MaxPreps.com Staff Report
Seven days. Six state champions.
The top teams in Georgia, Maine, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas each earned stops on the MaxPreps Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard over the last seven days, giving players, coaches, students, and fans another opportunity to savor 2006-2007 state titles.
This week's honorees included the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams nationally by MaxPreps, Saginaw (Mich.) and Duncanville (Texas), respectively.
Saginaw suffered just one loss all season en route to Michigan's Class A title. The Trojans knocked off Detroit Redford in the final, 79-57. Duncanville ran the table in the Texas 5A ranks, going 39-0.
Maine isn't considered a hotbed for high school basketball, but the Bangor Rams' championship season was too impressive to ignore. Head coach Roger Reed's club yielded just 39 points per game on its way to a 21-1 record and Class A state title.
In Georgia, MaxPreps All-American Gani Lawal led the way for Norcross. Lawal, headed to Georgia Tech, averaged over 18 points and eight rebounds per game as the Blue Devils put together a 30-3 record. Two of those losses came to national powers Oak Hill Academy (Va.), and St. Patrick (N.J.).
Oklahoma's Midwest City lost Dec. 30 to Jenks and didn't lose again all season en route to a Class 6A title. The Bombers won their final 20 contests, including dominant victories over Putnam City North and Lawton Eisenhower in the semifinals and finals.
Lincoln High of Brooklyn thrived against one of the nation's toughest schedules, featuring the likes of Blanche Ely (Fla.), Schenley (Pa.), DeMatha Catholic (Md.), and Raleigh-Egypt (Tenn.), in addition to the usual cast of in-state powers. The Railsplitters, led by super sophomore Lance Stephenson, finished with a 24-6 record and bested Rice for the Class AA state title.
Tour Stops at a Glance.
Saginaw
City/State: Saginaw, Mich.
Head Coach: Lou Dawkins
2006-2007 Record: 25-1
Accomplishments: Class A state champions; No. 2 MaxPreps national ranking
All-American Honoree: Josh Southern
Norcross
City/State: Norcross, Ga.
Head Coach: Eddie Martin
2006-2007 Record: 30-3
Accomplishments: AAAAA state champions; No. 30 MaxPreps national ranking
All-American Honoree: Gani Lawal
Duncanville
City/State: Duncanville, Texas
Head Coach: Phil McNeely
2006-2007 Record: 39-0
Accomplishments: Class 5A state champions; No. 3 MaxPreps national ranking
All-American Honoree: D'walyn Roberts
Bangor
City/State: Bangor, Maine
Head Coach: Roger Reed
2006-2007 Record: 21-1
Accomplishments: Class A state champions; No. 37 MaxPreps national ranking
All-American Honoree: Alex Gallant
Midwest City
City/State: Midwest City, Okla.
Head Coach: Rodney Dindy
2006-2007 Record: 29-1
Accomplishments: 6A state champions; No. 33 MaxPreps national ranking
All-American Honoree: Xavier Alexander
Lincoln
City/State: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Head Coach: Dwayne "Tiny" Morton
2006-2007 Record: 24-6
Accomplishments: Class AA state champions; No. 19 MaxPreps national ranking
All-American Honoree: Lance Stephenson