By Staff
Commentary by KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Since I’ve been covering sports for the Washington Daily News, several student-athletes have definitely left their marks.
Several of those athletes went on to play in college, while a couple are now playing professionally. I could easily make a “Dream Team” of the “best of the best.”
I know there were plenty of greats before my time as sports editor, and plenty of outstanding athletes who could make the team now. But this list is about those athletes I’ve covered who have already graduated.
Here is my “Dream Team” for boys basketball.
There has been a bunch of exciting basketball players in the coverage area over the last decade. But if somebody is going to break a scoring record set by NBA Hall of Famer, Dominique Wilkins, he has to top the list. That’s just what Calvin Daniels did during his high school career at Washington High School.
The “Dream Team” starts with the high-flying, energetic Calvin Daniels. The former Pam Pack star would get the fans standing on their feet with his explosive slam dunks, but he also developed a sweet outside shot by the end of this prep career. Daniels is now playing at Elizabeth City State University.
Two players who are now playing professionally overseas are former Terra Ceia standout Joe Barber and former Williamston High School great Elton Coffield. Having these two on the “Dream Team” is a no-brainer.
Barber was an incredibly gifted prep player with the Knights. It seemed that the bigger the game, the better Barber played. The tall, talented and entertaining sharp-shooter, who averaged a double-double playing for Derby in England, had a solid college career playing at UNC-Asheville.
Coffield has only gotten better after his solid prep career with the Williamston Tigers. He can slam home a dunk, but he may be better known for raining 3’s. After earning all kinds of accolades playing at Mount Olive College, Coffield is now lighting it up in Germany. He led his team’s league in scoring, and to a championship, last year.
While Damien Linson may have gone on to play college football, he was impressive on the basketball court. His quickness made him a nuisance to opponents and a dream-come-true to coaches and teammates. A slasher with unreal jumping abilities, Linson, a former great with the Plymouth Vikings, makes this team flat-out exciting.
Greg Satchel rounds out the “Dream Team” squad. Satchel may have had the body of a tight end, but the former Northside High School star was impressively mobile and quick. Like his high-flying buddy Derrick Leathers, Satchel could ram it home. However, Satchel had one of the softest and sweetest shots I’ve ever seen.
The “Dream Team” bench is loaded. It starts with Cleveton “Pappy” Arthur, who was a master distributing the ball while playing for the Northside Panthers.
Also on the squad are Plymouth’s Kelvin Nixon and Angelo Sharpless, Terra Ceia’s Bradley Van Staalduinen, Northside’s Leathers and Danny Wilson, along with Raphael Marable of Southside.
Dream Team starters
Calvin Daniels, Washington
Joe Barber, Terra Ceia
Elton Coffield, Williamston
Damien Linson, Plymouth
Greg Satchel, Northside
Dream Team bench
Cleveton “Pappy” Arthur, Northside
Kelvin Nixon, Plymouth
Angelo Sharpless, Plymouth
Bradley Van Staalduinen, Terra Ceia
Danny Wilson, Northside
Raphael Marable, Southside
Derrick Leathers, Northside
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Kevin Travis is the sports editor of the Washington Daily News. You may reach him at 940-4217, or by e-mail at Kevin@wdnweb.com.