JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Deebo Coleman didn’t want to move.
Home was Memphis, not Callahan.
Four years later, it’s tough to envision a West Nassau program without Coleman’s name attached to it.
The All-News4Jax boys basketball player of the year not only made the best of his time with the Warriors, Coleman became one of the most prolific scorers in area history and just the third local product to win the state’s Mr. Basketball award.
The Warriors reached the state semifinals this season for the first time in program history, and it was with Coleman, one of the quietest and reluctant superstars around, at the forefront of that surge.
Moving across the map was tough.
Putting West Nassau basketball on the map was much easier.
“I definitely say it’s a blessing because when we made the decision to move down here, I didn’t want to move down here. I wanted to stay where I was from,” said Coleman, a 6-5 combo guard and Georgia Tech signee. “So, I didn’t trust what my dad was telling me that I was coming down here. We set some goals and some milestones, and we completed the majority of those.”
Although the Warriors fell short of one of Coleman’s goals — a state championship — it was impossible to deny his influence on local basketball.
And it all began with an uncomfortable move.
Coleman’s father, Ran, applied for a job with the school system. He jokes that the family was after Florida’s beautiful weather. But Ran said that he went through the same thing when he was younger, moving from where he grew up and to another city. Explaining that decision to Deebo wasn’t easy, but Ran said it had to be looked at as the best move for the future.
“It was a difficult decision for him,” Ran said. “We relocated [when he was younger], and you know, I cried and boohoo’d, told my mom I’m going to miss my friends. And I ended up having a successful high school career myself. Nothing like what Deebo has experienced, but definitely had a successful high school career.”
Coleman’s transition to West Nassau took time. The demographics were different in Callahan than they were in Memphis. The pace of life was different. And on the court, Coleman had to get accustomed to new teammates and playing for his dad, who was West Nassau’s new coach.
Slowly, Coleman adjusted to those, although the team success took a bit longer to line up.
Coleman was a good player when he arrived but cranked up his production several notches every season. He was well known in the area by the start of his sophomore year. By the opening of Coleman’s junior season, he was unquestionably one of the top players in the region and developed into a nationally ranked prospect.
He felt that attention, too. As Coleman’s star grew brighter, teams paid significantly more attention to him on the court.
“Definitely with me being a highly ranked player and looked at, teams always came out with a lot of high energy,” he said. “So, if I didn’t match the energy, it made me look bad or made them look like they were doing something good.”
But his final season was when everything came together.
Coleman had the best all-around season of his career. While his point total dipped slightly (25.8 ppg as a junior to 24.7 as a senior), Coleman was better on defense and distributing the ball that he’d been before. His intensity was on another level, too. Coleman powered the Warriors to a 20-12 season, including games of 33 and 34 points in his final two games. Coleman’s output in the regional final, a 72-70 win over Marianna, carried him past Nease’s Chet Stachitas’ 2,505 career points, which ranked second in area history.
Coleman finished with 2,539 career points, second to only Fletcher product Myron Anthony for most in area history (2,738). Coleman’s demeanor — quiet, nonchalant — makes those who don’t know him think that he’s angry or uninterested. But Coleman said that’s just his personality. He wants to win like no other. Coleman just doesn’t want to act like it.
“That internal fire that he’s the ultimate competitor. He doesn’t like to lose,” Ran said. “When he was younger, he would play a video game and he could beat me 99 times. If I beat him that hundredth time, it was his worst day. It would spoil his whole day if I won just one time.”
FIRST TEAM
Position, Player, School, Class
G Deebo Coleman, West Nassau, Sr.
Notable: All-News4Jax player of the year and just the third Mr. Basketball winner from the area. Led Warriors to Class 4A state semifinals for first time by averaging 24.7 points, 9 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game. Second in area history in career scoring (2,539 points).
G Bobby Crouch, Bolles, Sr.
Notable: Do-it-all player for the Bulldogs. Averaged career-bests in points (20.5), rebounds (6.8) and assists (6.1) per game. Finished career with 1,125 points in less than two-and-a-half seasons.
C J. Lee Repass, Providence, Sr.
Notable: Big man in the middle for the Stallions and one of the few true centers in the area. Averaged 14.8 points and 7 rebounds per game. Furman University signee.
G Josiah Sabino, Orange Park, Jr.
Notable: The 6-3 player averaged 21 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game for the 15-10 Raiders. Exceptional ball handler and closing in on 1,000 career points.
G Zyhir Sims, Fletcher, Sr.
Notable: Led the Senators to their best season since 1996, going 19-10, winning district and reaching the second round of the state playoffs. Two-time All-News4Jax selection. Averaged area-best 25.5 ppg. Finished career with 1,607 points.
G Jakobe Williams, Paxon, Sr.
Notable: Big guard could play the 1 or 2 position. Took a major step forward this season, more than doubling his scoring and assists averages from last season. Averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4 assists per game for the Golden Eagles.
SECOND TEAM
Pos., Player, School, Class
G, Mark Flakus, Episcopal, Jr.
Notable: Averaged 16.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for Eagles. A 73% shooter from the foul line and always a threat from beyond the arc (41% from 3-point range). UNF commit. \
G Jalen Gilmore, Bishop Snyder, Jr.
Notable: Averaged 11.7 points, 3.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds a game for Cardinals, who won the area’s most challenging district for the first time.
G Tarence Guinyard, Lee, Sr.
Notable: Averaged 16.1 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals per game for regional finalist Generals. Had to become more of a scorer when star wing Alex Fudge graduated early.
C Alijah Kuehl, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Notable: Powerful 6-10 player was again a two-way force. Averaged a double-double (17.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg) for Bears. Has signed with the University of San Diego.
F Luke Pirris, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Notable: Boosted his production across the board this season for 22-5 Sharks. The 6-4 player averaged 14.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
G/F Bryce Turner, Jackson, Sr.
Notable: Big, versatile wing helped the Tigers reach the state semifinals for the third consecutive season. Numbers weren’t indicative of his contributions for the area’s deepest team. Averaged 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds a game for 19-7 Tigers.
HONORABLE MENTION
Pos., Player, School, Class
G/F, Markel Allums, Oakleaf, Sr.
F, Gary Anderson, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
G, Adontae Balfour, Bradford, Sr.
G, John Brice, Menendez, Sr.
G, Daniel Buckley, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
G, Brakhel Burch, St. Augustine, Sr.
G/F, Ross Candelino, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
F, Dekembe Carn, First Coast, Sr.
G, Davin Daniels, Jackson, Sr.
G, Kobe Denmark, University Christian, Sr.
G, Jack Dillard, Providence, Sr.
G, DJ Fowler, Bartram Trail, Jr.
F, Ahman Greenidge, Fleming Island, Jr.
G, Marquis Harris, Ribault, Jr.
G, Landon Hawkins, Ridgeview, Sr.
G, Teron Haywood, Lee, Sr.
G, Justin Hicks, Bishop Snyder, Sr.
G, Kent Jackson, Episcopal, Fr.
G, Quinnton Jackson, Paxon, Sr.
F, Calvin Johnson, Impact Christian, Sr.
F, Chris Johnson, Westside, Sr.
G, Darian Johnson, Bartram Trail, Sr.
F/C, Keenan Johnson, West Nassau, So.
G, Vanari Johnson, Palatka, Sr.
F, LaJae Jones, Fletcher, Sr.
F, Ivan Lawson, Impact Christian, Sr.
G, Tyler Lee, Eagle’s View, Sr.
G, Austin Lewis, Bishop Snyder, Sr.
C, Manok Lual, Bishop Snyder, Jr.
G, Alex Madson, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
F, CJ McGee, Sandalwood, Sr.
G, Ben McGraw, Bolles, Jr.
G, Beza Miller, Episcopal, So.
C, Royce Morris, University Christian, Sr.
G, Lokose Natana, Parker, Sr.
C, Stephon Payne, Jackson, Jr.
F/C, Marcus Peterson, Columbia, Jr.
G, Dimron Phillips, North Florida Educational, Sr.
F, Charleston Ponds, Columbia, Sr.
G, Hampton Riedl, Creekside, So.
G, Richie Rosenblum, Bolles, Sr.
G, Logan Ryan, Nease, Jr.
G, Jackie Simmons III, Jackson, Sr.
G, Jordan Smith, Wolfson, Jr.
G, Mason Sword, St. Joseph, So.
G, Ro Vemuri, Stanton, Sr.
F/C, Chris Victor, Parker, Sr.
G, Simeon Womack, West Nassau, Sr.
G, Cory Wyatt, Middleburg, Sr.