Juco Coach Likes What He Sees At Memorial

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Juco coach drools over Titan recruits

A week later, Roy Champagne can still hardly contain his glee.

The Lee College basketball coach came over from Baytown last week and left Port Arthur with three recruits from Memorial High and it's like he made off with the crown jewels.

That's how highly he regards forwards Dominique Keller and Jack Thomas, the two players he signed to full scholarships, and guard Toddrick Thomas (no relation to Jack), who he recruited as one of Lee's three walk-on players for next season.

Of course, it was Lee College's interest in Jack Thomas and Toddrick Thomas that persuaded Keller to sign with the Rebels instead of San Jac, Keller said.

"We're real excited about what Dominique and Jack can do," said Champagne, whose team finished 15-16 overall last year, 10-12 in Region XIV play. "They're great competitors and all-around basketball players."

Keller, the two-time All-District 22-5A first-team pick and winner of the James Gamble Mr. Inside award, was obviously the plum of Lee's recruiting trifecta in Port Arthur.

The 6-foot-7 player who set a Titan scoring record of 42 points in a game last season is being counted on to take up the slack left at Lee College by the departure of junior college All-American Mike White, who signed last week with Indiana.

White, also 6-7, averaged 19.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this past season. The Springhill, La., native was co-MVP of Region XIV despite his team's middle-of-the-pack finish.

"Interestingly enough, I think Dominique can replace White," Champagne says.

"When you look at the junior college prospects within a 250-mile radius of the Houston area, Dominique Keller is one of the best, if not the best, front-line players that are out there.

"He has the ability to shoot, shoot the 3, and the ability to score on the block. What he has is not a turnaround jumper, and it's not a jump hook. It's kind of a James Worthy shot. He has such a long wingspan, it's hard to block his shots."

Jack Thomas was Keller's cohort underneath the basket and his scoring and rebounding skills might have equaled or exceeded Keller's. For his size.

Even though he played taller, Jack Thomas is only 6-3. Champagne intends to use him on the wing.

"I think Jack is going to be one of those guys people are going to scratch their head and say 'Where the hell did he come from?'" Champagne said of the player who missed more than half his senior season in an eligibility dispute.

"He's a serious competitior, and when he played pickup games with our guys, he got after it, shooting the 3, using the pick and roll, dunking on people. He's not going to concentrate on any one thing. He's a basketball player.

"We don't guarantee anybody a starting position, but if he doesn't make it, I'll be surprised."

Toddrick Thomas, a 5-10 point guard, faces an uphill battle for playing time, Champagne admits.

"When you take a walk-on, you're giving him an opportunity to have a uniform," the coach says. "But to get in the games, you've got to be like Rudy (the Notre Dame walk-on who was the subject of a movie). A lot of the time, it's just a matter of timing."

Several of the James Gamble Awards finalists will be back on the basketball court Saturday for the 18th annual USA High School All-Star Classic at the Montagne Center.

Larry Guidry of Crowley, La., is behind the event, having started it in Kansas City in 1988 before moving to Louisiana in 1995. This will be the second year to play in Beaumont.

A Texas versus Louisiana girls' game will be held at 3 p.m. and a Texas versus Louisiana boys' game is set for 5 p.m. There will be slam dunk and 3-point shooting contests at halftime.

The Texas boys' team includes Memorial's Dominique Keller, who won the Gamble "Mr. Inside" Award two weeks ago. Other Gamble Awards finalists expected to play are Keith Fisher and Brandon Moton of Beaumont Central, Mack Randall of Ozen, Bryan Harris of Silsbee and Noah Cole of Vidor.

Other local players in the boys' game are Xavier Blueford of Beaumont Cathedral, Tracoy Hinson of West Orange-Stark, David Redmon of Ozen and Adrian Lee of Kountze.

Locals on the Texas girls' team are Ashley Johnson of Port Arthur, Brittney James of West Orange-Stark, Latavia Joseph and Erica Darkins of Ozen, Lauren Simmons and Letha Toran of Central, Tiarra Green of Silsbee, Martinee Turner of Kountze and Katie Sanders of Orangefield.

Port Arthur's James Gamble will be guest speaker at a Friday night banquet for the players at Beaumont's Melton YMCA, then join another former Lincoln High coach, Terrull Henderson, in coaching the Texans.

Cynthia Fonteaneaux, wife of Memorial girls' coach Joe Fonteneaux and head coach of the Port Arthur Lady Heat AAU program, will coach the Texas girls.

Baytown's Texas Hooping Angels were the big winners in the first local AAU girls' tournament held recently in Nederland.

The Texas Hooping Angels Gold, national champions a year ago, defeated their "B" team, the Texas Hooping Angels, 46-23 in the championship game.

The Texas Hooping Angels Gold were led by Lauren Flores of North Shore and Nia Toro of Bellaire High School.

Fort Bend 90 beat the Oak Ridge Rebels 55-50 for the consolation championship.