Plaquemine's Young, Nelson selected 4A All-State honorable mention

NATCHITOCHES - There are many reasons why Landry-Walker’s boys and Salmen’s girls each won Class 4A state basketball championships this season and at the top of the list are senior Tyree Griffin and junior Kalani Brown.

Each were named the Most Valuable Player on the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A All-State teams. For Brown, it was the second consecutive season she won the honor.

Brown, a 6-6 center, averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots a game. Griffin (5-11) averaged 17 points and seven assists a game to help Landry-Walker, a first-year school combining L.B. Landry and O. Perry Walker, win its 4A title.

Landry-Walker’s Brian K. Gibson was named Boys Coach of the Year in leading the 35-5 Charging Bucs to the 4A title. Long time DeRidder Coach Tammie Gibson won the girls Coach of the Year honor after leading the Dragons to a 23-8 record and a spot in the semifinals.

Plaquemine junior Asia Nelson, the District 6-4A MVP and sophomore Clifton Young, a first-team 6-4A selection, were chosen to the honorable mention teams, respectively.

Nelson averaged 16 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists per game and Young averaged 12 points, six rebounds and one steal per game.