Meadowbrook High School | Archive | November, 2007

No. 4 Meadowbrook GB Preview

Posted on 27 November 2007 by redwan123.

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond

Meadowbrook girls basketball coach Mike Knight got a couple of steals and is working wonderfully with his new merchandise.

The Monarchs, ranked fourth in the DigitalSports preseason top 10, are bolstered by two transfers from city schools, Crystal Smith from Huguenot and Deja Middleton, formerly of John Marshall.

Smith is a wippet-fast point guard with a flair for the game and the ability to please a crowd at any given moment.

Middleton is about 6-3 and has improved her touch around the basket dramatically. Knight has been working on all parts of her game since she set foot on Meadowbrook’s campus.

That’s not the only talent that Knight has.

Jessica “Peanut” Arnold returns for her senior year as she can move to the shooting guard to do what she does best and make room for Smith and her playmaking. Her veteran presence should help tremendously.

The Monarchs also have a talented sophomore in Courtney Coleman that will see time on the wing. Knight also expects twin freshmen Kiara and Katrina Marks to make an impact.

Meadowbrook has the ability to run the floor with the best of them. If they consistently finish their layups and don’t get too careless in the open floor, the Monarchs can be even better than last year with super-scorer Channa Willis.

2006-07 record: 12-2 Central, 16-10

Coach: Mike Knight, second season at Meadowbrook

Key players:
Crystal Smith, 5-6, Jr., PG – Fancy, great passer, quick, good defender, excellent vision and handle
Deja Middleton, 6-3, Sr., C – Improved finisher around the basket, better FT shooter, good rebounder and outlet passer
Jessica Arnold, 5-6, Sr., G – Great 3-point shooter, tough, veteran
Courtney Coleman, 5-7, So., F – Scrappy, talented, great off-the-ball defender

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

No. 8 Meadowbrook BB Preview

Posted on 23 November 2007 by redwan123.

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond

From Central Region champions in 2006 to out of the tournament and below .500 in 2007.

“It was a humbling experience for the whole program,” Meadowbrook coach John B. Gordon III said of the Monarchs’ 10-13 mark. “When you are at the top, that gets people even more motivated because they want to beat you.”

Now not the hunted, which way will Meadowbrook go? Gordon is thinking back to the region tournament, and he has some pieces to get the job done.

Starting with Paul Finn Jr., a 6-4 do-it-all that put in 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds per game last season. He steps into the main scoring role as Justin Harper has moved on to the University of Richmond.

“We’re looking for 21 and 12 this season,” Gordon said. “When he makes up his mind, he’s tough. I think he’s a potential All-Metro pick. He’s one of the top 10 players in the region. He has that fire.”

At the point guard spot will be Andrew Simmons. Only a sophomore, he started the second half of last season.

He’s in the Devin Johnson mold, and even wears Johnson’s No. 23. He’ll find Finn, along with a host of other talented players.

Sterling Martin is an athletic 6-4 forward that has a great feel for the game.

Look for senior guard Ahmad Bizzell to share ballhandling duties with Simmons. His defense is a sparkplug, as well, as the Monarchs look to run much more this campaign.

Quinton Doggett, at 6-7, could be one of the best big men in the region if he puts his mind to it. Look for Doug Brewer and Harry West to make an impact as well in a very competitive Central District.

2006-07 record: 7-7 Central, 10-13

Coach: John B. Gordon III, sixth season at Meadowbrook, 10th overall in region

Key players:
Paul Finn Jr., 6-4, Sr., F – The Garbage Man, soft touch around the basket, effort player, always around the ball
Andrew Simmons, 6-1, So., G – Sneaky quick, good jumpshot
Sterling Martin, 6-4, Jr., F – Game resembles Antoine Walker’s, does it all
Quinton Doggett, 6-7, Sr., C – Good rebounder, shot blocker, nice finisher
Ahmad Bizzell, 6-0, Sr., G – Great defensive player, nice 3-point stroke, quick
Harry West, 6-0, So., G – Nicknamed Jerry West, ‘nough said
Doug Brewer, 6-3, Jr., F – Gordon doesn’t know how he scores, but he does

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments

Leaving Sideline Behind

Posted on 20 November 2007 by redwan123.

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond

Central Region coaching sidelines will feel a bunch of different footprints next season.

Hopewell boys basketball icon Bill Littlepage, Huguenot football legend Richard McFee, Colonial Heights longtime coach John Thomas and Midlothian field hockey coach Marjorie Brooks have all left for various reasons, establishing a lenghty list.

And that list will claim Meadowbrook boys basketball coach John B. Gordon III, who is not as accomplished as the aforementioned group, but has made as terrific an impact in 10 years of head-coaching in the Richmond-area.

“I knew this was going to be my last year,” Gordon said after Tuesday’s practice. “I’m done with all of my course work. Now, my goal is to become a principal somewhere in the Central Region.”

Gordon, 34, is as close as he can be to a principal right now, in his first-year as the “right-hand man” for principal C.W. Fletcher after being a Dean of Students for a couple of years.

He’s handling various duties, including the school’s master schedule, the guidance department, English, science, world languages and ESL.

It’s sort of like an athletic director being a coach. There’s just too much to do to do both successfully. So hoops took the fall.

“I’m going to miss it,” Gordon said. “I’m not going to miss the preparation, but I’m going to miss being on the sidelines.”

Ahhh, the sidelines where Gordon jumped, pointed, yelled, instructed, clapped, almost played for his players. He’s as intense a coach the Central Region has seen in any sport.

Gordon is in his 10th year as a head coach, sixth at Meadowbrook.

He started at Armstrong in 1998, winning one Capital District title with the Wildcats in 2001-02 when L.C. Baker, Marlon Smith and Donte Atkins was his core.

He left for Meadowbrook the next season with advice from his well-known mentor, Highland Springs coach George Lancaster.

“John, you’ve got to take a look at Meadowbrook,” said Gordon, mimmicking Lancaster’s trademark voice. “I looked at this gym compared to the gym I had at Armstrong and I didn’t need to see the auxilary gym.”

He interviewed for the job in April of 2002 and was offered on the spot. He took it and ran his streak of Central Region tournament appearances – including his first in 2000 after an upset of Henrico in the district tournament – to seven.

It ended last season, in which Meadowbrook fell from region champion to 10-13.

“I thought being here, I would never have a losing season,” Gordon said. “Last year humbled me a little bit. We will go [to the region tournament] this year.”

Same old Gordon, as confident as ever. Why shouldn’t he be when he’s going to help 18 players play college basketball, including seniors P.J. Finn, Quinton Doggett and Ahmad Bizzell, who each have offers to play at various levels after the season.

He’s coached Meadowbrook to two of its four district titles and holds the highest winning percentage in the school’s 44-year history, while grooming eight-year assistant Ksaan Brown for his coaching post next season.

But now the whistle goes into his pocket and his trademark suits will do most of the talking, as Gordon strives to become a high-school principal in the region in the next year or two.

“One thing about being a basketball coach is people will know you around the region,” Gordon said. “Being a principal, people know you around the community. So I changed my focus.”

And another sideline will have new footprints.

Processing your request, Please wait....

Posted in Uncategorized0 Comments


Alerts