Leading Bobcat Boys’ Basketball to its best season – to date –in the 2A/1A San Juan Basin League, Ignacio’s Chris Valdez was honored with the circuit’s Coach-of-the-Year award, following a 25-1 run ending with the third-place trophy on the bus home from the 2A State Championships in Pueblo.

As mentioned in a previous issue of the Drum, the All-League Team was at last sent to this writer, and multiple Cats were honored for their contributions in a special 2013-14 season.

Senior guard Clayton Jefferson was a First Team All-SJBL selection, joining Telluride’s senior duo of forward Brooks Rogers and G Connor Courter, Ridgway’s senior big Nathan Hagemeyer, and Norwood senior Morgan Rummel – selected the loop’s Player-of-the-Year after helping the day-and-night Mavericks fight for a 14-11 record, and a sixth-place finish at the 1A State Championships up in Loveland.

Primed for one more winter together, IHS junior forward/center Adison Jones and sophomore guard Wyatt Hayes were Second Team All-League, with Mancos sophomore forward Ro Paschal, Ouray senior forward Clay Zimmerman, THS senior guard Tristan Purdy and MHS junior guard Nigel Henry.

Finally, senior forward Kelton Richmond represented Ignacio on the short Honorable Mention All-SJBL list, joining Dolores senior G/F Jakob Rudosky and Dove Creek sophomore G Jordan Ernst.