Robert Wilson spent 23 years at The Clarion-Ledger/Jackson Daily News as a sportswriter with more than half of those years covering high school sports, mostly in the Metro Jackson area. He helped chose the Dandy Dozen in various sports for more than a decade. Wilson rebirthed a similar team four years ago with Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Preseason Elite 11 Boys Basketball Team based on our All-Metro team selections from last season and information from high school and college coaches. Wilson selected the best players from Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties from their performances last season. The players below are in alphabetical order. The girls team was published earlier this month.
Joe Anthony, Madison St. Joseph, 6-3, Senior, Guard
Anthony averaged 21.4 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots and led St. Joe to a 25-10 record and the MAIS Class 6A semifinals last season as a junior.
He shot 58 percent from the field, 39 percent and 78 percent from the free throw line last season.
Anthony was on the fourth team of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Team last season.
Anthony signed with Jones County Junior College Wednesday and had 20 other college offers.
“We look for Joe to build on what he did last year,” St. Joe coach Michael Howell said. “He obviously had a great year and people really started to take notice. Joe has gotten stronger and more explosive in the offseason. This year we look for him to lead us to where we want to go. We have six seniors that are all good players and Joe leads that group. He’s gotten more vocal and you can see his competitiveness when you watch him play. He’s a leader on and off the court. I really believe he’s the best all round player in the state with all of the things he can do. Joe can defend the other team’s best player, lead us in scoring, lead us in rebounding, and his basketball IQ is unreal. He does things you can’t teach. The game moves slow for him and we are excited to see Joe continue to develop.”
Anthony had a career-high 41 points in the season opener in a 70-60 win over Yazoo County. The school record is 54 points by Gabe Watson against Vicksburg in 2016.
Lazabian Banks, Lanier, 5-9, Senior, Guard
Banks averaged 15.2 points, 4.4 assists and 2.0 rebounds and helped Lanier to a 24-6 record and the MHSAA Class 4A second round last year as a junior.
He has an offer from Holmes Community College.
“In my opinion, Lazabian is the best guard pound for pound in the state,” Lanier coach Bo Clark said. “I don’t think there is another guard that’s 5-foot-9, 135 pounds who can do what he does with the ball. This kid has a handle on the ball, he can shoot the 3 at a high level and he can create his own shot. Lazabian plays great on the ball defense and could probably be a lockdown defender if he worked at it a little more. I really feel like if he was 6 feet tall, he would be highly recruited. A lot of folks overlook him because of his size. He’s a diamond in the rough. As far as character, I can’t ask for a better kid. Lazabian hasn’t gotten in any trouble in and out of school for years. He’s a likable kid, quiet and reserved and just a good kid.”
Ashtin Chancellor, Jim Hill, 6-5, Sophomore, Forward
Chancellor averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds and led Jim Hill to a 19-11 record and to the MHSAA Class 6A second round last year as a freshman.
“Ashtin is very versatile and plays strong around the basket,” Jim Hill coach Corwin Buchanon said. “He has put in a lot of work this summer to expand his game by shooting the three and handing the ball. I’m looking forward to him to have a big season this year and leading to a state championship.”
EJ Dampier, MRA, 6-10, Sophomore, Center
Dampier averaged 13.5 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots per game and helped Madison-Ridgeland Academy to a 17-13 record last season as a freshman.
His career highs are 29 points, 22 rebounds and 7 blocked shots.
Dampier was the only freshman to make the 20-player Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Team last season. He was on the second team.
Dampier was the second youngest player on the 12 player USA National Under-16 Team this summer. The team won the gold medal at the 2025 FIBA Americup. He averaged 7.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in 17 minutes per game in the six victories in the tournament.
Dampier is rated as the No. 1 player in Mississippi, the No. 3 center and the No. 8 player in the country in the Class of 2028 by 247 Sports. He is also ranked No. 3 in the country in the Class of 2028 by ESPN and made second-team freshmen All-American by MaxPreps.
Dampier has Division I offers from Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Jackson State, Purdue and San Diego.
“It is night and day from Damp from last year to this year,” said MRA coach Richard Duease, the winningest basketball coach in Mississippi history. “He can jump higher, is more athletic and is more used to the speed of the game. He had a great month playing with the national team. That added so much more to his game. He’s still a 10th grader, but he’s a different 10th grader.”
DeShawn Dillon, Northwest Rankin, 6-4, Junior, Guard
Dillon averaged 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists and helped Northwest Rankin to a 16-15 record and the MHSAA Class 7A first round last season as a sophomore.
He is rated the No. 1 player in Mississippi, No. 24 rated shooting guard and No. 127 player in the country in the Class of 2027.
Dillon has Division I offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Alcorn State, Jackson State, and New Mexico State.
“DeShawn will make a tremendous leap for us both offensively and defensively,” Northwest Rankin coach Sirdonta Washington said. “His ability to score the ball and defend at high level will make us more competitive with the capability of making a late run. We look forward to him growing as a playmaker and making the guys around him better.”
Dillon is one of the top football players in Mississippi. He has caught 64 passes for 958 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games for Northwest Rankin this season. He ranks 11th in Mississippi and first in MHSAA Class 7A in receiving yards according to MaxPreps.
Dillon is rated as the No. 13 player in Mississippi and the No. 49 wide receiver in the country by 247 Sports. He has Division I offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Jackson State, Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Troy, Ala.
Dillon has a star track and field athlete in middle school. In the eighth grade, he won meets in the long jump, high jump, triple jump and mile relay. Dillon hasn’t run track since the ninth grade.
Jeff Flanagan, Madison Central, 6-3, Junior, Guard
Flanagan averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 points, 1.6 steals and helped Madison Central to a 23-12 record and a MHSAA Class 7A state runner-up finish last year as a sophomore.
He has Division I offers from Alcorn State and Samford.
“Jeff only featured in half our games due to football and an injury,” Madison Central coach Ben Gardner said. “He was obviously a vital part of our run to the 7A state championship game and led us with 17 points in the semifinals against Brandon.”
Flanagan starts at defensive back on Madison Central’s football team.
Sam Funches, Germantown, 6-11, Senior, Center
Funches averaged 14.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.7 blocked shots, 1.7 assists and 0.8 steals and helped Germantown to a 29-5 record, its first winning season in school history and the MHSAA Class 7A state championship last season as a junior.
Funches signed with national power Gonzaga Wednesday. He chose Gonzaga over Ole Miss, Mississippi State and LSU. Funches also had Division I offers from Jackson State, Mississippi Valley, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Kansas, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas State, Michigan, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Penn State, California, Xavier, Creighton, SMU, TCU, South Florida, and Wichita State.
He is rated as the No. 1 player in Mississippi, the No. 10 center and the No. 84 player in the country in the Class of 2026 by 247 Sports.
Funches was on the first team of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Team last season.
“I feel like Sam is the best player in the state,” Germantown coach Chris Love said. “I expect him to have a good season, dominate and take us far this year. He’s going to do big things this season. Sam is unselfish and an underrated passer. He can shoot it and he is skilled in the post and can shoot the midrange jumper. Sam can handle the ball. He’s a modern day big.”
Marcus Goodloe, Jackson Academy, 5-10, Senior, Guard
Goodloe averaged 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.2 steals and shot 40.1 percent from 3-point range and helped JA to a 25-5 record, the MAIS Class 6A state championship and an Overall Tournament runner-up finish last season as a junior.
He had 23 points in the triple overtime victory over Hartfield Academy in the 6A state championship game, 17 points and six steals in Overall semifinal win over Oak Forest, La., and 15 points in the Overall championship game against Jackson Prep.
Goodloe was on the third team of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Team last season.
He has offers from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, East Mississippi CC and Christian Brothers, Tenn., University.
“Marcus has proven he belongs among the best in the state,” JA coach Jesse Taylor said. “My expectation for Marcus this season is to lead our team through an extremely demanding schedule against several nationally ranked opponents. His leadership, work ethic, and ability to perform in big moments wili set the tone for our success.”
Devin Moore, Germantown, 6-5, Senior, Guard
Moore averaged 10,3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and helped Germantown to a 29-5 record, its first winning season in school history and the MHSAA Class 7A state championship last season as a junior.
He has offers from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Northeast Mississippi CC.
“Devin is very skilled,” Germantown coach Chris Love said. “He didn’t have to score much last year (Metro Jackson Player of Year Mike Williams, first-team All Metro Jackson Sam Funches and second-team All Metro Mason Williams combined to average 51.2 points last season on the team). We will ask him to score more this year. Devin has a high motor. He has been putting in a lot of work in the offseason, during the summer and during school.”
Khameron Snow, Ridgeland, 5-10, Senior, Guard
Snow averaged 10.3 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.3 rebounds and helped Ridgeland to a 31-4 record and the MHSAA Class 6A state championship – the first one in school history – last season as a junior.
He had 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in Ridgeland’s 79-53 victory over Olive Branch in the state championship game.
Snow has offers from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, East Central CC, Holmes CC, Itawamba CC, and Mississippi Gulf Coast CC.
“Kham is the best pure point guard in the state in the Class of 2026,” Ridgeland coach Terron McIntyre said. “He plays both ends of the floor at a high level. Kham is an excellent passer with great court vision. He can also score.”
Braxton Ward, Callaway, 6-2, Junior, Guard
Ward averaged 19.7 points and led Callaway to a 11-20 record and the MHSAA Class 6A first round last season as a sophomore.
Ward was on the third team of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Team last season.
“Braxton was a huge piece for us last season,” Callaway coach Joshua “Skip” Harvey said. “He led us in multiple ways on both ends of the floor. His maturity, leadership and competitiveness set the tone for our team. Offensively, his ability to create his own shot and score in a variety of ways really took a step forward. This year, I expect Braxton to elevate his game even more to be a consistent playmaker, a vocal leader, and someone who makes everyone around him better.”
