Meet the 2023 AL.com All-Tennessee Valley boys basketball team

Meet the 2023 AL.com All-Tennessee Valley boys basketball team

Youth clearly was served in the Tennessee Valley this basketball season.

Westminster junior Chase McCarty and Buckhorn freshman Caleb Holt both led their teams to their respective championship games and have been named Co-Players of the Year on the AL.com All-Tennessee Valley boys basketball team.

RELATED: ASWA Boys All-State team

Both McCarty and Holt are also finalists for Player of the Year in their respective classifications – McCarty in 4A and Holt in 6A. Oakwood Academy’s Melvin Allen was named Coach of the Year after leading his team to the Class 1A championship game for the first time.

The trio headline this year’s All-Tennessee Valley team, which includes a first, second and third team along with a list of honorable mention selections. AL.com names a coach of the year, player of the year and newcomer of the year. The teams are comprised of the five best players regardless of class or position.

The Tennessee Valley team is compiled through voting from area coaches, AL.com staff insights and opinions of experts in the area. It includes players from Madison, Morgan, Limestone, Marshall and Jackson Counties.

Here is the 2023 team:

THIRD TEAM

Isaiah Matthews

School: Whitesburg Christian

Height: 6-foot-2

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: Matthews averaged 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game for Whitesburg in carrying the team to its first area title and Sweet 16. He was a second-team Class 2A All-State selection.

Chandler Sullivan

School: North Sand Mountain

Height: 6-foot-2

Class: Senior

Position: Forward

The skinny: A first-team Class 2A All-State selection, Sullivan averaged a double-double with 19.5 points and 16.5 rebounds per game. He also had 83 steals.

Cameron Collins

School: Austin

Height: 6-foot-3

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: Collins averaged 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds for 20-10 Austin.

Simon Walker

School: Huntsville

Height: 6-foot-5

Class: Sophomore

Position: Guard

The skinny: Walker averaged 13 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists for Christian Schweers’ team. He was MVP of the Lighthouse Classic.

Julius Winston

School: Bob Jones

Height: 5-foot-10

Class: Junior

Position: Guard

The skinny: Winston averaged 11 points and 7.2 rebounds a game for Bob Jones. He also had 35 blocks and 21 steals.

SECOND TEAM

Alabama’s Carson Muse of West Morgan brings the ball upcourt against Mississippi in the first half of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball Classic on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala. (Mike Kittrell | [email protected])

Carson Muse

School: West Morgan

Height: 6-foot-6

Class: Senior

Position: Guard/forward

The skinny: A second-team Class 4A All-State selection, Muse averaged 20.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game for 23-7 West Morgan.

Huntsville vs. Grissom boys basketball 1.24.2020

Grissom’s R.J. Johnson (11) and Huntsville’s Duncan Gibbons (5) and Xavier Fuell (1). Huntsville vs. Grissom boys basketball at Grissom High School Friday Jan.24, 2020. (Bob Gathany / [email protected])AL.com

R.J. Johnson

School: Grissom

Height: 6-foot-3

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: The Alabama commit, despite playing just 19 games, averaged 17.8 points and 6.6 rebounds a game for coach Jack Doss. He was a second-team Class 7A All-State selection.

AHSAA 7A NE Boys: Huntsville vs. Spain Park

Huntsville’s Caleb Harrison (23) controls the ball against Spain Park’s Zach Gray (22) during regionals at Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala., Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])

Caleb Harrison

School: Huntsville

Height: 6-foot-9

Class: Junior

Position: Forward

The skinny: Harrison, an honorable mention Class 7A All-State selection, averaged 14 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for the Panthers. He was the MVP of the 7A, Area 7 tournament.

AHSAA 5A NW Boys: Ramsay vs. Madison Academy

Madison Academy’s Michael Stanford and Cody Baerlocher box out against Ramsay’s Jayden Williams during a 5A regional playoff game in Hanceville, Ala., Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | preps.al.com)Vasha Hunt

Cody Baerlocher

School: Madison Academy

Height: 6-foot-6

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: Baerlocher averaged 15.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Mustangs. He also had 41 steals.

7A AHSAA Basketball NE Regionals

Sparkman’s Will Hawkins (10) dunks the ball against Spain Park during regional play at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala., Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])

Will Hawkins

School: Sparkman

Height: 6-foot-4

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: Hawkins averaged 11.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for the Senators. The Huntsville Classic MVP also had 106 steals. He was a third-team Class 7A All-State selection.

FIRST TEAM

AHSAA 7A NE Boys: Huntsville vs. Spain Park

Huntsville’s Ja’Mari Arnold (4) shoots against Spain Park’s Jared Smith (23) during regionals at Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala., Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])

Ja’Mari Arnold

School: Huntsville

Height: 5-foot-10

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: A second-team Class 7A All-State selection, Arnold averaged 13 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists. The MVP of the Memphis Hardwood Classic had 51 steals for the 24-9 Panthers. He also was a first-team selection in 2022.

Keshawn Watkins

School: Columbia

Height: 6-foot-5

Class: Junior

Position: Forward

The skinny: Watkins averaged 28.3 points and 17 rebounds for Class 6A Columbia. He was a third-team ASWA All-State selection.

AHSAA 5A boys semifinal: Valley vs Scottsboro

Scottsboro’s Tyson Sexton (2) grabs a rebound against Valley’s Cam’Ron Dooley (5) during an AHSAA 5A semifinal game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Tues., Mar. 1, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])

Tyson Sexton

School: Scottsboro

Height: 6-foot-5

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: Sexton averaged 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game for the Wildcats. He also had 42 steals. He was a second-team Class 5A All-State selection.

Brandon Fussell

School: Guntersville

Height: 6-foot-1

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: A Class 5A first-team All-State selection, Fussell averaged 23.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. He had 95 steals and is one of three finalists for Class 5A Player of the Year.

Grissom-Oak Mountain Basketball

Grissom’s Izzy Miles shoots against Oak Mountain during a 256-205 Challenge game at Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, Ala., Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])

Izzy Miles

School: Grissom

Height: 6-foot-2

Class: Senior

Position: Guard

The skinny: Miles averaged 14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists for Grissom. He had 48 steals and was MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic. He was a third-team Class 7A All-State selection.

CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

AHSAA 4A boys final: Jacksonville vs Westminster Christian

Westminster Christian’s Chase McCarty (21) shoots against Jacksonville during an AHSAA 4A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Friday, Mar. 3, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])

Chase McCarty, Westminster Christian

The junior guard/forward led Westminster to the Class 4A championship game.

He averaged 23.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and is a finalist for Class 4A Player of the Year. McCarty scored double figures in every game he played and had 45 steals and 24 blocks.

He was the AL.com Newcomer of the Year in 2021 and was a second-team All-Tennessee Valley selection in 2022.

AHSAA 6A boys final: Buckhorn vs. Mountain Brook

Buckhorn’s Caleb Holt shoots against Mountain Brook’s Julius Clark during an AHSAA 6A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Sat, Mar. 4, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])

Caleb Holt, Buckhorn

A year after making the Tennessee Valley first team as an eighth-grader, Holt led his team to the Class 6A state championship as a freshman.

He averaged 16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists throughout the season for head coach Patrick Harding, but clearly he saved his best games for last.

In the state semifinals against McGill-Toolen, Holt rallied his team from a double-digit third-quarter deficit. The 6-foot-5 standout scored 24 of his game-high 33 points in the second half. He went 16-of-19 from the foul line, including hitting his first 13, and added 14 rebounds and five steals.

In the championship game win over Mountain Brook, Holt finished with 32 points and 18 rebounds in a 65-56 Buckhorn victory. Mountain Brook coach Tyler Davis called him a “generational talent” following the game.

Recent Tennessee Valley POTY winners

2023: Caleb Holt, Buckhorn; Chase McCarty, Westminster (Co-players)

2022: Jacari Lane, Lee-Huntsville

2021: Brody Peebles, Hartselle

2020: Tony Toney, Mae Jemison

2019: Kobe Brown, Lee-Huntsville

2018: Kira Lewis, Hazel Green

2017: John Petty, Mae Jemison

2016: John Petty, J.O. Johnson

2015: Joshua Langford, Madison Academy

2014: Lewis Sullivan, Hazel Green

2013: Joshua Langford, Madison Academy

2012: Justin Pride, Butler

2011: Trevor Lacey, Butler

2010: Trevor Lacey, Butler

2009: Kerron Johnson, Madison Academy

COACH OF THE YEAR

AHSAA 1A boys Championship: Covenant vs. Oakwood

Oakwood coach Melvin Allen works with Oakwood’s Eleazar Williams during an AHSAA Class 1A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Thursday, Mar. 2, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | [email protected])

Melvin Allen, Oakwood Academy

One year after his team forfeited its regional semifinal game for religious reasons, Allen led Oakwood Academy – a seventh-day Adventist school – all the way to the Class 1A state championship game.

Oakwood finished 28-9 after losing 50-46 to two-time champion Covenant Christian, but the moment wasn’t lost on Allen.

“We wanted to win this game, but the big picture is we are 28-9 and not 9-28,” he said immediately following the loss. “The final game won’t determine the success of this team. They fought hard, and I’m proud of that.”

Allen also was named Class 1A Coach of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Recent Tennessee Valley Coaches of the Year

2023: Melvin Allen, Oakwood Academy

2022: Frankie Sullivan, James Clemens

2021: Greg Brown, Lee-Huntsville

2020: Brian Wright, Brooks

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

AHSAA 4A girls Championship: Westminster vs. Jacksonvile

Westminster’s Kaden Rickard works for a shot with Jacksonville’s Caden Johnson defending during an AHSAA Class 4A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Friday, Mar. 3, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | [email protected])

Kaden Rickard, Westminster Christian

The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard helped lead Westminster to the Class 4A championship game.

Entering the state semifinals, Rickard had hit 103-of-183 field goals and 40-of-58 free throws. He had 119 rebounds and 70 assists.

Recent Tennessee Valley Newcomers of the Year

2023: Kaden Rickard, Westminster Christian

2022: Simon Walker, James Clemens

2021: Chase McCarty, Westminster Christian

HONORABLE MENTION

Kiah Key, Hartselle

Colin Patterson, West Limestone

Skylar Townsend, Tanner

Jayden Nesbitt, Oakwood Academy

Malachi Mitchell, Bob Jones

Terrance Pruitt Jr., Hazel Green

Jaylen Blackwell, Madison Academy

Wyatt Bolden, New Hope

Jordan Johnson, Austin

Landon Townsend, Athens

Isaiah Slaughter, Decatur

Will Cavender, Arab

Parker Bell, Scottsboro

Cole Linderman, Priceville

Mykell Murrah, Elkmont

Bo Mitchell, Decatur Heritage

Isaiah Warrick, Falkville

Jakob Kirby, Pisgah

Walker Brand, Athens Bible

Brayden Suggs, Athens Bible

Eleazar Williams, Oakwood Academy

John Walden, Oakwood Academy

Chase Bickers, Skyline

DaKarian Bryant, Mae Jemison

Ryan Dunn, Hartselle

John David Gossett, Huntsville

Will Waites, Randolph

Pierce Roper, James Clemens