All Lake/Sumter Counties boys basketball teams

By Gerald Lacey

Staff Writer

Carver Heights Quarterback Club

March 31, 2011

LEESBURG - The nationwide media attention continues for the Leesburg High School Boys Basketball team. Four Yellow Jackets were placed on the Orlando Sentinel All Lake/Sumter Counties Boys Basketball team last month. All four players selected were starters on the 2011 Class 4A Boys Basketball State Championship team. It was the second state title in the program's storied history and first since 1977.

The players named to the team were Joe Toolie Jr, Teron Wallace, D' Mauri Jones and Undra Mitchem, Jr.

Joe Toolie, Jr. and Teron Wallace were first team selections. D' Mauri Jones was placed on the second team and Undra Mitchem, Jr. was place on the third team.

Leesburg 1st year head coach Marcel Thomas had nothing but praise for the players, school administration, former head coach Colt McDowell and the Leesburg community after the players were named to the team.

"So many people played a part in our success," Thomas said. "School administrators have always been supportive and helpful. Coach McDowell left a solid program in place and provided me with a talented group of players to work with, and the players bought in to what we wanted to do. Parents of the players let us coach and the community rallied around us.

Toolie is a 6' 4", 158 lb, Junior Point Guard who led Leesburg in scoring and assists this past season. He was second on the team in steals and was a defensive catalyst for the Jackets. Toolie also has been named the Florida Diary Farmers Class 4A Player Of The Year. He will return in 2011-2012 with a solid chance of being Mr. Basketball next season. He is one of the six finalists for the award this year that includes Winter Parks Austin Rivers son of Boston Celtics head coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers. His 3 pt shooting help lead the Jackets to it's first state title in 34 years.

LEESBURG SENIOR TERON WALLACE

Joining Toolie on the first team is senior Teron Wallace who was the Jackets second leading scorer this past season. The 6' 3" 170 lb seniors outstanding performance at the state final four landed him on the All-Tournament Team. He ended his career at Leesburg with a 17 point performance against Tampa Blake and a 14 point outburst in the state championship game against Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons. Basketball is in his genes his mother Regina Larris-Peeples also played in a state championship game with Wildwood in 1991 and was a four year starter for the Wildcats. He was the only senior starter for the Jackets for most of the year and provided superb leadership on the court for the young but battle tested Jackets.

(JOSHUA C. CRUEY, ORLANDO SENTINEL / March 4, 2011)

Leesburg's D'Mauri Jones goes up to shoot during fourth quarter action of a FHSAA Class 4A boys basketball semifinal against Blake at the Lakeland Center in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, March 04, 2011

Junior D' Mauri Jones was placed on the second team after a monster performance down in Lakeland at the state final four. He was placed on the All-Tournament team he averaged 18.5ppg, 4rpg, 3apg at the state tournament. Jones is a two sport star at Leesburg and is being coveted by several schools in football and basketball.

The 6' 6", 175 lb, junior shot 58% from the field last season and is one of the four returning starters next year for Marcel Thomas. He shot 88% from the field on 12/17/2010 against longtime rival Eustis High School, he finished the game with 18 points and 9 rebounds.

He is expected to have a phenomenal year in 2011-2012 as Jackets will try to become the first team to repeat in the school's tradition rich history.

Nature Coast senior forward Matt Dennis dribbles up court against Leesburg's Undra Mitchem during the 2011 Class 4A-II Regional final.

Sophomore Undra Mitchem, Jr. landed on the third team, he is one of the three sophomores to be named to the team. Mitchem a 6' 2" 165 lb. guard average 9.9 ppg last season for the Jackets.

Below is the rest of the 2011 All Lake/Sumter Counties Boys Basketball Team

LAKE/SUMTER

Player of the Year : Steve Moundou-Missi, Montverde Academy, 6-6, Sr.

The Buzz : Academic achiever bound for Harvard was Mr. Reliable on the court for Eagles.

First Team

Patrico Garino, Montverde Academy, 6-6, Jr.

Kasey Hill, Montverde Academy, 6-0, Soph.

Michael May, East Ridge, 6-5, Sr.

Joe Toolie, Leesburg, 6-3, Jr.

Teron Wallace, Leesburg, 6-2, Sr.

Second Team

DeForest Carter, Montverde Academy, 6-2, Sr.

D'Mauri Jones, Leesburg, 6-4, Jr.

Jason Pimentel, Montverde Academy, 6-8, Sr.

Lance Roberts, Villages, 6-0, Sr.

David Williams, East Ridge, 6-5, Sr.

Third Team

Darian Anthony, Tavares, 5-10, Jr.

Kenny Dupont, Mount Dora, 6-3, Jr.

Josh Ellis, Mount Dora Bible, 6-3, Soph.

Ed Perry, Eustis, 6-0, Sr.

Undra Mitchem, Leesburg, 6-2, Soph.

Resources

Collings

Sentinel Staff Writer

Orlando Sentinel

Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
www.leesburgyellowjacketsbasketball.com

Gerald is a professional Internet marketer and social media marketing expert. His online business ventures and websites generate multiple streams of income annually. His consulting clients include best selling authors and international speakers.

Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand online.