Hometeam All-Stars: Winter 2009 - Worcester Telegram & Gazette

PAGECENTRAL MASS. HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINEWWW.TELEGRAM.COM/HOMETEAM8BOYS’ BASKETBALLSUPER TEAMThe team was selected by the Telegram & Gazette staff with the help of a panel of coaches.Athleteof the yearMatthew LaBoveSt. John’s HighSenior, CenterAthree-year selection to theTelegram & Gazette SuperTeam, LaBove has earned thehonor of being named MVP ofthis elite group of athletes. The6-foot-9 LaBove capped off atremendous career by helpingthe Pioneers win the Division 1state title. LaBove finishedsecond in Central Mass. Conferencescoring, averaging 14.7 points a game.LaBove completed his career with 1,245 points,ranking him second in school history, trailingMatt Palazzi’s mark of 2,239. Labove was afour-year starter and a two-year captain forcoach Bob Foley, becoming the second junior tobe named a captain during Foley’s long coachingcareer. LaBove was named MVP of thisseason’s Laska Yuletide Tournament, was nominatedto the McDonald’s All-America game,and played in the New England High SchoolAll-Star Classic. He was invited to the NewEngland Top 75 game as a junior. LaBoveenjoys playing video games in his spare time,and said playing in the last two state finalsprovided his most memorable sports moments.LaBove will play next winter at DartmouthCollege, and hopes to someday become an orthopedicsurgeon. He’s the son of Charles andPamela LaBove of Shrewsbury.Hamed AkanniFitchburg HighSenior, GuardThe 6-foot-2 Akanni averaged14.9 points a game while helpingthe Red Raiders to the CentralMass. Division 1 semifinals. Akanniand fellow Super Teamer Kyle Dobsonled Fitchburg to the Mid-Wach Atitle with a 12-0 record as the RedRaiders finished the season 20-4overall. Akanni stepped up in theplayoffs, scoring 14 points againstNorth and 12 against South after finishing the regularseason with 19 in a win over St. John’s. Akanni alsoscored 20 points against Shrewsbury in a victory thatclinched the league title. Akanni earned a spot onboth the Mid-Wach A and Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterpriseall-star teams. His most memorable sportsmoment was hitting a shot against BC High to sendthe game to overtime. Akanni is undecided on college.He’s the son of Sheri Akanni of Fitchburg.Keith BrownMarlboro HighSenior, GuardThe 6-foot-1 Brown is a two-timeTelegram & Gazette SuperTeamer and was named the Mid-Wach B’s MVP after leading theleague in scoring at 20.4 points agame. Brown played his first twoseasons at Dorchester High, andhas been a league all-star all fouryears. He helped the Panthers tothe Mid-Wach B title and a spot in aDivision 1 Central Mass. quarterfinal. Brown finishedwith more than 1,700 points at the two schools. Heenjoys lifting weights and rapping in his spare time,and also participates in outdoor track at Marlboro.Brown will prep next year at Tilton School with thehope of playing a high level of college basketball, andmaybe pro ball. Brown fondly recalls dunking analley-oop pass from teammate Dan Imperato againstShrewsbury as his most memorable sports moment.He’s the son of Melanie and Keith Brown Sr.Markese BerryNorth HighJunior, GuardBerry made his first season atNorth High a memorable one.The 6-foot shooting guard averaged10.3 points a game, helpingthe Polar Bears to the Inter-Hightitle and a spot in the CentralMass. Division 1 final against St.John’s. Berry, who played twoyears at Burncoat High, flourishedin the postseason, scoring 16points against both St. John’s and Marlboro, and 14against Fitchburg. Berry’s brother, Mark, also had abig hand in North’s success this season, helpingcoach Al Pettway and the Polar Bears to a 17-6record. Berry is undecided about college. He saidwinning the Inter-High title and beating Fitchburg togo to the CMass final, played at Holy Cross, werehis most memorable sports moments. He is the sonof Patritia Burnett of Worcester.Jonathan CopelandSutton HighSenior, ForwardThe 6-foot-4 Copeland wasnamed the Dual Valley ConferencePlayer of the Year after helpingthe Sammies to the CentralMass. Division 3 title by averaging19.1 points a game. Copeland is atwo-time DVC All-Star and was onthe Telegram & Gazette’s Division3 All-Star team last year. Copelandfinished a stellar career for theSammies as the second-leading scorer in schoolhistory with 1,190 points. Copeland enjoys bowlingand volleyball in his spare time and, while currentlyundecided on college, he hopes to major infinance. Copeland’s two most memorable sportsmoments came this year when Sutton won theCentral Mass. Division 3 and Clark tournaments. Heis the son of Carl and Susan Copeland of Sutton.Kyle DobsonFitchburg HighSenior, ForwardDobson earned his second consecutive Super Team berthafter helping the Red Raiders to a 20-4 record, theMid-Wach A title, and a spot in a Central Mass. Division 1semifinals. The 6-foot, 170-pounder averaged 14.9 points agame for coach Paul DiGeronimo and was named the Mid-Wach A’s MVP and to the Fitchburg Sentinel & EnterpriseAll-Star team for the second straight season. Dobson, atwo-time Mid-Wach A All-Star, scored 21 points in a seasonendingloss to North High and 25 points in a victory overstate champion St. John’s, but it was a pass he made forthe winning basket against Shrewsbury that Dobson considers his most memorablesports moment. He is the son of Silas Dobson of Fitchburg.