NewsAthleticsUpper SchoolStudent LifeService
Roper earns all-state honor
Mar 23, 2006 10:57 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
From Rome News-Tribune Staff Reports
Corey Roper wasn’t born when Ken Ozment earned all-state honors as a basketball player at Darlington in 1984.
Ozment was the last Darlington player to achieve the honor until Roper earned a spot on the Georgia Coaches Association All-State team this week.
“Corey is an impact player,” said Darlington coach Jim Van Es. “He probably impacts the game more than anybody I have ever coached. He plays hard all the time and makes everybody better.”
In 26 games this past season, roper averaged 23.8 points per game with a high of 34, while leading the Tigers to the Region 6-AA title and a Gold Ball in the 2005 Rome News-Tribune Holiday Festival.
Roper was the Northwest Georgia Tip-Off Club co-Player of the Year and the Region 6-AA Player of the Year.
Roper made 71 three pointers and shot .44 percent from the arc, and also dished out 4.7 assists per game. “He’d as soon give the ball up to another teammate than to score,” Van Es said. “He recognizes his teammates are the reason for his success. He was our leader and he averaged almost 24 points per game.
“The good thing is he will be back,” Van Es said of the junior Roper. “I’m glad he got recognition. It’s a compliment to all the kids and he’d be the first to tell you that.”
Corey Roper wasn’t born when Ken Ozment earned all-state honors as a basketball player at Darlington in 1984.
Ozment was the last Darlington player to achieve the honor until Roper earned a spot on the Georgia Coaches Association All-State team this week.
“Corey is an impact player,” said Darlington coach Jim Van Es. “He probably impacts the game more than anybody I have ever coached. He plays hard all the time and makes everybody better.”
In 26 games this past season, roper averaged 23.8 points per game with a high of 34, while leading the Tigers to the Region 6-AA title and a Gold Ball in the 2005 Rome News-Tribune Holiday Festival.
Roper was the Northwest Georgia Tip-Off Club co-Player of the Year and the Region 6-AA Player of the Year.
Roper made 71 three pointers and shot .44 percent from the arc, and also dished out 4.7 assists per game. “He’d as soon give the ball up to another teammate than to score,” Van Es said. “He recognizes his teammates are the reason for his success. He was our leader and he averaged almost 24 points per game.
“The good thing is he will be back,” Van Es said of the junior Roper. “I’m glad he got recognition. It’s a compliment to all the kids and he’d be the first to tell you that.”
