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).
View all of our Mississippi boys basketball photo galleries2. 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.
View last season's Mississippi boys basketball stat leaders3. PascagoulaHead 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.
View last season's Mississippi boys basketball Freeman Rankings4. 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.
View last season's Mississippi boys basketball playoff brackets5. 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.
