MPHS senior Zaveion Chism-Okoh has been selected to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 5A All-State Team, a first-time honor for any player under head coach Joey Chism. Only twenty players per class were selected out of the thousands of players across the state. Many fans probably failed to realize they were watching one of the best players in the state this season. But Zaveion knew every time he stepped on the floor that he would dominate whatever the other team threw at him.
Chism-Okoh helped lead his team to a 27-1 finish advancing to the regional semi-finals before being knocked out by Lancaster, the number one team in the state. They were also undefeated district champions and ranked as high as #3 according to MaxPreps. Chism-Okoh was the leading scorer for the Tigers averaging 13.6 points per game and was also a terror on the defensive side with 2.6 thefts per game. The individual highlights of his season started early with a 40-point outburst versus Paris, and he also scored at least 20 points in eight other games. He averaged 16 points per game during the playoffs and many times took on the challenge of defending the other team’s best player.
Zaveion has also accumulated several other awards this season including District MVP and an All-Region Team selection. He was recently chosen to play in the Hoops for Autism All-Star Game held at Spring Hill High School last Saturday with the top talent from across East Texas. Zaveion poured in 17 points in that game showing he is one of the elite scorers in the area and the state. Next season, he will be attending Link Year Prep located in Branson, Missouri before looking to transfer.
Write up by Drew Barkley
Photo by Wayne Grubbs Photography