Milan Indian basketball players honored at annual awards program
Gary Franklin
SPORTS EDITOR
On Thursday evening April 3, many of the Milan Indian basketball faithful met in the Milan High School Cafetorium for their annual basketball awards program led by Head Boys Basketball Coach Josh Blankinship. Coach Blankinship, joined by the MHS basketball players seated on stage, got the evening’s agenda underway with a welcome, leading to the assembling to a buffet line for a delicious meal. Once the meal was finished, Coach Blankinship again took center stage to begin the awards program. He indicated special thanks to many who had taken the extra step to help make the Milan basketball program a success.
GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO
Coach Blankinship attests to the dedicated service provided the basketball team by his student managers. Pictured from left are Autumn Bowling, Vickie Cunningham and Hailey Holton. Unavailable for photo was student manager Whitney Sapp.
Among those thanked was Fran Bixler. She did much of the calling and organization for setting up meals, snacks, etc., for the players throughout the season including organizing the meal for the awards program. Coaches, bus drivers, school staff, parents, athletes and others were among those mentioned as primary to a successful sports season.
The coach called Ripley Publishing Sports Editor Gary Franklin to the stage, for the presentation of the 33rd Wm. “Tiny” Hunt Memorial Outstanding Boys Basketball Player of the Year Award. That award was presented by Franklin to Milan Indian senior round-baller Logan Alloway, son of Mike and Diane Alloway. The prestigious award is presented annually to a senior boy basketball player of the Milan Indians, Jac-Cen-Del Eagles or South Ripley Raider teams, in good standing at the end of the season. The recipient of the award is selected by a voting process from knowledgeable basketball followers in each school system, not necessarily a school staff member.
Coach Blankinship spoke of the positive effort displayed by the tribe over the season. He spoke not only that of the athletes, but coaching staff from first grade throughout. Volunteer coaches for the first grade throughout were announced and thanked for their considerate assistance to making Milan basketball interest better for future teams.
In the absence of eighth grade boys basketball team coach Randy Combs, seventh grade boys coach Jeff Stutler was called to the stage to recognize the Milan Middle School team players and student manager.
Read the entire article in today's The Versailles Republican.