The Times-Union recognizes the area’s top high school boy’s basketball players by publishing the annual All-First Coast teams. The T-U high school sports staff selects the teams after nominations are solicited by mail from all area varsity coaches. All-First Coast selections were made based on conversations with coaches, the sports staff’s observations throughout the season, the players’ performance and their team’s quality.

First Team
Player   School Year  Pos.  Comment
Patric Young Providence,  Sr.  C  Best big man in the city finished with double-digit averages in points and          rebounds.
Stacey Poole  Providence  Sr. G  Best all-around player in the area led Stallions in scoring, signed with Kentucky.
John Brown  Arlington CD  Sr. F  Probably the best jumper in the area, he averaged 15 points and 8.5 rebounds per         game.
Keith McDougald  Bishop Kenny  Sr. G Excellent shooting guard who was a regular on Crusaders team for all four seasons.
Lendward Griffin  Ribault  Sr. F  Trojans leading scorer and rebounder who helped team to state final four last season.
Logan Buckner  Nease   Sr. C Arguably the best player in St. Johns, he finished averaging 22.3 points, 12.7         rebounds.

Second Team
Pierre Bland   Lee   Sr.  G
Charles McRoy Mandarin  Sr.  F
Carlos Holcey  Fern Bch  Sr.  G
James Williams Palatka Sr. F
Matt Clark   St. Augustine  Jr.  G
Justin Jackson Arlington CD Sr. F

Third Team
Admir Sahbegovic Englewood Sr. F
Alex Bodney   Providence Sr.  G
David Williams First Coast  Sr. F
Wayne Martin   Providence Jr. F
Keyshawn Hamilton  Palatka Sr. C
Tyler Burnett  St. Joseph Sr. G

Honorable Mention
J.J. Kuhlman, Episcopal, Jr., G; Wes Blackman, Arlington Country Day, Sr., G; Alan Conerly, Wolfson, So., G; Chris Williams, Creekside, Sr., F; Muslam Gore, University Christian, Sr., F; Javon Bell, Ribault, Sr., G; Marquel Wade, Jackson, Sr., G; Kelvin Gaines, Arlington Country Day, Sr., C; Garrett Naughton, Bishop Snyder, Sr., F; Jordan Dean, Creekside, Jr., G; Will Cummings, Providence, Jr., G

Former Nease Panther Josh Bailen is returning to Nease this summer to assist the Panther basketball program.  Josh will be graduating in May from Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin.  He played for the Red Hawks the last 4 seasons.  “Josh has the experience of being a Nease player that has gone on to college to play basketball.  Our kids need his guidance so they can see first hand what it takes to get to the next level,” says Nease Panther Coach Scott Cooper.

2009 Hoop Group Elite Camp MVP Logan Buckner of Nease High School has been nominated for the 2010 McDonald’s All-American game. Logan is among 65 players nominated game from the state of Florida.  The annual event takes place March 31 in Columbus, Ohio. The nomination is the first in a four-step process to make the prestigious team. Buckner is averaging 19.5 points and 12.8 rebounds per game for 12-6 Nease.

Philip Jackson (pictured above with his mother)

collapsed during the 12/21/09 game vs Nease

Nease High School sends their prayers to the family of Philip Jackson who passed away during the Nease Sandalwood game December 21^st.  Please stay tuned for ways to help the Jackson family.

Report by Jeff Elliot of Jacksonville.com:

A Sandalwood High player collapsed at halftime of a basketball game Monday afternoon and later was pronounced dead at Memorial Medical Center.

Phillip Jackson, 18, a senior who played defensive end for Sandalwood’s football team and center on the basketball team, had played the entire second quarter of a game against Nease High in a holiday tournament at Terry Parker High.

After a brief talk from coach Rocky Cusack at halftime, the players started filing out the door to return to the court. That’s when Jackson collapsed.

“It looked like he had a small seizure right before he fell to the floor,” Cusack said. “Before that, he seemed fine. He didn’t play the first quarter, but he played all of the second quarter.”

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue workers received the call at about 3:30 p.m. and arrived at the scene shortly after.

Cusack said that Jackson had a slight pulse when paramedics arrived at the school. Jackson’s parents were in the stands for the game and accompanied their son to the hospital.

“You just wish you could do something more,” a shaken Cusack said. “At this point all we can do is offer our support and our prayers to the family.”

Several of Jackson’s teammates along with a number of Sandalwood students gathered at the hospital to pay tribute to their teammate and friend.

“He was a super kid and a great athlete that was in real good shape,” Cusack said. “He had never shown any signs or symptoms of any problem nor did he have any injury from football.

“Phillip was such a good kid and was well-liked by everyone. It’s just a freak of nature of playing the game.”

Nease coach Scott Cooper had just come out of his locker room at halftime when a Sandalwood player yelled for him to call 911.

“I didn’t know what the situation was but I made the call right away,” Cooper said. “Then I saw Phil laying on the floor in their locker room. By that time his mom was there and I gave her the phone and she talked to them. …

“Our kids were severely shaken by what happened there today. They shed some tears as did I. You throw basketball away when something like this happens.”

Principal Victoria Schultz was fighting back emotion as she waited with students at Memorial.

“He is a wonderful, wonderful boy,” she said. “He hugged me every day.”

Later Monday, Schultz opened the school’s gymnasium so students could have a place to gather and mourn. Jackson’s family joined them Monday night.

Shamier Holmes, 19, graduated from Sandalwood last year and played on the basketball team with Jackson last season. Holmes said he was at the game on Monday and came to Sandalwood’s gym.

The news was hitting him hard.

“Because he was just playing basketball,” he said.

Jackson was a father, Schultz said, and his commitment to school, fatherhood, and his academics was inspiring.

“He was somebody who doesn’t quit,” she said. “To be on the football team, on the basketball team, have your own child and still keep your academics up, it shows that you’re a winner.”

Yolanda Simmons, an assistant pastor at New Covenant Ministries, where Jackson and his family attended, said he was full of life.

“He was a healthy, wonderful young man,” Simmons said. “Very vivacious; he was just getting ready to do some things with our children’s ministry.”

The game was played at Terry Parker as part of an annual Arlington Lions Club tournament that the school hosts each year during the holiday break.

Cusack said the Saints were withdrawing from the tournament and wouldn’t play again until January.

Parker coach Elijah Wells said the eight-team tournament, which was scheduled to be played through Wednesday, was postponed. He indicated a decision would be made after Christmas whether this year’s event would be played out.

Sandalwood football coach Adam Geis coached Jackson during his freshman, sophomore and senior years.

“Phil was a different person his senior season,” Geis said. “He didn’t play football as a junior but came back this season and rededicated himself to work as hard as he could, both in the classroom and on the field.

“We had just finished putting together his individual highlight tape that we were going to send out to some schools. He already had received interest from Florida Atlantic and Florida International, and I guarantee you that after schools had seen this tape, they would have an interest in him. … I know he was going to be a success wherever he ended up.”

Join us 1/29/10 at the Panther Den to celebrate SENIOR NIGHT.  We will be honoring our Panther seniors: Logan Buckner, Clay Cramer, Kevin Gray, Gabe Lucas, Carter Rolfe, and Zack Zaccardi.

Help us make their last home game a night to remember!

]]> http://neasehoops.com/?feed=rss2&p=217 1 http://neasehoops.com/?p=206 http://neasehoops.com/?p=206#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:22:18 +0000 admin http://neasehoops.com/?p=206

Nease High School Boys Basketball team made a short journey to Orlando to play West Nassau. Nease High School was choosen by the Orlando Magic to play in the Court of Dreams Series. Nease came through with an easy victory of 69-38. Nease is on schedule to a great season!

More photos on the page…

Before the game agains West Nassau.

Dwight Howard shooting a free throw, with Brandon Roy catching his breath.

Photo taken after the Nease and West Nassau game.

Be sure to check the information about the Nease can food drive. The Information is here.

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Nease High School is proud to announce their selection by the Orlando Magic to play in the Court of Dreams Series.  Nease High School’s Boy’s Basketball team will play in the Amway Arena, home of last year’s NBA Finals.  The Panthers will take the court before the Orlando Magic play the Portland Trailblazers on December 19^th.  The game is slated to begin at 1:00 pm.  The time could change just slightly depending on Portland’s practice time.  Stay tuned for more information!