Latest news with #BasketballPlayeroftheYear
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark's Former College Team Gets Major Transfer News on Monday
It has been a full season since Caitlin Clark suited up for the Iowa Hawkeyes, but her legacy in Iowa City remains as strong as ever. In their first season without Clark leading the offense, the Hawkeyes still managed to win 23 games, including 10 during Big Ten play. Her influence continues to resonate, especially in recruiting, as young players who watched her rise are now dreaming of making their mark at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Advertisement On Monday, Iowa head coach Jan Jensen shared a major roster update for the upcoming 2025-26 season. "Hawk Fans, we added another great player to our team & you're gonna love watching her play! Plz help me officially welcome @Emyrodriguez21 !" Jensen followed that up with a warm message: "We're so excited to have Emely & her family join us! Thx for being a Hawkeye, Emely! We can't wait until you're here! Let's Goooo!" The newest addition, UCF transfer Emely Rodriguez, is a 6-foot guard from Miami. In high school, she led Central Pointe Academy to an Sunshine Independent Athletic Association state championship. Rodriguez earned the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade County Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors after averaging an eye-popping 26.5 points and 15.5 rebounds per game. Advertisement Originally from the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez moved to Miami with her mother to pursue greater basketball opportunities. Rodriguez spent her freshman season at UCF, appearing in 25 games for the Knights. She averaged 26.4 minutes and 11.9 points per game. On Nov. 29, she recorded her first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. In her final appearance with UCF, she played 29 minutes and scored 17 points in a Big 12 Tournament second-round loss to Kansas State. She ended her season on a strong note, scoring in double digits in each of her final four games, including a 21-point performance against Iowa State on Feb. 25. Her impressive debut season earned her a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. Advertisement Related: ESPN's Monica McNutt Makes Strong Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Statement Related: Becky Hammon Makes Career Move/Decision Before New WNBA Season
Miami Herald
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Calvary Christian's Shon Abaev is the Broward 3A-1A Boys' Basketball Player of the Year
Calvary Christian senior forward Shon Abaev had long been considered one of the best high school basketball players in the nation. But a state championship had been missing from his resume. That changed this past season when Abaev stood at the forefront of a return to prominence for the Eagles' program. 'That was huge. It felt good to end my high school career as a state champion,' Abaev said. Abaev capped an outstanding high school career with that title and led the Eagles to an impressive 22-1 record and a No. 5 national ranking by MaxPreps. As such, Abaev is the Miami Herald's Broward County Boys' Basketball Player of the Year for Classes 3A-1A. Led by Abaev, Calvary Christian won its fourth state title overall and first since 2022 after prevailing in a nail-biter, 66-64 in the Class 3A final against The Villages. Abaev then went on to earn McDonald's All-American honors and participated in the recent McDonald's All-American Game, an event which has featured some of the game's greats for decades. Abaev played for the East squad during the contest on April 1 in Brooklyn, which also included Cameron and Cayden Boozer from Columbus and several other top prospects. 'McDonald's was a big-time opportunity for me,' Abaev said. 'A lot of big names have been in that one. I felt blessed to be able to be another one.' Abaev, a 6-7 small forward, is next headed to play for the University of Cincinnati in the fall. He is rated a five-star prospect by multiple evaluators and regarded as one of the best and most polished scorers in this year's class. His work ethic, however, is what his teammates and coaches at Calvary Christian rave about. 'It's a different game in college. The speed and physicality gets tougher and I've got to prepare for that,' Abaev said. 'We played a lot of games with the shot clock at Calvary so that prepares you too. The schedule we played helped too because it's a lot of the guys I'll be playing against. 'I just have to keep focused and not get distracted. Just go over there and win, and help (Cincinnati) make it to March Madness next year.'
Chicago Tribune
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Warren's Jaxson Davis, the 2024-25 News-Sun Boys Basketball Player of the Year, does ‘what star players do'
The bar has been set unusually high for Jaxson Davis since before his first game in a Warren uniform. But over the course of two highly productive seasons, the 6-foot-1 sophomore guard has shown an uncanny ability to block out all of the outside noise. 'I'm just out there playing basketball at the end of the day, so I really don't get rattled,' Davis said. 'I think that comes from playing up when I was younger. I matured quicker than kids my age, and I'm able to control my emotions.' That even-keeled approach belies a fiery competitiveness that has fueled a level of success Warren's program hadn't experienced in nearly 15 years. Davis, the 2024-25 News-Sun Boys Basketball Player of the Year, led the Blue Devils all the way to the Class 4A state championship game earlier this month, surpassing a spectacular freshman season that ended in a supersectional. Davis, whose other accolades include Gatorade player of the year in Illinois and 4A all-state first-team honors from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, averaged 19.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.8 steals as Warren (27-11) overcame a choppy regular season to win when it mattered most. The Blue Devils reeled off seven straight victories in February and March before losing to Benet 55-54 in the state final in Champaign on March 15. 'That was probably the most games I've ever lost in a season, but I would say I'm satisfied, especially with what we were able to do in the playoffs,' Davis said. 'We had to fight through a lot and ended up with people in different roles. But my teammates trusted me 100%, and to be able to go on that run is something I won't ever forget.' Among the challenges for Davis and the Blue Devils during the regular season were the absences of his talented teammates in the backcourt, senior Javerion Banks and junior Braylon Walker, who both missed time. That may have made the Blue Devils stronger in the end, but opponents sharpened their focus on Davis even more. 'I didn't get that type of pressure thrown at me last year,' he said. 'It was definitely amped up this year. I was seeing multiple guys coming at me and guys coming off the bench just to guard me. It's definitely a compliment, but it makes it tough out there too.' With Banks and Walker both sidelined, Davis averaged 22.5 points in four games as Warren defended its title at the prestigious Proviso West Holiday Tournament, where he was named the MVP for the second time. He also scored a career-high 38 points against Joliet West on Jan. 11, the same night he reached 1,000 career points. 'I know I'll need to take tough shots,' Davis said. 'That's what star players do. That comes from being in the gym and practicing taking tough shots and then understanding when to take them during games.' But Davis, who has offers from DePaul, Illinois and Northwestern, among others, is far from a one-man show. His scoring average was about the same during his freshman season, but his assists per game increased from 3.6 to 6.1. 'He learned how to pick his spots more this year and when to hang back a little,' Warren coach Zack Ryan said. 'But when it's time to turn it on, he has that sense. He was the one with an assist that was the dagger or the basket that was the dagger. He's always the guy making the play that has an impact on the final outcome.' To make many of those plays, Davis uses his body to shield defenders. He has studied players like New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who led Stevenson to the 2015 4A state title. 'I watch guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson — guards who are a similar size as me — and see how they get shots off by using their bodies,' Davis said. Davis can also affect a game defensively. He illustrated that on the biggest stage when he made seven steals during Warren's 66-49 win over Rich Township in the state semifinals. Davis' AAU teammate Davion Thompson, a Bolingbrook sophomore guard who also was an all-state first-team pick, didn't see anything in that game that he hasn't seen before. 'When you're playing against him, you can't play around with the ball,' Thompson said. 'You have to get straight to the point. He's a pest, and you always have to be watching out for him. 'If he's on the court, his team has a good chance of winning.' That's the ultimate compliment for Davis, who has guided the Blue Devils to 58 wins in his two seasons. 'When there are as many eyes on you as there are on him, every habit has to be good,' Ryan said. 'He's been the foundation of the program since he got here.'
Chicago Tribune
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Waubonsie Valley's Tyreek Coleman is the 2024-25 Boys Basketball Player of the Year for Aurora, Elgin, Naperville
When Waubonsie Valley senior point guard Tyreek Coleman thinks back to his childhood, some of his best memories are from times he spent with his father, Todd, who is an Aurora police officer. So Coleman, an Illinois State commit, appreciates his father's impact. 'My dad has been huge, my No. 1 role model,' Coleman said. 'The things I do on the court is obviously my skill set, but he's done a lot for me to get to the place that I am today, just how to model my life, the man that I want to be in the future. 'I look up to him in that regard. He's taught me a lot.' Coleman, the 2024-25 Beacon-News/Courier-News/Naperville Sun Boys Basketball Player of the Year, forged a bond with his father that helped him develop into one of the best players in the state and the inspiring leader who turned the Warriors into an elite team. Coleman averaged 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals this season as Waubonsie Valley (31-3) broke the team record for wins. The Warriors went 58-6 during the past two seasons, winning consecutive DuPage Valley Conference titles for the first time and back-to-back regional titles for the first time since 2007 and 2008. 'Obviously, he's been a huge part of our emergence,' Waubonsie Valley coach Andrew Schweitzer said. 'We have a great relationship, and I told him I think he's the best player in the state. 'I wouldn't want to give the ball to anybody else.' That's because Coleman has never focused on personal glory. Articulate yet humble in interviews, Coleman is the ultimate team player on the court and the biggest supporter of his teammates off it. 'He's a special young man,' Schweitzer said. 'He's a leader. He's clutch. 'He does the little things that sometimes your star players don't do — rebounding, diving on the floor, playing defense, is probably our best screener. He does it all.' That example rubbed off on younger teammates like sophomore guard Kris Mporokoso, the only non-senior in Waubonsie Valley's starting lineup this season. 'He has a lot of good qualities, but he's real encouraging, making sure you're doing good on and off the court,' Mporokoso said. 'If someone is having a bad few games, he'll talk with him one on one to make sure his mental state is still good. 'It's a good learning experience for me because next year I'm going to have to step up. I've just got to follow in his footsteps.' Coleman's play drew praise from opposing coaches such as Benet's Gene Heidkamp, whose team beat the Warriors in the sectional semifinals. 'He's an incredible player,' Heidkamp said. 'He's got a tremendous heart. He's so skilled offensively. He shoots it well, he can break you down off the dribble, he's a great athlete and he makes players better.' Coleman is proud that the senior class left the program in better shape than they found it. 'Our brotherhood was able to be showcased out there,' he said. 'We did great things. It's been a ride. I will definitely cherish the memories.' So will Schweitzer, who is grateful to Coleman's parents. 'They run a tight ship,' Schweitzer said. 'They raised a great young man.' Coleman's father and mother, Farrah, who lives in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, split up long ago, and both have since remarried. They shared custody of their son. 'I was living with my mom predominantly, and then I would come up here for summers,' Coleman said. 'When I got to high school, I moved in with my dad full time.' Coleman's father helped him improve as a basketball player. 'My dad didn't know much about the game, but he was willing to learn it just because of the love his son has for the game,' Coleman said. 'When I came up here during the breaks, he always made it a thing to go to a park, and we'd play against each other. 'When I was trying to get on varsity, he would wake up with me every morning and take me to the gym, help me with my weightlifting and cardio. He helped me mint my skills and get them to the area that they are today. Those are some of my favorite memories with him.' Might Coleman one day follow his father into law enforcement? 'Shout out to all the police officers,' Coleman said. 'He tells me he does his job so my siblings and I don't have to, so if that's something that comes to me in the future, I'll cross that bridge when it comes. But right now, I'm just focused on the next step at Illinois State.'
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Waubonsie Valley's Danyella Mporokoso is the 2024-25 Girls Basketball Player of the Year for Aurora, Elgin, Naperville
Waubonsie Valley junior Danyella Mporokoso plays basketball with a joyous enthusiasm that is matched only by her competitiveness. Watching the 5-foot-7 point guard in action is witnessing an athlete mastering her craft one play at a time, usually while putting on a clinic. As for the source of Mporokoso's enthusiasm, it's as simplistic as it is contagious. 'I just love the sport,' she said. 'I love playing basketball. 'When I'm on the court, that's when I'm at my happiest. It's just a privilege to be on the court, so I think that's where I get my excitement from, just the love for the sport.' Mporokoso, the 2024-25 Beacon-News/Courier-News/Naperville Sun Girls Basketball Player of the Year, has used that love to improve not only her game but also her teammates' games. She guided the Warriors (31-2) to a Class 4A supersectional for the second straight season as they set a program record for fewest losses. Mporokoso, who has increased her scoring every season, averaged 22.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals. She ranks second on Waubonsie Valley's career scoring list with 1,972 points. Even more impressive is Mporokoso's impact on her teammates. The Warriors' other four starters increased their scoring this season as well. 'She's amazing,' Waubonsie Valley junior guard Maya Cobb said. 'She just creates a lot for our team, defensively too. 'Just seeing her play and getting buckets, steals, all that, honestly feeds us all energy, and also her drive for the game literally motivates all of us to do better and be better.' The greatest players make their teammates better. Mporokoso has done that despite being the top focus of every opposing defense's strategy. 'When she draws two or three defenders, I see her reads getting better,' Waubonsie Valley coach Brett Love said. 'I see her making those excellent passes, those extra passes when she brings more defenders. 'She's amazing at being able to create space and get her shot, no matter if it's on the 3-point line or getting to the basket. But she's getting everyone involved.' That has increased the confidence of Mporokoso's teammates while decreasing other teams' abilities to defend the Warriors. The extra pressure doesn't bother her. 'She's used to being pressured,' Love said. 'We work on that a lot. We deny her in practice a lot so she can get used to that because other teams will do it. 'She usually puts the weight on her shoulders and will try to go out there and get it done. She plays at a high level year-round.' That has rubbed off on the Warriors. 'She makes everyone around her better,' Waubonsie Valley senior forward Lily Newton said. 'Her work ethic is contagious. We have a shootaround an hour before practice, and she's there two hours before, getting her own training. 'She makes everyone around her want to be better, not for her but for themselves. It's players like her that push teams to get to state.' The Warriors got there last year, finishing fourth and earning their first state trophy. Their bid for a repeat trip fell just short as they lost to Alton 67-62 in the supersectional on March 3 despite 32 points from Mporokoso, who has 16 Division I offers but intends to wait to make a commitment until the fall. Mporokoso has a shot at breaking Ashley Luke's program and DuPage County scoring record of 2,885 points, although she will probably have to average at least 28 points to do so. But such honors are not what drive Mporokoso. 'Statistically, I don't really know if I have specific goals, maybe more assists and rebounds, just to round out my game,' she said. 'I want to be successful as a team. It would be so nice to get back down to state. That's really my goal — go to state.' Love has watched Mporokoso set and achieve goals throughout her career and expects that to continue. 'We lose Lily, which is a big piece, so she (Mporokoso) may have to step up her scoring, or she may have to step up as more of a leader next year,' Love said. 'But whatever she needs to do, she'll do it.'
