This year's Norfolk senior boys basketball season basically boiled down to three upper tier teams -- Delhi, Simcoe and Holy Trinity -- and three squads a step below. The difference was in the depth of rosters those top clubs had, which was made abundantly clear when league coaches were asked to give their picks for the Reformer's annual all-star list.
While Valley Heights, Port Dover and Waterford all had one clear leader who was the engine behind their team's successes, the top teams had several different scoring options and shutdown defenders. Yet they also had those players who brought it game-in and game-out, making an impression on opposing coaches as well as their own.
CARTER SMALL, DELHI RAIDERS
A newcomer to the school, Small made an immediate impact, helping the Raiders win NSSAA and CWOSSA titles.
"He was one of best scorers and he contributed a lot to the team on both offence and defence," DDSS coach Kristin Mawhiney said. "(He) also became a team leader."
JUSTIN LICHACH, DELHI RAIDERS
One of the leagues leading scorers, and a player any coach would love to have in the paint.
"He was the centre of our offence and contributed the most points offensively," noted Mawhiney. "He was the centre of our defensive zone and the guy who led -- he kind of played quarterback out there -- defensively."
DAVID TEICHROEB, SIMCOE SABRES
Dubbed the "Silent Assassin" by one fan, Teichroeb doesn't have much to say but his play speaks volumes. On a team with several weapons, Teichroeb was often the team's most potent. He hit shots from all distances, and was just as strong defensively.
CONNOR PETTERSEN, SIMCOE SABRES
Though his team didn't get the outcome they were searching for, Pettersen is a major reason Simcoe was nearly perfect in 2010-11, and has been to three straight NSSAA finals. His hustle combined with an ability to pass and score made him tough for opposing teams to defend against.
JOSH JOHNSON, HOLY TRINITY TITANS
Johnson plays like he's been in the league for five years, and he's only getting better. There aren't many coaches in NSSAA that wouldn't want the Titans point guard running their floor, and like many elite players in the position, Johnson is a handful because of his supreme ability to both shoot and pass with precision.
KEVIN MCDONALD, HOLY TRINITY TITANS
Holy Trinity's big man is just as likely to change a game with a block or rebound as he is by hitting key shot. Opposing defensives, and offensives for that matter, have had little success when McDonald is patrolling the paint for the Titans.
JAY KNELSEN, VALLEY HEIGHTS BEARS
No stranger to this list, Knelsen was the go-to player for the Bears. On a team void of another fifth year senior, the Bears point man carried the team to the playoffs. There likely isn't another player in the league that's as valuable to his squad.
Added Mawhiney, "He was the glue of that team."
TIM PETERS, PORT DOVER LAKERS
Peters did it all for the Lakers from the point guard position.
"It's his ability to handle the ball under pressure, hit key shots when we needed them, drive the lane and get penetration underneath when necessary," Lakers coach Peter Annable assessed. "He doesn't turn the ball over a lot -- and he's an on-floor leader other players trust."
AARON HALL, WATERFORD WOLVES
Hall served as one of the few veterans on a rebuilding Wolves roster. A player that has seen WDHS at its best, Hall's playing time and production has risen significantly in recent years. He and Jeffrey Paul played almost every minute of Waterford's games this season.
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