We have another round of awards to hand out — this time to our Middle School basketball friends in Terrebonne Parish.
The season was loaded with memorable moments and standouts who made their mark on the 2023-2024 seasons.
Below are our list of award recipients for the season.
Congratulations to all on an amazing year.
Girls’ Energizer Bunny Award – Given to the Player who made her team go with relentless energy
Winner: Courtlyn Ward, Houma Jr. High
The Houma Jr. High Middle School basketball teams were an absolute juggernaut this winter, winning both parish championships. We open up our awards by giving this one to Courtlyn Ward, an energetic player who was a force for her team this fall, scoring 142 points for her team and leading with effort and energy for a team that rolled through the year unbeaten.
Boys’ Energizer Bunny Award
Winner: Cullen Verdin, Vandebilt Catholic
The Terriers had a solid middle school season and Cullen Verdin made strides to show that he could be the next big, bright piece in the Terriers’ future. Working the post, Verdin was a mismatch for opponents this season, scoring his share of points and also working down low on the glass to help his team have a solid season.
Girls’ Floor General Award – Given to the guard who was a selfless team leader
Winner: Claire Klingman, Vandebilt Catholic
The Terriers have a good one in Claire Klingman. She plays with a motor and gives relentless effort for her team. Expectations are high at Vandebilt Catholic with the girls’ basketball program — an annual winner. But Klingman will surely be a big piece of the team’s varsity efforts as she grows into her young career. We also shoutout Jazmyn Brown and Ja’Nyriell Calloway on solid seasons for the Terriers, as well.
Boys’ Floor General Award
Winner: Jayden Calloway, Houma Jr. High
Calloway was the head of the snake on a parish championship team. He was a scoring guard who also was proficient at getting his teammates involved when he needed to. A streaky scorer, Calloway provided HJH with the championship spark game-in and game-out.
Girls’ Rising Star Award (Given to player who excelled, but who we believe will blossom into a star)
Winner: Londyn White, Houma Jr. High
Londyn White is going to be an absolute baller. Heck, she already is one now. It’s in the genes. She is the daughter of former multi-sport standout Sierra Lyons. Londyn possesses a strong, athletic frame and eats up the glass and owns the paint for Houma Jr. High. As she continues to grow and becomes more coordinated within her frame, look out. We’re going to be looking at an absolutely dominant post player, a dominant volleyball player and a young lady who I’m sure will be more than proficient in track, as well. Sound familiar? It’s in the genes.
Boys’ Rising Star
Winner: Donte Brown and Taliq Nells, Evergreen
On the Lafourche side, we had 2 players share one award. Heck, we figured we would run that back again with Terrebonne because we think both of these players are going to have bright futures at the next level. Brown is a traditional post player who would have averaged a double-double if the games in middle school were 32 minutes. He has good footwork, soft touch and an active motor. Nells is a versatile player who was a leading defender and also a shot-maker for Evergreen. Both players were huge pieces to their teams and both will be impact players early in their careers at the prep level.
Girls’ Heart and Hustle Award – Given to player who impressed us with unwillingness to quit
Winner: Mylashia Mouton, Oaklawn
Look, it was not a great girls’ basketball season for Oaklawn this past winter. But their core group of girls stuck together and finished the season and that’s only going to make the team better in the future. Mylashia Mouton was one of the big pieces who kept pushing throughout the year, and we wanted to recognize her for continuing to fight and play hard throughout the season.
Boys’ Heart and Hustle Award
Winner: Zamon Holmes, Evergreen
This kid is something special to watch. Zamon Holmes is not the biggest, nor fastest player on the floor. But as his coach explained to us, he has the heart of a lion and plays with unrelenting effort. A team of 12 Zamon Holmes’ would be a nightmare to face. He is smaller than most of his opponents, but is an absolute warrior. We could have given any number of these awards to him — energizer bunny, floor general, etc., but the Heart and Hustle Award was made for a kid like this.
Girls’ Sharp Scorer Award – Given to player who was a walking bucket this season
Winner: Kennedy Mahoney, Houma Jr. High
Houma Jr. High pushed through parish play unbeaten and Mahoney was the leading scorer on that team, consistently pouring in buckets to help the team win. Admittedly, her numbers are even a little flawed because had the team been in closer games, she’d have played more and gotten more points. But she was a bucket and a huge piece to the team that took the parish title.
Boys’ Sharp Scorer Award
Winner: Ziggy White, Oaklawn
Ziggy White is a monster for Oaklawn and he’s going to be one heck of a player going forward in his eventual prep career. He led the Tarpons in scoring with 313 points on the season and he was a force in the paint, blocking a team-high 61 shots. White was a bucket and was routinely the team’s leading scorer for a team that had a quality season.
Girls’ Coach of the Year
Winner: Nate Myers, Evergreen
Nate Myers had one heck of a season as the Interim coach of the Evergreen Eagles. Taking over the team just before the start of the season, Myers led the Eagles to a 17-4 mark on the season with a parish runner-up campaign. That is amazing work for Coach Myers, who is a quality coach and a really strong advocate for youth sports in our area. Way to go, Coach!
Boys’ Coach of the Year
Winner: Stuart Vitter, Houma Jr. High
It was a Parish Championship-winning season for Coach Vitter and his team and the coach deserves a lot of credit. It’s undeniable that Houma Jr. High had amazing talent. Heck, they have more awards coming their way still. But to get the kids to buy-in and play together is not always easy — especially in basketball, and Coach Vitter and his guys were always pulling in the same direction. Great season, coach!
Girls’ Most Valuable Player
Winner: Zion Cook, Evergreen
Zion Cook is a special player. An undersized point guard, she averaged 14 points per game for Evergreen, helping lead the team to the parish runner-up spot. When naming an MVP, we always look at that word ‘valuable.’ Without Zion, there is no way that Evergreen has a 17-4 season. They might not have even had a winning season at all. Her ability to penetrate, get to the lane, draw fouls, make shots and play quality perimeter defense was crucial to the team and makes her a step above the rest in a loaded field of candidates.
Boys’ Most Valuable Player
Winner: A’Khiree Parker, Houma Jr. High
It’s not often that you see a player with the talent and skill of a A’khiree Parker at the middle school level. A sensational athlete who already plays above the rim, including multiple rim-rocking slam dunks this season, Parker is a force and was the best player in our parish on the boys’ side this season. He is going to be an instant-impact player at the high school level — maybe even as early as his freshman season.
Team of the Year
Winner: Houma Jr. High Girls
The Team of the Year Award goes to the Houma Jr. High School girls’ basketball team for an absolutely dominant run. They went through their season undefeated, rolled past the competition and made it look easy. That collection of girls are so much fun to watch and will shake up the local high school basketball scene in the coming years. Congratulations to that school on a historic year. That group could beat some varsity high school teams in our area right now. That’s not an exaggeration. Those girls are that good.
Thanks for the amazing coverage and reporting on the teams of the Tru-parish! I enjoyed reading your journalist use of your descriptive verbage!! Thanks again and congrats on your dedication to your work ethics!!!💪🏼💯