East Lincoln’s Jason Otey, named co-coach of the year in girls’ basketball in the Western Foothills 3A this season, talks with his team during a timeout./EAST LINCOLN PHOTO
St. Stephens’ Bennett shares girls’ coaching
award with head coach of Mustangs
Madison Self led East Lncoln’s girls to 28 wins and a Western Foothills 3A title this season. She has been named the conference’s Player of the Year./EAST LINCOLN PHOTO
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
East Lincoln High, after posting 51 varsity wins, swept the top awards in Western Foothills 3A basketball this season.
In voting of conference head coaches, the Mustangs produced the girls’ and boys’ player of the year and the coaches of the year.
Junior Madison Self was named girls’ player of the year after sparking East Lincoln (28-2) to a league title. She averaged 12.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists and shot 53 percent as the Mustang went unbeaten (14-0) in conference play.
Senior Drew Bean won boys’ player of the year, leading the Mustangs to a second-place finish that included beat league champion Hickory. He averaged 15.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 53 percent overall and 37 percent from 3-point range for a 23-6 team.
The Western Foothills 3A head basketball coaches have selected East Lincoln star Drew Bean as the league’s Player of the Year./EAST LINCOLN PHOTO
East Lincoln girls’ coach Jason Otey shared the coaching award with Andy Bennett of St. Stephens after the Indians went 9-5 in the conference to finish in third place and 16-11 overall.
East Lincoln ‘s only loss in its first 11 games was at Ashbrook and that game was later forfeited to the Mustangs. After a loss to Cox Mill, the Mustangs ran off 17 straight wins until falling at North Davidson in the third round of the state 3A playoffs.
Otey is 122-98 in nine seasons as head coach at East Lincoln.
Jon Hancock of East Lincoln was boys’ coach of the year. He guided the Mustangs to a 9-0 start. They also had a nine-game win streak after back-to-back losses to Southlake Christian an Lake Norman.
East Lincoln’s boys were eliminated in the second of the state 3A playoffs by Enka.
The Mustangs’ year included beating league champion Hickory 50-47 on Dec. 10 at Hickory to start the league schedule.
Unofficially, Hancock is 112-24 in five seasons as East Lincoln head coach and 436-259 during his career.
ALL-WESTERN FOOTHILLS 3A BASKETBALL
GIRLS
Ginny Overbay, E. Lincoln
Hailey McFadden, E. Lincoln
Taliyah Thomas, E. Lincoln
Madison Self, E. Lincoln (POY)
Gariela Greenard, Hickory
Joseline Turner, Hickory
Molli Harris, St. Stephens
Allie Reid, St. Stephens
Alexis Woglemuth, Fred T. Foard
Skylin Guill, N. Iredell
Nakayal White-Conner, Statesville
Julia Frantz, N. Lincoln
Brooklyn Gibson, W. Iredell
Coach of the Year: Jason Otey, E. Lincoln & Andy Bennett, St. Stephens
BOYS
Drew Bean, E. Lincoln (POY)
Jeremiah Jones, E. Lincoln
Keandre Walker, E. Lincoln
Jayden Maddox, Hickory
Jamien Little, Hickory
Landan Maddox, Hickory
Ji Ikard, St. Stephens
Sam Hepler, Fred T. Foard
Jackson Hawkins, N. Iredell
John Jackson, N. Iredell
Messiah Robinson, Statesville
Jack Waggoner, N. Lincoln
Jermaine Cornelius, W. Iredell
Coach of the Year: Jon Hancock, E. Lincoln
