Catholic senior point guard LJ Green made the all-Capital City Conference first team for the fourth consecutive year after leading the Knights to the state tournament, earning player of the year honors. There were times, especially early in the season, when Catholic point guard LJ Green would take over a game and become a one-man scoring show. Then, just as quickly, he’d fade back into the background of a balanced attack, content to let teammates take the lead.
“He could just go and take over the game when he wanted to,” Catholic coach Mike Curry said, “but the fact he’s got the ball in his hands all the time, he’s still got to get others involved. There’s a balance to it.”
Green’s importance, however, could not be overlooked. The senior is a four-time first team selection to the all-Capital City Conference team and has led the Knights to three state tournament appearances -- and three area championships -- over that span.
Capital City Conference coaches put Green at the top of the list of a group of talented first-team selections, earning him selection as the Capital City Conference Player of the Year.
“He’s been the mainstay in the program since I’ve been here,” Curry said. “I’ve been here five years and he’s been the starting point guard for four of them. He’s been an integral part of three Final Fours, a two-time regional MVP. He brings so much to the table in terms of his ball handling, his understanding, just his basketball savvy.
“I’m proud of what he’s accomplished. He’s been the one constant with us making it that far.”
Joining Green on the first team are teammate Josh Palmer, a first-year senior for the Knights, along with the Saint James’ duo of Ethan Beard and KJ Jackson and another first-year starter, Montgomery Academy starter Skyler Stovall.
Beard and Jackson, like Green, were first-team selections a year ago. Also earning repeat selection to the all-CCC team were Trinity’s Cal Bennett, Montgomery Academy’s Cole Caddell and Saint James’ Matt Middleton.
Green was the second leading scorer in the Capital City Conference this season (just behind Stovall) at 17 points per game, along with five rebounds, five assists and three steals per game. After his freshman season, he joined the football team and helped the Knights to three area titles in that sport as well. He was selected to participate in both the Alabama All-Stars Sports Week basketball and football games, moving up to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in football his senior season.
He originally committed to play football at Georgia Tech, but after a coaching change, elected to sign with Troy.
“He very well could have played college basketball,” Curry said. “I think he had some good opportunities in football and that’s kind of what he locked into. Once he started playing football and got serious about it, we were going to explore all avenues. I didn’t care if he went to college on a tennis scholarship as long as he’s in school and doing what he wants to do.”
The Knights got off to a late start in basketball because of their involvement in the football playoffs, but finished with an 18-7 record and reached the semifinals of the 4A playoffs before losing to Westminster Christian in Birmingham.
Catholic’s surprising run to the state tournament earned Curry selection as the Capital City Conference Coach of the Year.
“Just on paper, this isn’t a team that you would have said they’ve got a chance to go to a Final Four,” Curry said. “But we earned it. We started really understanding our roles, playing for each other with a good little rotation. The guys really invested in what we were doing. We could have easily been put out (in the area tournament). We got outplayed by Bullock County. We got refocused and came out the next couple of games and played really well. We had a little bit of luck but we earned a lot of that as well.”
2023 ALL-CAPITAL CITY CONFERENCE
First Team
Ethan Beard 5-8 G Sr. Saint James
LJ Green 6-1 G Sr. Catholic
KJ Jackson 6-4 C Jr. Saint James
Josh Palmer 6-4 C Sr. Catholic
Skyler Stovall 6-1 G So. Montgomery Academy
Second Team
Cal Bennett 6-0 G Sr. Trinity
Cole Caddell 5-10 G Jr. Montgomery Academy
Matt Middleton 6-4 F Sr. Saint James
Jayden Phifer 5-8 G Jr. Catholic
DJ Vinson 6-1 F So. Montgomery Academy
PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- LJ Green, Catholic
COACH OF THE YEAR -- Mike Curry, Catholic
HONORABLE
MENTION: Brennan Binns, 5-7. G, Sr.,
Catholic; John Morris, 6-3, F, So., Trinity; Mac
Moorer, 5-7, G, So., Alabama Christian; Christian
Snipes, 6-0, F, Fr., Alabama Christian; Jackson
Taylor, 5-11, F, Sr., Trinity
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