Watson leads CHS 1B honorees

Published 1:39 pm Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Central High School’s varsity boys basketball team had a trio of players recognized among the All-Region 1B accolades, with senior guard L.J. Watson making the first team.

Chargers senior forward Darryl Jones made the all-region second team, and senior center Ethan Hoover received honorable mention.

Watson has been garnering first-team attention for the last two seasons. He has reached that level of all-district and all-conference honor, and now the region is taking notice.

“L.J. deserved first team,” Central Head Coach Mike McGrath said. “I think he is as good as the others named.”

Giving his thoughts on why Watson stood out to the coaches who selected him, McGrath said he is a “good shooter and runs the floor well for us.”

Watson averaged 21 points and 2.5 steals per game, and he shot 85 percent from the free throw line.

In previous years, Jones has been an all-district and all-conference second team selection, and McGrath noted his offensive effectiveness helped him stand out in the region.

“Darryl is a hard person to stop when he goes to the basket,” the coach said.

Jones averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game.

Hoover’s honorable mention is the first regional recognition of his high school basketball career.

McGrath said he drew this recognition due to “his size and presence in the middle, especially on defense with his ability to block shots and get rebounds.”

Hoover averaged nine points, 10 rebounds and four blocks per game.