Pelham, Bishop make all-district

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Reese Bishop, above, and Leanne Pelham, front, were recently named to the All-District 7-AAA basketball teams. (Rob Nunley photos)

Two seniors from the Warren County basketball programs closed out their high school careers with one last honor recently, as they were named to the 2003-04 All-District 7-AAA team.

The Pioneers’ Reese Bishop, as well as Lady Pioneer standout Leanne Pelham, were both named to the regular-season all-league team, which was announced last weekend at the conclusion of the District 7 tournament in Sparta.

Both Bishop and Pelham made their second career appearance on the all-district team. Pelham was named to the squad as a sophomore back in 2002, but an injury midway through last season prevented her from a selection in 2003.

This year marked the second straight selection for Bishop, as he joined Randal Harrell as the Pioneers’ representatives on the 2003 team.

Bishop, who averaged 14.4 points per game for the Pioneers this season, ranked sixth on the list of the district’s regular-season scoring leaders.

He was joined on the all-district team by Riverdale’s Jerry Onwu, Chris Perkins and LaBrian Lyons, who was named the league MVP. Also on the squad were: Isaiah Phillips, David Price and Kris Lee, Blackman; Brady Neal and Ro Murray, Oakland; John Rader, Cookeville; Seth England, White County; Darius Roper, and Keith Ramsey, Siegel; and Andrew Donald and Arkee Grooms, Lebanon. Riverdale’s Brandon Burks was named the Boys Coach of the Year.

Pelham tallied 14.6 points per game, also ranking sixth in the league. She added 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest, helping her Lady Pioneer teammates to a 15-10 season.

She was joined on the girls all-district team by MVP Cara Reed of Cookeville, as well as: Tikedra Jones, Siegel; Kristen Kirkland, Lebanon; Nikki Hughes and Alana Hicks, Blackman; Anne Marie Lanning, Mosheda Pettus, and Anna Norfleet, Riverdale; Meredith Redus, Cookeville; Taran Hayes, Quiche Fletcher and Ashley Asberry, Oakland; and Amanda Lewis and Brooke Sunday, White County. Todd Hess of the White County Warriorettes was named Coach of the Year.