aden Cury and sophomore small forward Kosi Warren-House. Joining them were a pair of senior teammates, forward/center Jack Busenhart and guard/forward Riley Van Wickle.
Busenhart, 17, will play next season at Southern California Academy.
Aptos’ Moreno and Scotts Valley senior point guard Daniel Sullivan rounded out the first team.
The second team was filled out by five seniors: Santa Cruz center Alan Chen, Soqu el centerKe one Sayers, Aptos forward Anwar Ayyad, Scotts Valley guard/forward Jack Fletcher, and Monte Vista Christian guard Teddy Moore.
B Division
Pacific Collegiate School junior Malachi Douyon, a 6-foot-3 point guard, was named MVP of the SCCAL’ sB Division. He averaged 29 points and 11 rebounds in helping the Pumas (9-1) win the regularseason title.
The Pumas lost in the B Division Tournament championship to San Lorenzo Valley (13-3), allowing the Cougars to advance to the CCS playoffs. Douyon had 36 points and nine rebounds in the loss.
“He’s a good all-around
player, the real deal,” Pumas coach Duane Garner said.
“And the surprise is he keeps getting better. He can shoot the 3-pointer, is good at ball-handling, has picked up a jump shot. He’s learning to play at a higher level and that’s a credit to him playing AAU.
“The big question is, ‘What is his ceiling going
to be?’ now that he has a jump shot, and with his left and right hand, he’s going to the basket. He’s dunking now.”
SLV’s Russell Gross was named coach of the year.
PCS senior Joe Peters, SLV freshman Kai Groleau, Kirby senior Anton Orme, Watsonville sophomore guard Karlos Corpus and Harbor senior Zach Trebbien rounded
out the first team.
Pajaro Valley junior guard/forward Josiah Silva, Watsonville senior small forward Donovan Mendoza, PCS junior Weston Ow, SLV junior guard Asher Dolinger, and Harbor’s Kiernan Mckelvey-Clark were named to the second team.