Jones named Tribune MVP

David Jones got to have his cake and eat it too.

The 16-year-old, Grade 11 guard not only got to celebrate a Tribune championship Saturday night, but he also walked away with the most valuable player award.

“It feels great, but I owe everything to my teammates,” Jones said. “Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to get the MVP, but it feels good to get it.”

Jones finished the tournament third overall in points with 60. He netted 13 in the championship final win over Simcoe and admitted the MVP award crossed his mind a time or two.

“It was a thought, but first and foremost, we had to get the win,” he said.

Jones said it was a special night all around.

“We were working great and the crowd’s momentum was really hyping us up,” he said. “The past few games we’ve really been clicking and it feels really good out there.”

Irish coach Mark Gallagher marvelled at what Jones brought to the court this week.

“He’s so tough and plays so, so hard,” Gallagher said. “He was in foul trouble in the final last year and he only played about half the game. He’s been looking forward to this since this time last year.

“I’m super happy it worked out for him.”

Joining Jones on the tournament’s first all-star team were Notre Dame’s Shammar Campbell and Andrew Zezella and Governor Simcoe’s Max Grant and Darren Johnston.

Campbell averaged 12 points in the tournament. The 6-foot-6 forward saved his best for the final where he scored 22 points and was named his team’s player of the game. He also had more than 20 rebounds in the final.

“I think two of the last three games he had 25 rebounds,” Gallagher said. “He has been a force, he is learning how to play and he is learning to be effective.”

Zezella averaged 17.3 points in the tournament, including 16 in the final. His biggest game was a 25-point performance in a quarter-final victory over Saint Michael’s.

“We have been waiting for Andrew and Anthony (Cimino) to start shooting the ball because that is something that they can really do,” Gallagher said. “Teams are trying to stop Shammar and David’s (Jones) penetration and they are getting some open looks.

“If they don’t make shots last night or today, we don’t win.”

Grant, who was also named the top defensive player in the tournament, averaged 12.8 points per game. In the final, he netted 16 points.

“It showed with the defensive award that he just digs deep and locks down on guys,” Simcoe coach Shaun Feor said. “We have been working on his shot a lot over the Christmas break and it showed today.

“He is turning into a true two-dimensional player.”

Johnson averaged 12.5 points a game in the tournament. He scored 19 points in the final and was named his team’s player of the game.

“He’s a great leader and a senior kid,” Feor said. “He is starting to show some of the colleges and universities around here just what he can bring to their programs.

What he brings is fire and intensity.

“For being so small in stature, he’s aggressive and he gets to the rim and he shoots the ball very well,” Feor said.

Named to the tournament’s second all-star team were E.L. Crossley’s Josh Lahn, Lakeshore Catholic’s Samuel Beifuss, Greater Fort Erie’s Ethan VanNatter, Centennial’s Nick Yioldassis and Governor Simcoe’s Cal Anderson.

Lahn averaged 16.8 points a game in the tournament, including 26 in his team’s overtime 73-67 semifinal loss to Notre Dame.

Beifuss averaged 9.3 points a game in the tournament, including four points in the consolation final.

VanNatter, who led the tournament in scoring, averaged 17.8 points a game in the tournament, including 15 points in the consolation final.

Yioldassis averaged 11.3 points a game in the tournament, including eight points in a semifinal loss to Governor Simcoe.

Anderson averaged nine points a game in the tournament and scored three points in the championship game.

Other award winners Saturday were: E.L. Crossley, most sportsmanlike team; and, Campbell, most sportsmanlike player.

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