The family that wins together…
Well, they share accolades together, as are the father-son coaching duo of Greg and Colten Gober at Waxahachie High School. Greg is the head coach of the Indians varsity basketball team and Colten, his son, is his assistant.
On the heels of one of the best seasons in Indians history, the duo were recently awarded two of the top honors in the state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. Greg was named the recipient of the Don Coleman Outstanding Coach Award for Class 6A Region II, while Colten was named the statewide Assistant Coach of the Year.
The Gobers led Waxahachie to a No. 1 state ranking. The Indians advanced to the Region II final before falling to eventual state champion Duncanville.
The duo have been working alongside each other the past four years at Waxahachie. Greg is also an alumnus from Waxahachie who was a standout basketball player during his time.
He coached Colten when his son played at Colleyville Heritage a few years ago.
“Those awards are very prestigious awards that could have been given to many other coaches throughout the state,” said a humble Greg. “Coaching can be a very taxing but also a tremendous rewarding profession. I remember when I first started in the coaching profession and watched so many distinguished coaches receive the Don Coleman Award and never dreamed that I would coach long enough or be successful enough to receive that award. I have been very fortunate to work with other great coaches, and players during my career.
A Very Special Moment
“I am very honored to receive this award because of the many other coaches in Texas that work so very hard as well. Receiving the award at the same time as Colten receiving the Assistant of the Year is a true blessing and very special moment for my family.”
Colten came to Waxahachie to work with his father after playing for a year and then serving as an undergrad assistant at the University of Texas at Arlington.
“Sharing honors with him is very special. He is the one coach I have learned the most with, and to be able to receive honors the same year with him is something that could not happen very often,” Colten said.
Dean Weese Outstanding Coach for Class 6A- Kenni Patton
Elsewhere, Kenni Patton has gone home, but before she left the Mansfield Lady Tigers basketball program, she garnered one of the most prestigious awards in the state.
Patton has been named the Dean Weese Outstanding Coach for Class 6A Region II for girls basketball by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
And now she has returned to her alma mater in Electra to take over that program after 15 years at Mansfield, the past four as head coach. This past season Patton led the Lady Tigers to the second round of the playoffs.
One the heels of a season that included a pair of area state championships for the Duncanville Panthers and DeSoto Lady Eagles, basketball accolades from around the state have been plentiful.
As with pretty much everything else in the COVID-19 pandemic era, rounding up the nominations and naming the awards took a little bit longer this year, but now they have been released – and the FDN coverage area is once again well-represented.
Also receiving the Don Coleman Award was Edmund Pritchett, head coach of Mansfield Summit in 5A Region I. His team advanced to the Region I final.
Zhuric Phelps, Duncanville High School, was named Mr. Basketball – or player of the year – by the TABC. He led the Panthers to their second Class 6A state championship in three years, with the 2020 state tournament – to which Duncanville advanced – being wiped out by COVID-19.
Here’s a breakdown of area state postseason basketball awards:
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES
- Dean Weese Outstanding Coach (girls) – Kenni Patton, Mansfield, Class 6A Region II.
- Don Coleman Outstanding Coach (boys) – Greg Gober, Waxahachie, Class 6A Region II;
- Edmund Pritchett, Mansfield Summit, Class 5A Region I.
- Boys Assistant Coach of the Year – Colten Gober, Waxahachie.
- Girls Assistant Coach of the Year finalist – Jeremy Lyday, Mansfield Legacy.
- Student Assistant of the Year – Ayomide Obafemi, Mansfield Summit.
- Girls All-Star Teams – Large school girls, Charcoal Team: Kiarra Jackson, South Grand Prairie; Aniya Johnson, Red Oak. Orange Team: Portia Adams, Cedar Hill, Zariah Rufus, Duncanville.
- Boys All-Star Teams – Lime Team: Damon Nichols Jr., Duncanville; Zhuric Phelps, Duncanville; Jordan Roberts, South Grand Prairie. Orange Team: Colbe Noland, Waxahachie; Wade Taylor IV, Lancaster.
- Mr. Basketball – Zhuric Phelps, Duncanville.
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION ACADEMIC ALL-STATE
- Boys basketball – Midlothian Heritage: Nathan Hunter, honorable mention.
- Girls basketball – Duncanville: Kiyara Howard-Garza, second team; Nyah Wilson, second team; Hope Lemelle, honorable mention; Zaria Rufus, honorable mention; Shania Kemp, honorable mention; Anaya Bernard, honorable mention. Midlothian Heritage: Elizabeth Schmidt, second team. Venus: Viannellie Perez, honorable mention; Heather Hargrove, honorable mention.
TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES ACADEMIC ALL-STATE GIRLS
Class 6A
Mansfield – Zarria Carter, Olivia Garrett, Kendyl Howell, Okikiola Igbekoyi, Aleis Martinez, Allison Stigarll, Emily Holland.
Class 4A
Venus – Shyann Lewis, Viannellie Perez.
