MaxPreps 2012-13 Mississippi preseason boys basketball Fab 5

MaxPreps 2012-13 Mississippi Boys Basketball Preseason Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard

1. Callaway (Jackson)
Head coach: Wayne Brent
2011-12 finish: 24-6, Class 5A state champions

Callaway has won three state championships in the past four seasons and finished the season ranked No. 1 overall in Mississippi last year by the Clarion-Ledger after beating Wayne County 55-44 in the Class 5A title game. The Chargers defeated three state champions last year, knocking off Jim Hill (6A), Kemper County (3A) and S.V. Marshall (2A). Look for Callaway's success to continue thanks to the presence of Malik Newman, a 6-foot-2 guard who was the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year in 2012 after averaging 22.9 points per game and 4.6 rebounds. Callaway loses just two of the team's top 11 scorers and only one starter. Captains TreShawn Bolden (6-8, Sr, F) and Jarvis Williams (5-5, PG) are back along with starter Dontarrius Simmons (6-3, PG). Bolden was the MVP of the state championship game and was team's top rebounder while averaging 9.3 points an outing. Callaway has a solid group of juniors, including Dontelius Ross (5-9, SG), Cortez Mitchell (6-0, SG), Rod Taylor (6-4, C), Dietrich Taylor (6-4, F) and Dayall Harris (6-1, G).

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2. Amanda Elzy (Greenwood)
Head coach: Gerald Glass
2011-12 finish: 23-5, Class 4A state champions



Three players from Amanda Elzy earned All-State Team honors last season, including Rahkeem Lehaman (6-4, Sr., SG), Janarious Middleton (6-8, Sr., PF) and Maurice Dunlap (6-1, Jr., SG). Dunlap led the team in scoring at 16.1 points per game while Leahman and Middleton each averaged about 15. Coach Gerald Glass, an Amanda Elzy graduate who played in the NBA in the 1990s, will have his son Gerald Glass Jr. (6-7, Jr., PF) on the team as well. He played in only two games last year as a sophomore.

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3. Pascagoula
Head coach: Tony Combs
2011-12 finish: 26-4, Class 5A state semifinalist

The Panthers reached the semifinals of the Class 5A state tournament before falling to eventual champion Callaway. Coach Tony Combs loses just three seniors who saw substantial playing time in 2012 and he returns three of his top five scorers, including shooting guard Tracy Hadley (6-0, Sr.) who averaged 13.2 points and 2.4 steals per game as a junior. One of the state's top baseball players as well, Hadley also led the team with 43 three-point baskets. Brandon Rich (6-1, Sr., PF) also returns after averaging 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds last season.

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4. Murrah (Jackson)
Head coach: Brandon Sanders
2011-12 finish: 17-10



Controversy swirled around Murrah last year when coach Marlon Dorsey, who previously made headlines when he was accused of whipping his players with a belt in 2010, stepped down as coach midway through the season. Assistant Brandon Sanders took over head coaching duties and had a successful second half of the season, although Murrah did not reach the postseason. Murrah has a strong group of returning players, led by seniors Josh Carroll (6-2, SG) and Marcus Love (6-0, SG) who rank among the best in their class in the state. Carroll led the team in scoring last year with 18.8 points per game while Love was third at 8.1. Murrah also has two of the state's top juniors in Malik Hines (6-7, PF) and Jacob Ivory (5-10, PG), each of whom averaged just over 5 points per game as sophomores.

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5. Marshall (Lexington, Miss.)
Head coach: Antwayn Patrick
2011-12 finish: 24-4, Class 2A state champions

The defending 2A state champions have one of the state's top forwards in Marquise Vance (6-6, Sr., F), who earned third-team all-state honors last year and ranks No. 4 in the class according to Mississippi Hoop Scoop. Vance averaged 18.4 points and 10.5 rebounds a game to lead the team in both categories. Marshall also has one of the state's top sophomores in Demarcus Weatherall (6-3, F), who averaged four points as a freshman on the varsity last year.