Breaking Down Mr Basketball And Player Of The Year Honors
By Scott Whittle
Trendon Watford wins Mr. Basketball (Photo Cred/Ben Thomas of AL.com)
The Alabama Sports Writers Association held their annual Player of the Year/Mr. Basketball banquet on Tuesday, April 10 and there were some familiar faces among this year’s winners.
Trendon Watford, (Class of 2019) led Mountain Brook to consecutive 7A State Championships and was named both Player of the Year as well as receiving the most coveted honor of Mr. Basketball for the 2017/18 season. The 6’8
Watford averaged a double-double of 23.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 blocked shots and 1.7 steals for the Spartans. He joins former Birmingham-area Mr. Basketball winner, Wenonah star De’Runnya Wilson who won in 2013. Alabama Crimson Tide freshman John Petty won back to back honors; a feat Watford could match as a senior.
Below is the final voting of the Super 5 eligible for Mr. Basketball honors (1st place votes are in parenthesis:
Trendon Watford, (Class of 2019) led Mountain Brook to consecutive 7A State Championships and was named both Player of the Year as well as receiving the most coveted honor of Mr. Basketball for the 2017/18 season. The 6’8
Watford averaged a double-double of 23.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 blocked shots and 1.7 steals for the Spartans. He joins former Birmingham-area Mr. Basketball winner, Wenonah star De’Runnya Wilson who won in 2013. Alabama Crimson Tide freshman John Petty won back to back honors; a feat Watford could match as a senior.
Below is the final voting of the Super 5 eligible for Mr. Basketball honors (1st place votes are in parenthesis:
|
Mr. Basketball |
Votes |
|
Trendon Watford |
77 (12) |
|
Diante Wood |
39 (1) |
|
Kira Lewis |
29 (1) |
|
Jaykwon Walton |
16 |
|
Anquaevious Pollard |
14 |
6A Player of the Year
Kira Lewis (Hazel Green)
Arguably the most intriguing classification this season was 6A where Hazel Green junior guard Kira Lewis was named Player of the Year. Carver-Montgomery star Jaykwon Walton led the Wolverines to a state championship title which featured a head-to-head clash with Kira Lewis and the Trojans in the state semifinals. Walton got the better of Lewis and Hazel Green that day with a 98-68 triumph making a strong statement for a POY selection. But at the end it was Lewis who brought home the individual honors with a very impressive junior season. The 6-foot-3 Lewis averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.9 steals and 1.3 blocks during a campaign which also included winning the Northwest Regional and AL.com Classic titles.
5A Player of the Year
Kobe Brown (Lee-Huntsville)
Brown, 6’7 averaged 21 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.8 rebounds as a junior while leading the Generals to the Class 5A regional finals. The Generals played majority of their season on the road in national tourneys so his name didn't buzz as much during the season but the big time junior prospect claims over 40 division-I offers.
4A Player of the Year
Issac Chatman (Cordova)
Chatman led Cordova to the schools first basketball title in program history while putting up impressive numbers along the way. Chatman, 6’6 averaged 21.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and made a clutch steal and knocked down a pair of free throws in the title game against Madison Academy. He and fellow Blue Devil Jayce Willingham were the only teammates in any classification to average over 20 ppg for the season. Willingham, finished runner up for POY.
3A Player of the Year
Kam Woods (Midfield)
Woods, only a sophomore, but consecutive appearances on the 3A All State list averaged 27.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists and scored a season-high 49 for a talented Patriots team who was ineligible for playoff participation due to exceeding the maximum allowable games played rule. Woods, led his team to the 3A State Title as a freshman beating Plainview in the championship game. Plainview won this years 3A title.
2A Player of the Year
Anquaevious Pollard (Lanett)
Pollard, a two-sport star for Lanett wining state championships in both football and basketball is this year’s 2A Player of the Year. He edged out fellow teammate Emanuel Littles for the honor. Pollard, 6’6 who is committed to Independence Community College to play football averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game as Lanett won a third straight Class 2A championship.
1A Player of the Year
Diante Wood (Sacred Heart)
4 straight state championships and 3 consecutive Player of the Year honors? Not too shabby for Alabama signee and Mr. Basketball runner up Diante Wood. Wood, 6’4 senior averaged 23.3 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
Kira Lewis (Hazel Green)
Arguably the most intriguing classification this season was 6A where Hazel Green junior guard Kira Lewis was named Player of the Year. Carver-Montgomery star Jaykwon Walton led the Wolverines to a state championship title which featured a head-to-head clash with Kira Lewis and the Trojans in the state semifinals. Walton got the better of Lewis and Hazel Green that day with a 98-68 triumph making a strong statement for a POY selection. But at the end it was Lewis who brought home the individual honors with a very impressive junior season. The 6-foot-3 Lewis averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.9 steals and 1.3 blocks during a campaign which also included winning the Northwest Regional and AL.com Classic titles.
5A Player of the Year
Kobe Brown (Lee-Huntsville)
Brown, 6’7 averaged 21 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.8 rebounds as a junior while leading the Generals to the Class 5A regional finals. The Generals played majority of their season on the road in national tourneys so his name didn't buzz as much during the season but the big time junior prospect claims over 40 division-I offers.
4A Player of the Year
Issac Chatman (Cordova)
Chatman led Cordova to the schools first basketball title in program history while putting up impressive numbers along the way. Chatman, 6’6 averaged 21.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and made a clutch steal and knocked down a pair of free throws in the title game against Madison Academy. He and fellow Blue Devil Jayce Willingham were the only teammates in any classification to average over 20 ppg for the season. Willingham, finished runner up for POY.
3A Player of the Year
Kam Woods (Midfield)
Woods, only a sophomore, but consecutive appearances on the 3A All State list averaged 27.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists and scored a season-high 49 for a talented Patriots team who was ineligible for playoff participation due to exceeding the maximum allowable games played rule. Woods, led his team to the 3A State Title as a freshman beating Plainview in the championship game. Plainview won this years 3A title.
2A Player of the Year
Anquaevious Pollard (Lanett)
Pollard, a two-sport star for Lanett wining state championships in both football and basketball is this year’s 2A Player of the Year. He edged out fellow teammate Emanuel Littles for the honor. Pollard, 6’6 who is committed to Independence Community College to play football averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game as Lanett won a third straight Class 2A championship.
1A Player of the Year
Diante Wood (Sacred Heart)
4 straight state championships and 3 consecutive Player of the Year honors? Not too shabby for Alabama signee and Mr. Basketball runner up Diante Wood. Wood, 6’4 senior averaged 23.3 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.