Basketball

Macon East seniors, Logan Goree and Kyle Edwards were selected to play in this year’s AISA All-Star Basketball game. They helped lead the East team to a 93-74 win over the West in the All-Star game February 16th at the Montgomery Multiplex.  Logan and Kyle have received numerous all-tournament and MVP awards throughout this year’s season, including all-tournament for Logan and tournament MVP for Kyle at the AISA AA State Tournament.  At center and point guard this duo led the Knights squad on and off the court all season and brought home a 2nd state title for the Knights.  Both Goree and Edwards are pursuing continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level.

The varsity boys basketball team may have lost some key players from last year and 2 games early in the season, but they worked through it and came out on top again as the 2018 AISA AA State Champions bringing the coveted trophy back to Macon East.  Senior point guard Kyle Edwards, senior center Logan Goree, and sophomore guard Mike Murry led the team all season with a flair that has become synonymous with Chapman’s basketball program.  In the final game of the season, the Knights easily defeated Escambia 67-40 in a 31 game winning streak.  Macon East has won 66 of 68 basketball games in last year’s undefeated run and this year’s 33-2 season.  With 27 points in the championship game, Goree was named to the all-tournament team and the AISA all-star team.  Edwards, known by the coaches as the “Little Magician,” took home MVP honors and a spot on the all-star team with 12 points and his ability to control the Knights offense and flow of the game.  Murry rounded out the all-tournament team with 13 points.  The Knights will lose 3 seniors in 2018 including Tyler Watson, Logan Goree, and Kyle Edwards.  With a line up of juniors and a sophomore bench who got substantial time on the court this season, the Knights varsity squad promises to be a contender for the title in 2019.

Macon East junior, Madisyn Kennedy surpassed 1,000 career points this season for the Lady Knights basketball team.  An all star athlete in volleyball, basketball, and softball, Madisyn always gives 100% when it comes to sports and academics.  Madisyn is committed to join the Mississippi State Bulldogs softball team in the fall of 2019, but will continue to lead the Lady Knights athletic program for one more year.  Congratulations Madisyn on setting an outstanding career benchmark!

Macon East basketball player Christian Lewis signed to play next year at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia.  Lewis transferred to Macon East from Chelsea High School his junior year to play under Knights head coach and Lewis’s grandfather, Larry Chapman.  In his two years at Macon East Christian was a starter on the 2016 AISA AA State Runner-up team and the 2017 AISA AA State Championship team.  Christian also represented Macon East on the AISA All-Star team.  Christian received both academic and athletic scholarships at Emmanuel.

Macon East Academy basketball player Slate Garmany signed to play next season with Mississippi College in Clinton, MS.  Slate transferred to Macon East from Oak Mountain High School in 2015 to play under Coach Larry Chapman.  At point guard, Slate became the key to the Knights offense.  In his two years at Macon East, Slate has been part of last year’s AISA 2A State Runner-up team and this year’s State Championship team.  The Knights had a 33-0 perfect season ending with the state title they set out to win.  Garmany was named to the AISA State All-Tournament team, AISA All-Star team,  the All-Metro 1st team, and AISA State 2nd team.  We congratulate Slate on signing with the Choctaws and receiving both academic and athletic scholarships.

Artavious Billups was honored to be selected as the AISA Boys Basketball Player of the Year at a recent banquet.  He became the first Macon East player to win a major state basketball award, but he hopes he’s just started a trend.  Although Artavious was new to Macon East this year, the senior guard had a huge impact on the basketball program under the leadership of Coaches Larry Chapman and Lincoln Glass.  Receiving all tournament nods and MVP honors at every tournament this season, including the state finals, Artavious led the Knights in scoring and represented Macon East in the AISA All-Star game and was named AISA All-Metro player of the year.  The addition of Billups to the squad and his 18.5 points per game average definitely contributed to the Knights 33-0 perfect season.  Artavious plans to continue his basketball career at the collegiate level but has not yet announced his plans.  We congratulate Artavious on his selection as the AISA State Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

The Macon East varsity boys’ basketball season was nothing short of a fairy tale. Their 33-0 perfect season was flawless as was their teamwork and devotion to the goal of a state title.  After joining the Knights basketball program in 2015, Coach Larry Chapman has made every effort to build a championship team, and players from area schools and Birmingham transferred to play under his leadership.  Coaches Chapman and (Lincoln) Glass set out this year to become a more defensive-minded program that no offense could penetrate, and they succeeded beating the majority of their opponents by an average 38.9 point margin.  After playing in several tournaments this season and taking home the trophy from them all, only one trophy was still up for grabs.  Heading into the Elite 8 as Region Champions, the Knights eliminated South Choctaw with ease with Artavious Billups leading the charge with 30 points followed by Slate Garmany (14), Christian Lewis (13), and Kyle Edwards (12).  The Final Four matchup with Pickens Academy was a 63-29 victory led by Garmany with 28 points and Billups with 18.  As predicted, Macon East would face Autauga Academy for a third time in the championship game.  It all came down to this game, would the Knights continue on their streak or end this season like the last with a disappointing repeat runner-up trophy?  At the end of the first quarter with the Knights up 27-2 over the Generals, it became apparent that Macon East, now called one of the most successful teams in AISA history, would take home the coveted state title.  By halftime with the score at 37-8, the excitement was building among the Knight fans and the bench.  This team would be the school’s first since 1973’s Macon Academy team to win a state championship in basketball.  As time ticked off the clock the coaches cleared the bench, and the starting line-up cheered for their teammates to finish what they started on the court.  Once again Artavious Billups and Kyle Edwards led the scoring with 19 each and 13 points from Slate Garmany.  These three would be named as members of the all-tournament team with Billups selected as tournament MVP.  The three senior starters (Artavious Billups, Slate Garmany, and Christian Lewis) will go on to represent Macon East in the AISA All-Star game on February 17 at Huntingdon College.  Seven seniors top the roster for this year’s team, but only one was given the honor of grabbing the trophy.  Channy Blackwell, sidelined since football season with an ACL injury fought back to play basketball this season and live out his team’s dream of a state title.  Making appearances in just a few games, it became apparent that the injury was not fully recovered, so instead he became a fourth coach to his teammates and chief encourager.  Like Channy, we all had tears in our eyes as he took the trophy back to his team.  These boys are now like brothers, and each of them will tell you that this season, this team with one dream, is one they will never forget.

The varsity girls and boys basketball teams capped off an awesome season winning the Region tournament.  Both teams are headed into the State Tournament this week vying for the AISA AA title.  All-tournament accolades were given to Sommer Sears, Bailey Williams, Artavius Billups, and Logan Goree.  Madisyn Kennedy and Kyle Edwards were selected as tournament MVP.  This is the second year both teams have competed in the state tournament.  Make plans to come out and support the Knights at the Montgomery Multiplex.