The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the five finalists for the Naismith high school boys basketball Player of the Year trophy and boys Coach of the Year honors Thursday.
The finalists for player of the year are Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Mass.) center Kyle Filipowski, IMG Academy’s (Fla.) guard Keyonte George, Westtown School (Pa.) center Dereck Lively II, North Little Rock (Ark.) guard Nick Smith Jr. and Montverde Academy (Fla.) forward Dariq Whitehead.
Filipowski, Lively II and Whitehead are committed to Duke. George is committed to Baylor, while Smith Jr. is committed to Arkansas.
Sunrise Christian Academy’s (Kan.) Luke Barnwell, Richardson’s (Texas) Kevin Lawson, Duncanville’s (Texas) David Peavy, Link Academy’s (Mo.) Rodney Perry and Bishop Gorman’s (Nev.) Grant Rice round out the coach of the year finalists.
All five coach of the year candidates lead teams that are currently ranked in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25. Barnwell is the reigning coach of the year.
“While the pandemic has presented some challenges this season, it doesn’t minimize the talented players and coaches who’ve endured ups and downs to have tremendous seasons,” Atlanta Tipoff Club executive director Eric Oberman said, per release. “Our voters have come up with two solid sets of finalists, and now, we focus our energy on reaching the finish line and honoring the top performers for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Trophy and Coach of the Year.”
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