H.S. BASKETBALL: Hicks gets one more chance to coach players
The final loss during the postseason usually means the last opportunity for seniors to play together and their head coach to coach them.
But for one trio from Lexington, three Tigers have the opportunity to be together one more time.
Andrew Hicks took over the Lexington boys' basketball program before the 2014-15 season, and the Tigers had a large group of seniors looking to make program history.
Lexington made history by winning the region title and hosting a sectional game.
Hicks, who is a coach for the North team in the West Tennessee All-Star game, will get one more opportunity to lead seniors Nick Marshall and Dillon Smith.
"Any time you can go back and coach a couple of kids in a less stressful and more enjoyable environment, it is going to be fun," Hicks said. "They did a lot for the program, so it will be exciting to coach them again."
Humboldt's Ron Abernathy is the other coach for the North team.
Marshall and Smith helped take the Lexington program to the next level and once again become one of the top teams in West Tennessee.
"It is going to mean a lot to play with Nick one more time," Smith said. "I am not playing in college, so this is one more chance to play.
"Lexington hasn't seen a 6-foot-10 player like Nick before. He is unstoppable underneath because he can score and block shots."
Smith is also close to Hicks and is excited to play for him one more time.
"When Coach Hicks came in, he became close to everyone," Smith said. "He connected with everyone on the team. He treated us like his own son."
Smith used his ball handling, ability to drive and outside shooting to open up the interior, where Marshall hit lay-ups, grabbed rebounds and blocked shots.
The Lexington duo are not the only former players that Hicks will have the opportunity to coach. Before accepting the head coaching job at Lexington, Hicks was an assistant at Humboldt, where he coached Troy Agnew.
"Actually, as soon as the teams were drafted, I texted T.A. and told him I will get to coach him one more time," Hicks said. "From a professional standpoint, I prayed a lot about the decision to leave Humboldt to take the job at Lexington. I had a special bond with some of the players at Humboldt."
Agnew will have the opportunity to play for two former coaches in Hicks and Abernathy.
"It will be amazing to play under Hicks again because I wanted him to be my head coach this year," Agnew said. "But getting to play for him and my head coach this past year will be a pleasure.
"Playing in games like this will be fun and exciting. I want to win. I will give it my all and then head back to the football field."
The North team also has three other duos that will get the opportunity to play together again — Sacred Heart's Tay Gibbs and David Johnson, McKenzie's Breshaun Oglesby and Tyree Owens and Fayette-Ware's Cortavious Miller and T'Varsky Freeman.
"Anytime a lot of talent is on the court like Saturday, you just sit back and make sure they see the small things because their talent will take over," Hicks said. "[Dyersburg's] Jay [Howard] tore us up in region, so it will be exciting to see what he can do."
The game is scheduled at Liberty on Saturday following the girls' game, which starts at 6 p.m.
South Side's Chris McNeal has already played in two all-star games, so he will not be available to play Saturday.
Michael Odom, 425-9754
North All-Stars
Chris McNeal - South Side
Nick Marshall - Lexington
Dillon Smith - Lexington
Troy Agnew - Humboldt
Cortavious Miller - Fayette-Ware
Jay Howard - Dyersburg
Tay Gibbs - Scared Heart
Breshaun Ogelsby - McKenzie
Kalen Johnson - Liberty
David Johnson - Sacred Heart
Steven Wright - Middleton
T'Varsky Freeman - Fayette-Ware
Tyree Owens - McKenzie
Nigel Peeples - USJ
Coaches — Rob Abernathy (Humboldt) and Andrew Hicks (Lexington)