North Vermilion's Criner MVP in Vermilion

North Vermilion High seems to have a knack for turning out good basketball players in Vermilion Parish.
This past basketball season is no exception.
For five straight years, the Abbeville Meridional’s Basketball Player of the Year has worn a North Vermilion uniform.
Well, why stop now? For the sixth year in a row, a Patriot is the Meridional’s 2018 Male Basketball Player of the Year.
Junior Malik Criner, who led the Patriots in almost every category, was named the top player in the parish.
He averaged 20 points a game, leading the team in points per game, rebounds, steals and was second in assists.
“Malik does not play with a whole lot of emotion, but he does play hard,” said NV head coach Jack LeBlanc. “He plays through injuries.”
Malik may only be a junior but he has a lot of ware and tear on his body. He began playing varsity basketball as a seventh grader for the Gueydan Bears. He started his seventh and eighth year for Gueydan and then transferred to NVHS his freshman year.
This past season he had to do something he had never done. He did not play the final five district games due to a sprained ankle.
“It was hard to miss five games,” said Malik. “My whole basketball career I have never had to miss. It felt weird to miss and not play a game.”
Malik is healthy today and this summer he plans to play AAU Basketball with an elite team out of Lake Charles.
“I am looking forward to it,” said Malik. “We are going to do a lot of traveling, all over the United States and play good teams.”
Also landing on the Vermilion Parish First team are Ethan Lege from Vermilion Catholic, Javonte Decuire from Abbeville, Tyrese Sams from Abbeville and Ryan Gratz from Kaplan High.

Boys Team

First Team Points

Malik Criner, NVHS.......20 ppg
Ryan Gratz, Kaplan........14 ppg
Ethan Lege, VC...............17 ppg
Javonte Decuir, AHS......16 ppg
Tyrese Sam, AHS............13 ppg

Second Team

JT Lege, VC......................13 ppg
Creed Rudd, NVHS..........14 ppg
Daniel Poole, Kaplan........10 ppg
Zontre Scott, Abbeville.....10 ppg
Nick Langlinais, VC...........9 ppg