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BASKETBALL AWARDS: Area all-Northern Section picks

Jeff Larson, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·3 min read

Mar. 29—Fresh off its first California Interscholastic Federation state championship, a handful of Colusa's basketball players quickly transitioned to the court to help the RedHawks to a successful season capped by an appearance in the CIF Northern California Division V quarterfinals.

Landon Humphrey, one of several multi-sport stars, led Colusa to another state playoff win with 23 points as Brian Davis' team vaulted into the NorCal D-V Elite Eight where it fell to Oakwood to finish 23-8 on the year. Colusa was beaten in the Division IV portion of the Northern Section, falling to University Prep (Redding) in the semifinals in February. For his effort, Humphrey joins a host from the mid-valley on the all-Northern Section boys and girls basketball teams put together annually though a collaborative vote by writers at MaxPreps, the Chico Enterprise-Record, the Appeal-Democrat and Redding Record Searchlight.

Humphrey, who finished top -5 in scoring at just over 16 points a game, earned a third-team nod alongside fellow guards Baron Grooms, University Prep, Zach Story, Orland, center Aidan Shelbym Loyalton, and forward Kellen Riccomini, Mt. Shasta.

The No. 2 scorer in NSCIF D-IV, averaging over 18 a game, was Gridley's Aaron Kullar, Kullar helped the Gridley Bulldogs to the NSCIF D-IV title and trip to the NorCal state tournament. Kullar's accomplishments were rewarded with a first-team spot on the all-NSCIF roster alongside guard and section Player of the Year DJ Horton, Weed, Jacob Martin, Pleasant Valley, Cam Bussey, Pleasant Valley, and Wes Ramirez, Enterprise.

Kullar and Gridley finished 22-7.

Roscoe Deel, out of Biggs, was named Coach of the Year:

Chavez leads area

all-section girls picks

Colusa's Danica Chavez helped the RedHawks' girls basketball team to a perfect run through the Sac Valley League and trip to the NSCIF D-IV semifinals where it fell to West Valley. Chavez averaged over 18 points a game to finish top-3 in D-IV in scoring as Colusa also earned a bid to the state D-IV tournament in 2024.

Chavez was a NSCIF second-team selection. Gridley's Brook Marr averaged a double-double for the year at 20.8 points per game and 13 rebounds per contest as the Bulldogs finished third in the Butte View League and advanced to the D-IV quarterfinals where it fell to Colusa.

Marr was a first-team selection on the all-NSCIF roster.

NSCIF roster

Boys

First Team

G — DJ Horton, Weed

F — Jacob Martin, Pleasant Valley

C — Aaron Kullar, Gridley

F — Cam Bussey, Pleasant Valley

F — Wes Ramirez, Enterprise

Second Team

G — Junior Andrade, Princeton

G — Adam Brott, Chico

C — Connor Sheridan, Portola

F — Tyler Zanhiser, Foothill

F — Jaxon King, Weed

Third Team

G — Landon Humphrey, Colusa

G — Baron Grooms, University Prep

G — Zach Story, Orland

C — Aidan Shelby, Loyalton

F — Kellen Riccomini, Mt. Shasta,

Coach of the Year: Roscoe Deel, Biggs

Player of the Year: DJ Horton, Weed

Girls

First Team

G — AJ Gambol, Pleasant Valley

G — Lexi Peters, Foothill

C — Joanna Warren, University Prep

F — Renaissance Johnson, Weed

F — Brook Marr, Gridley

Second Team

G — Taylee Clements, Chico

G — Danica Chavez, Colusa

C — Shelby Nussle, Quincy

G — Maddux Wilson, Pleasant Valley

F — Taylor Ford, Anderson

Third Team

G — Kayla Wiley, West Valley

G — Alexes Collier, Yreka

C — Ava Hepworth, Las Plumas

G — Reese Cassity, Fall River

F — Brooklyn Beasley, Redding Christian

***

Player of the Year — AJ Gambol, Pleasant Valley

Coach of the Year — Caitlin Montgomery/Victoria Geist, Trinity