First things first is the theme for the girls selected to The Eagle's 33rd Annual All-Brazos Valley Basketball Team.

The first team features three players whose squad registered signifcant firsts, along with another who might be the first player selected if someone were to draft the top female athletes in the area.

First-team selections Jamie Spriggs of Navasota and Jeaneé Thompson of St. Joseph led their squads to the state tournament for the first time in school history. Sophomore center Karla Gilbert powered A&M Consolidated to its first district championship since 1997.

They are joined on the first team by Lexington's versatile Amanda Dowdy, who also made the All-BV first team in volleyball, and by Normangee guard Coco Woodard, who led the Lady Panthers to regionals.

The All-Brazos Valley teams and academic honor teams were nominated by their coaches and chosen by members of The Eagle's sports staff.

Coach of the Year honors went to Navasota's Tommy Gates, who was an overwhelming choice in a vote by his peers.

The local private schools are well-represented on the top academic team, with three members of Brazos Christian's state semifinalists, two players from St. Joseph and one from Allen Academy.

Spriggs and Gates helped Navasota's Lady Rattlers get over a big hump by winning the regional tournament and advancing to state. Spriggs, a 5-foot-11 senior post, averaged a double-double with 19.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. The all-state post also had 3.2 assists and 4.2 steals per game.

Thompson should be considered one of the most talented players in years from the area's private-school ranks. The 5-11 senior forward, who has signed to play at North Texas, was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Lady Eagles, who advanced to the state championship game.

Gilbert, 6-4, is the only repeat selection on the first team. A major college prospect and the only Class 5A player on the top unit, Gilbert had 14.5 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game even though defenses collapsed around her and the Lady Tigers often struggled to get the ball to her.

Central Texas coaches at 2A schools should be glad to see Dowdy leave Lexington to play volleyball at Texas Tech. The 6-3 senior post was also great in basketball, posting 19.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 7.6 blocks per game for the Lady Eagles.

With those four talented "bigs" on the first team, The Eagle team needed a guard to distribute the basketball. Normangee point guard Woodard, a 5-foot junior, gets the job. Woodard scored 20.1 points per game and hit 197 treys, so she can make the defense pay for sagging on the big girls, and she also had 4.7 assists and 4.6 steals per game.

Area coaches selected Gates as coach of the year in a near-unanimous vote. The former college coach has built Navasota into a state power, finally adding a state tournament appearance to his resume. Navasota lost in the semifinal round to eventual state champion Canyon.

The Eagle's second team is big on guards and has a strong local flavor. The unit includes LeKendra Clemons of Bryan, Sarah Daily of Consol and Anna Carter of Brazos Christian, which reached the TAPPS state tournament for the first time. They are joined by Brateicka Mock of Navasota and Daronishea Wallace of Calvert.

Clemons, a senior, led the rebuilding Lady Vikings to the playoffs, scoring 11.5 points per game with 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals. Daily, a senior, provided balance for Consol with 14.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Carter, also a senior, led the Lady Eagles with 12.3 points and 8 rebounds per outing.

The senior Mock earned all-region honors with averages of 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.9 steals and 4.3 assists. Wallace, who was a three-time district MVP for the Lady Trojans, scored 9 points per game with 5 assists.

Members of the third team are Micah Marshall of Bryan, Jessica Green of Normangee, Latriva Grimes of Calvert, Erica Moore of Somerville and Chasity Young of Madisonville.

Thompson and Marshall also made the academic first team. The other top scholars are Chelsea Brumbaugh, Lauren Paine and Lindsey Strong of Brazos Christian, Sierra Flowers of Bryan, Kaitlyn Goodman of Consol, Kelly Shannon of Normangee, Bernadette Tan of Allen Academy and Kailey Veteto of St. Joseph.

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