VERMILION — Hard work and overcoming what could have been a serious injury led to Promis Cabbil of Elyria earning the 2008 Lorain County Mr. Basketball award.
Cabbil took his bows Sunday night at the annual Gene Legeza Classic All-Star Game.
As a sophomore, Cabbil suffered a fractured vertebra late in the season. He was forced to wear a back brace all of last year, then this year was finally allowed to play without it.
“It was hard. He couldn’t play the way he wanted,” assistant coach Brett Larrick said of Cabbil’s junior season. “He was about half-speed of what he was capable of. He battled through.”
In the classroom, Cabbil has consistently improved his grade-point average. He’s getting looks from several Division III schools, including Mount Union, Baldwin-Wallace and Wooster. He plans to make some visits over spring break.
The 5-foot-10 senior captain joins classmate Honesty King to complete the first sweep of Mr. and Miss Basketball by any county school. The awards are presented annually by the Elyria Coca-Cola Company.
Cabbil is the seventh Mr. Basketball from Elyria High.
“I’m happy I won it,” he said. “I just came here to have fun.”
Cabbil wasn’t Elyria’s leading scorer but he contributed in ways that go beyond the scorebook. His coaches admired the hard work he put in during the offseason and the extra practice he put in to improve his skills.
“Coach Larrick had us working out a lot in the weight room and off the court,” Cabbil said. “He let me come in on Sundays to work on my shot. It helped out my game a lot.”
Cabbil could score if it was needed — he averaged nearly a dozen points a game and totaled 286 points. He led Elyria in assists with 109, finished second in steals with 47 and had nearly 100 rebounds. He shot 76 percent from the foul line and 44 percent from the field, but it was his work as Elyria’s “coach on the floor” that led to his strong consideration.
“He deserves it because of the type of young man he is,” said Elyria coach Bob Walsh. “He works very hard at school and he works very hard at basketball. He never passes up an opportunity to practice. He puts in the extra time to do the things you have to do to become better.”
“Couldn’t ask for a better point guard,” said Larrick, Mr. Basketball in 1993. “The amount of time he’s put in over the summer and every Sunday coming in the last two years. He’s made himself a complete player. On the court, he takes care of everything we need. He kept the game at the tempo we wanted.”
With Cabbil in control on the floor, Elyria won its first district championship in 31 years.
“This is a great accomplishment for all of us,” Cabbil said. “I feel like I won this for the team. I couldn’t have done this without my teammates. I feel honored and happy to win it for the whole group. This is a team sport.
“Coach Walsh put a lot of trust in me to let us play our game. He wanted me to keep it an organized, fast-paced game and try to outhustle the other team.”
Cabbil credited his parents, especially his father, who coached him in youth basketball.
“My parents support everything I do,” he said. “My dad was a big help from having me sit down and watch videos after every game. They’re just a big support for me. I do it all for them.”
“I couldn’t be prouder,” said Cabbil Promis Sr. “He’s worked hard. We’ve been playing basketball since about the third grade. I’m very happy for him.”
“I let him leave church early every Sunday so he could shoot around and be ready,” said his mother, Denita. “I’m very proud of him.”
Walsh and Larrick may have said it all.
“The work ethic he has tells something about his character,” Larrick said.
“Of all the kids I’ve had through the years,” said Walsh, “I don’t know anybody that has worked any harder than he has.”
Contact Tim Gebhardt at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.
Mr. Basketball
2008 — Promis Cabbil, Elyria
2007 — Troy Simmons, Clearview
2006 — Louis Tumblin, Elyria
2005 — Dan Biber, Admiral King
2004 — Jordan Beard, Oberlin
2003 — Robert Nelson, Elyria
2002 — Tom Port, Avon Lake
2001 — Brian Ingleright, Avon Lake
2000 — Scott Remaklus, Southview
1999 — Brian Keller, Vermilion
1998 — Steve Vega, Avon
1997 — Eric Gilbert, Clearview
1996 — Carl White, Admiral King
1995 — Anthony Stacey, Midview
1994 — Byron Gladden, Admiral King
1993 — Brett Larrick, Elyria
1992 — Frank Bolognia, Avon Lake
             Todd Simon, Columbia
1991 — Craig Bradley, Avon Lake
             Mike Darmos, Southview
1990 — Eric Barnes, Elyria Catholic
1989 — Jamie Gladden, Admiral King
             Mike Hartman, Lorain High
1988 — Harold Walton, Admiral King
1987 — Greg Eichenberg, Columbia
1986 — Chip Winiarski, South Amherst
1985 — Jeff Mott, Avon
1984 — Joe Rittenhouse, Wellington
1983 — Roger Smith, Admiral King
1982 — Doug Carrico, Firelands
1981 — Tom Underman, Elyria
             Bobby Warden, Elyria Catholic
1980 — Bill Szabo, Firelands
1979 — Mike Razdrh, South Amherst
1978 — Jay Dill, Keystone
            Clay Dill, Keystone
1977 — Richard Montague, Elyria
1976 — Bill Dodd, Firelands
1975 — Fred Balser, Elyria
 

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