Postseason hoops honors rolling in for area players

The Georgia Athletic Coaches’ Association (GACA) recently announced its All-State basketball teams for the 2021-22 season and six local players, all from Region 6-AAA, were honored.

LaFayette senior Aidan Hadaway was selected as the Boys’ Class AAA North Player of the Year. The Ohio University signee averaged 28.4 points and 13.7 rebounds a game for the Ramblers this past season. He was also tabbed the Boys’ Player of the Year in 6-AAA.

A pair of LFO Warriors in juniors Jamichael Davis and Brent Bowman made first team Class AAA North All-State. Davis put up averages of 22.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.5 steals a game, while Bowman scored 18.8 points night to go with 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals a contest.

And on the girls’ side, Class AAA North All-State first team honors went to LFO junior Christina Collins, LFO freshman Christen Collins and Ringgold senior Rachel Lopez.

Christina Collins averaged 14.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.9 steals, while her younger sister poured in 17.6 points a game to go with 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 steals and 1.3 assists a night. Meanwhile, Lopez averaged 13.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals a night. Lopez and Christina Collins were named 6-AAA Co-Players of the Year.

In addition, LaFayette’s Hank Peppers and LFO’s Dewayne Watkins were named Region 6-AAA Coaches of the Year by the GACA and Region 6.

The highly-regarded Georgia high school basketball website, SandysSpiel.com, announced its postseason honors this past week and several players from our two-county area were recognized.

Hadaway was named the Best Scorer, the Best Rebounder and the overall Player of the Year in boys’ Class AAA, while he also was one of just five players named to the All-Georgia team representing all classifications in the state.

Hadaway also collected firstteam All-State honors in Class AAA, along with Davis, while Bowman, earned honorable mention status. LaFayette senior Junior Barber was named by the website as the Most Underrated Player in the classification.

In Class AAAA, Ridgeland sophomore Judd Anderson was named as the Best Rebounder.

Christen Collins was named Freshman of the Year for girls’ Class AAA. She was also named honorable mention All-State, while her older sister, Christina, was placed on the All-State second-team.

The Lady Warriors also earned the title of the Most Improved Girls’ Team in the classification. LFO rebounded from a 0-19 season to go 28-2 this time around, winning the Region 6-AAA title and advancing to the Elite Eight.