ESPNHS Boys' Basketball

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Sunday, March 12)

EAST

Quenton DeCosey, St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.)
The 6-foot-5 senior guard scored 30 points and collected eight rebounds as St. Joseph won its first state championship with a 77-68 victory over Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.) in the Non-Public A Tournament finals. It was the 28th straight victory for St. Joseph, which will play in the Tournament of Champions this week. DeCosey, who is headed to Temple, boosted his career totals to 1,592 points and 702 rebounds in 85 games. St. Joseph had advanced to the state group finals three previous times but lost all three to Seton Hall Prep.

SOUTHEAST

Tony Parker, Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.)
The 6-foot-9 senior center stamped himself as one of the greatest prep players in Georgia history after leading the Wolverines past Southwest DeKalb (Decatur, Ga.) 63-57 in the Class AAAA state championship. Parker scored 22 points to go with 12 rebounds and four blocks. What puts Parker among the state’s best ever is being a key starter for four straight state title-winning teams. He is the No. 21 player in the ESPNU 100 and is undeclared for college. He has made visits to UCLA, Duke, Ohio State and Kansas. Miller Grove finished 24-9 with almost all of the losses coming early in the season to nationally ranked teams.

MIDWEST

Dan Monteroso, St. Clairsville (Ohio)
The 6-foot-2 left-handed junior guard led the Red Devils to their first-ever Ohio regional tournament title with a 70-53 victory over state-ranked East Liverpool (Ohio) in the Division II district finals. Monteroso, a three-year regular in basketball and football as a wide receiver, scored a game-high 29 points, including 15 in the first quarter, as his 21-2 team advanced to play Chillicothe (Ohio). Monteroso, who was coming off a 40-point outburst in a 67-54 district tournament win over Carrollton (Ohio), also surpassed the 1,600-point career mark and is nearing the school record of 1,661 points set in 1958 with a year left to play. Monteroso is averaging 26 points, nine rebounds and 4.5 assists per game this season.

MIDLANDS

Akoy Agau, Omaha Central (Omaha, Neb.)
Notching a triple-double in a state final isn’t easy, but the 6-foot-9 junior center got one and it was the main reason why his team finished 30-0. In leading the Eagles past Omaha South 55-38 for the Class A state crown, Agau dominated the paint with 16 points, 14 blocks and 13 rebounds. It was the third straight state final in which Agau has made his presence known and he now has 30 blocks in those games. For the season, he only averaged 11.6 points per game but didn’t have to score that much for a team that will go down as one of the best in Nebraska history. Agau is the son of refugees from Sudan and will be one of the most inspirational players ESPNHS will follow through the 2013 season.

WEST

Cullen Neal, Eldorado (Albuquerque, N.M.)
The 6-foot-4 junior guard poured in 34 points to lead his team over La Cueva (Albuquerque, N.M.) in the Class 5A state final before 11,000 fans at University of New Mexico’s The Pit. Neal, who averaged 27.3 points per game during the season, was more than matched individually during the shootout by junior guard Bryce Alford’s 38 points. The two players are close friends because Alford’s father, Steve, is the head coach at the University of New Mexico while Cullen’s father, Craig, is an assistant coach for the Lobos. Neal has committed to St. Mary’s (Calif.), choosing the mid-major powerhouse Gaels over several BCS conference schools, including Oregon State and Arizona State.

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Sunday, March 4)

EAST

Jared Wilson-Frame, Windsor (Windsor, Conn.)
The 6-foot-3 sophomore wing exploded for a personal-best 45 points as the Warriors defeated Northwest Catholic (West Hartford, Conn.) 74-65 in the semifinals of the Central Connecticut Conference Tournament. Wilson-Frame, a touted junior high football-basketball player before he stepped onto the Windsor campus, converted nine 3-point field goals in the game. An All-CCC honoree, he followed up with 23 points in the 105-72 tournament final win over Manchester (Conn.). The Warriors take a 23-1 record into the state tournament starting this week.

SOUTHEAST

Devonta Pollard, Kemper County (De Kalb, Miss.)
Outside of Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Muhammad, there might not be a better undeclared senior player in the country. Pollard, a 6-foot-7 small forward, led Kemper County past defending champion Booneville (Miss.) 75-65 in last weekend’s Class 3A state championship. Pollard posted a triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots. For the season, the McDonald’s All-American averaged 23.8 points per game and led Kemper County to a 28-8 record.

MIDWEST

Marcus Paige, Linn-Mar (Marion, Iowa)
The 6-foot-1 senior point guard capped his regular-season with a 49-point effort as the Lions outlasted host Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 83-77 in double overtime. The win sent Linn-Mar to the state tournament for the ninth straight season. Doing his best impersonation of Reggie Miller against the New York Knicks, Paige scored nine points in the final 30 seconds of regulation to rally the Lions from an eight-point deficit to a 61-61 knot that sent the game to extra periods. Paige, who averages 28.4 points a game, is a McDonald's All-American and a North Carolina recruit.

MIDLANDS

Zach Bush, Eisenhower (Goddard, Kan.)
This 6-foot-6 senior point guard is a player to watch heading into this week’s Class 5A state tournament. Bush wrapped up last week with an impressive outing of 34 points, 10 rebounds, six steals and four assists in a 85-34 romp past South (Salina, Kan.). In a state dominated individually by the likes of Perry Ellis of Wichita Heights, Semi Ojeleye of Ottawa and Conner Frankamp of Wichita North, solid players like Bush can be missed. For the season, he is averaging 22.7 points per game with 9.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Bush played his first three seasons at crosstown rival Goddard and has grown eight inches since he freshman year, which accounts for him still being a guard.

WEST

Marquis Davis, Rainier Beach (Seattle)
The 5-foot-9 junior guard was the MVP of the Class 3A state championship game with 30 points to lead the Vikings past Seattle Prep 61-58. Davis made four 3-pointers in the first half to give Rainier Beach the early edge. He needed to step up because Kansas-bound guard Anrio Adams of the Vikings was hampered with fouls. With the win, Rainier Beach finishes 27-3, clinches its sixth state title and assures that no other team in Washington will be higher in the ESPNHS West Region rankings. Davis also has competed for Rainier Beach’s track team as a sprinter and long jumper. He had a top 100-meter time of 11.08 seconds as a sophomore.

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Sunday, Feb. 26)

EAST

Anthony “Big Cat” Barber, Hampton (Hampton, Va.)
The 6-foot-2 junior guard helped the Crabbers gain their first Group AAA state tournament berth since 1998 with a 57-52 overtime win over King's Fork (Suffolk, Va.) in the Eastern Region Tournament. Big Cat scored a game-high 27 points and charted eight rebounds and three steals. He converted 14-of-19 from the free throw line. With another season left to play, Barber also continues to receive increasing recruiting attention. Colleges showing the most interest include North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and Virginia.

SOUTHEAST

Rodney Purvis, Upper Room Academy (Raleigh, N.C.)
A 6-foot-4 senior guard and McDonald’s All-American, Purvis made his last regular-season game a memorable one by scoring 53 points in a 105-75 triumph last week over Body of Christ Academy (Raleigh, N.C.). Purvis broke his own school record of 46 points he established last season. He made nine shots from 3-point land and also had six rebounds and five assists. Purvis, who his headed to N.C. State, is the No. 20 player in the ESPNU 100.

MIDWEST

Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian (Duluth, Minn.)
One of the nation's most prolific scorers, the 6-foot-1 junior recorded Minnesota's second highest single-game effort in a losing cause. Broman scored 71 points, but Melrose (Melrose, Minn.) won the shootout 114-110. Broman, who averages 44.9 points per game and has over 3,500 career points in four varsity seasons, scored 47 points in the second half to close the deficit. He cashed in on 8-of-13 attempts on 3-pointers and was 13-of-14 from the free throw line. The state game scoring record of 90 points was set in 2005 by Cash Eggleston of Minnesota Transitions (Minneapolis).

MIDLANDS

Zach LeDay, The Colony (Texas)
LeDay has been getting his way for the Cougars for much of the season and had two 30-point games last week. The 6-foot-8 power forward with a commitment to South Florida first scored 30 points in a 64-34 victory against Plainview (Texas). He then came through for 33 as The Colony beat Burges (El Paso, Texas) 63-55. With the wins, Zach’s team (30-5) advanced to this week’s Class 4A regional semifinals. He is averaging 20.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

WEST

Roschon Prince, Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.)
Two years ago, Prince was the California freshman player of the year. He slipped behind San Jose Archbishop Mitty’s Aaron Gordon last season for state sophomores, but is making a charge this year among juniors. Prince, a 6-foot-5 forward, racked up a career-high 40 points and had 11 rebounds in last Friday’s 77-67 win by the FAB 50 No. 17 Jackrabbits over Eisenhower (Rialto, Calif.) in the CIF Southern Section Div. I-AA quarterfinals. Prince has been on a tear since going for 33 points one month ago against Compton (Calif.), which has upped his season totals to 21.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Sunday, Feb. 19)

EAST

Kris Dunn, New London (Conn.)
The 6-foot-3 senior point guard and McDonald's All-American reached the 2,000-point career milestone with 29 points in three quarters of play during an 89-54 victory over Woodstock Academy (Woodstock, Conn.). It was the 14th-straight win for the 18-2 record Whalers. The Providence recruit, who averages 33 points per game, was coming off a quadruple-double in his last game a week earlier. He had 32 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 steals in an 88-67 win over Stonington (Pawcatuck, Conn.). Dunn was featured in the holiday issue of ESPNHS Magazine's Connecticut edition.

SOUTHEAST

Elijah Wilson, Laney (Wilmington, N.C.)
Scoring 42 points to tie a school record has a bit more meaning at Laney than just about any other school in America because it’s a record that was set in 1980 by NBA legend Michael Jordan. Wilson, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, accomplished his feat in helping the Buccaneers defeat New Bern (N.C.) 68-62 last week in a four-overtime thriller. One of the top scorers in his region of the state all season, he gave a commitment to College of Charleston after the historic game.

MIDWEST

Victor Vincz, Eastern Hancock (Charlottesville, Ind.)
The 5-foot-10 junior guard scored a school record 52 points in a 92-91 shootout victory over host Monroe (Alexandria, Ind.) and its 5-foot-10 senior guard Mitch Yeagly, who also set a school record in the same game with 51 points. Vincz connected on 7-of-8 shots on 3-point attempts (also was 17-of-25 from the floor and cashed 11-of-12 free throws) in the thriller. Vincz converted 8-of-8 free throws in the final minutes. Yeagly, meanwhile, made 15-of-25 shot attempts and 17-of-19 free throws.

MIDLANDS

Cornell Johnston, Ladue (St. Louis)
The 5-foot-6 sophomore guard has filled up the stat sheet in helping his team adjust to being without 6-foot-8 center Austin DaGue due to an injury. One week after he scored 34 and 35 points in a pair of games, Johnston made 6-of-8 shots from 3-point land and had 29 points in a 77-58 triumph against Mehlville (St. Louis). In the same game, Johnston also handed out 10 assists and had five steals. Johnston started as a freshman on the varsity last year and was a second-team all-conference choice.

WEST

Durrell McDonald, Green Valley (Las Vegas)
Back on Jan. 4, Green Valley was 4-11 and going nowhere fast. But with McDonald leading the charge, the Gators have gone 13-1 since. After a 70-63 victory last weekend over Foothill (Henderson, Nev.), they are headed to the Class 4A state tournament. McDonald poured in 32 points in the win and for the season is averaging 21.2 points with 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. The 6-foot-2 senior guard will play next season at DePaul.

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Sunday, Feb. 12)

EAST

Nigel Johnson, Broad Run (Ashburn, Va.)
The 6-foot-1 junior point guard highlighted a 110-point, three-game week with a career-high 55 points in a 109-104 overtime loss to Osbourn (Manassas, Va.). Johnson converted 20 of 22 free throws and cashed in five shots from 3-point land in the outburst, which was witnessed by several college coaches. Johnson has nine 30-point games this season with a low of 19 points. He leads Virginia's Class AAA in scoring at 29.2 points per game and also sports averages of 8.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds. Johnson scored 34 and 21 points in his other two contests last week.

SOUTHEAST

Alex Poythress, Northeast Clarksville (Clarksville, Tenn.)
After being selected to the 2012 McDonald’s All-American Game last week, Poythress celebrated by scoring a career-high 48 points to lead Northeast Clarksville past Dickson County (Dickson, Tenn.) 68-60. The 6-foot-9 Kentucky recruit also hauled in 22 rebounds. He surpassed his previous career bests of 46 and 47 established earlier this season. Poythress is averaging better than 31 points per game, well above the 22.3 mark he turned in last winter. In addition to scoring, rebounding and leading his team to a 25-2 record, Poythress also boasts a 3.9 GPA.

MIDWEST

Connar Tava, Warren De La Salle (Warren, Mich.)
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior forward had a monster game in a 72-53 Detroit Catholic League Central Division win over U-D Jesuit. The Western Michigan recruit scored 43 points and collected 22 rebounds to lead the Pilots, who are favored to win the Catholic League playoffs for the fourth straight year, something that hasn't been done since 1952. In avenging the team’s only league loss, Tava scored 29 of his points in the second half while connecting on 14 of 17 shots from the floor as the Pilots claimed their fifth straight Central Division crown.

MIDLANDS

Justise Winslow, St. John’s (Houston)
Following a 31-point outing from the previous week, Winslow came through for two more all-around top-notch efforts that lifted his team to the Southwest Preparatory Conference Division I championship. Winslow, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward ranked No. 15 in the ESPNU 25, had 27 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a 49-46 triumph against Episcopal (Dallas) and then put up 25 points with 10 rebounds and eight assists as St. John’s beat Kinkaid (Houston) 70-60 in the final. Winslow averages 22.5 points per game.

WEST

Nick Stover, Windward (Los Angeles)
A 6-foot-5 senior on his way to Loyola Marymount, Stover collected 65 points in two wins last week to help the Wildcats vault back into the top 20 of the Cal-Hi Sports state rankings. Stover, who is averaging 21.7 points per game this season, had 33 points in a 77-71 triumph over Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.). He then hit for 32, including the game-tying free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation, in a 75-71 overtime win over state-ranked Pacific Hills (Los Angeles). Earlier this season, Stover had 23 points as Windward beat defending CIF Division II state champion Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.). He was a major contributor last year, leading the Wildcats to the CIF Division IV state crown.

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Sunday, Jan. 29)

EAST

Brandon Camic, Serra Catholic (McKeesport, Pa.)
The 6-foot-5 senior forward has made his wait to play at Serra Catholic worthwhile. He set a school single-game scoring record last week by chalking up 51 points in an 88-33 rout of Elderton (Pa.). Camic had to sit out his junior season after transferring from South Allegheny (McKeesport, Pa.) following his sophomore year. Camic, who recently passed the 1,000-point career mark, leads Pittsburgh area Class A scorers with a 23.8 per game average. He also averages 10 rebounds and six assists per game.

SOUTHEAST

Devonte Boykins, East Rutherford (Forest City, N.C.)
As a freshman last year, Boykins started alongside older brother Devince, who is now playing at Marshall University, and helped East Rutherford win the Class 2A state title. He’s now one of the most promising sophomores in the state. Boykins posted a triple-double of 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and also had four steals in his team’s 69-48 win over Patton (Morgantown, N.C.). He added 20 points and eight rebounds in a 58-47 triumph against A.C. Reynolds (Ashville, N.C.).

MIDWEST

Casey Kasperbauer, Carroll (Iowa)
The 6-foot-1 senior guard scored 47 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, in a 84-70 victory over Winterset (Iowa). The South Dakota recruit, who also plays quarterback in football, connected on eight 3-point field goals and all 11 of his free throw attempts in the second highest scoring game for an Iowa player this season. Kasperbauer leads Class 3A in scoring with a 25.3 points per game this season. A four-year regular and three-time all-state honoree, he has led Carroll in scoring, assists and steals for four straight seasons.

MIDLANDS

Quinton Threadgill, Haworth (Okla.)
This senior guard is from a school of less than 400 in the far southeast lip of the state and has been putting up huge numbers. Threadgill broke his own school record last week with 52 points in a 90-65 victory over Valliant (Okla.) and went over 1,500 points for his career. Threadgill scored 50 in a game earlier this season and is averaging 26.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He will play next at Southeast Oklahoma State.

WEST

Corey Lange, Tehachapi (Calif.)
After starting the season late due to being on a 10-2 football team, Lange has become one of the most explosive scorers in California. He began last week with 45 points, 12 rebounds, four steals, two blocks and two assists in a 76-63 victory over Taft (Calif.). That was followed up with 48 points, which ties a school record and is the highest total in a game this season in the CIF Central Section, when Tehachapi beat Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield, Calif.) 98-84. Lange, a 6-foot-2 guard, is averaging 25.8 points per game.

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Monday, Jan. 16)

EAST

Frank Mason, Petersburg (Va.)
The 6-foot senior point guard led the Crimson Wave to a statement victory in a matchup of the top two-ranked teams in the Richmond area and two of the top three in the state. The Towson recruit scored 37 points while cashing in on 21-of-26 free throws, including 7-for-7 in the fourth quarter, to lead Petersburg (17-1) to a 75-69 win over John Marshall (Richmond, Va.), which fell to 14-2. Mason, who was also credited with nine rebounds, took charge in the home stretch by scoring 12 of his team's final 17 points. Entering the game, Petersburg was ranked No. 1 and John Marshall No. 3 in state polls.

SOUTHEAST

Stetson Billings, Strong (Ark.)
The 6-foot-5 senior shooting guard netted his first 50-point game and his first triple-double in the same performance. Billings, the No. 4-ranked prospect in the state according to ESPNU, racked up 57 points and also had 16 rebounds and 10 assists when Strong defeated Bearden (Ark.), 89-65. In his two other games last week, Billings had 28 points in a win against Norphlet (Ark.) plus 29 in a victory over Woodlawn (Rison, Ark.). He is averaging more than 29 points per game and is headed to Arkansas-Little Rock.

MIDWEST

Matt Costello, Bay City Western (Auburn, Mich.)
The 6-foot-9 senior center had a career game as Western outlasted Southwestern (Flint, Mich.), 80-75, in a double-overtime triumph. Costello scored a career-best 49 points, two off the 21-year-old school reeord, as the Warriors rallied from a 38-26 halftime deficit. The Michigan State recruit also was credited with 20 rebounds, six assists and seven blocked shots. Costello is averaging 22 points and 20 rebounds per game this season. His 6-foot-4 twin brother, John, also starts for the Warriors and averages 12 points and six rebounds per game.

MIDLANDS

Josh Scott, Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.)
On the strength of making 16-of-19 shots in one game and then 12-of-14 in the next, Scott continued his dominance for the Rangers last week in a pair of easy wins. The 6-foot-10 senior center, who has signed with Colorado, first had 36 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a 94-40 romp past Harrison (Colorado Springs, Colo.). He then added 33 points and 12 rebounds when Lewis-Palmer swamped Woodland Park (Colo.), 102-28. Scott is averaging 29.9 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. He is Colorado's top recruit, checking in at No. 36 player in the ESPNU 100.

WEST

Marcus LoVett Jr., Providence (Burbank, Calif.)
This high-scoring freshman point guard plays at a school directly across the street from Disney world headquarters, but that is not why we’re writing him up as a national player of the week. In a 73-66 victory by the Pioneers last week over Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) that involved two of the top freshmen in California, LoVett scored 45 points to push his season scoring average to 32.4 per game. Freshman Aaron Holiday, younger brother of NBA guard Jrue Holiday, led Campbell Hall with 27. Last year, Providence was led by junior Patrick Gonzalez, who was the state's top scorer with more than 37 points per game. This season, Gonzalez is the squad’s second-leading scorer at 19 points per game.

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

(After games of Monday, Jan. 16)

EAST

Kris Jenkins, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior forward has been on a tear the last couple of weeks for the unbeaten, FAB 50-ranked Eagles. Last week, he had back-to-back 30-point games, including 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 77-65 victory over then-FAB 50 No. 50 Riverside Academy (Reserve, La.) in the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Earlier he scored a career-high 34 points in a 78-61 victory over St. Mary's Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.). The previous week, he was named game MVP after scoring 21 points in a 54-44 win over Whitney Young (Chicago) at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W. Va.

SOUTHEAST

Devin Booker, Moss Point (Miss.)
The 15-year-old sophomore guard is becoming the rage of Mississippi after moving in from Grandville, Mich. He poured in 54 points in a game last week to lead Moss Point past Northeast Jones (Laurel, Miss.). Then on Monday, he connected for a game-winning 3-point shot at the horn in a 67-66 triumph against Murrah (Jackson, Miss.) at the MLK Classic. Devin, who also had 27 points in a loss last week to Pascagoula (Miss.) and has made a half-court buzzer-beating shot this season, is the son of former University of Missouri standout Melvin Booker. The older Booker, who played two years in the NBA, has retired from playing professionally in Europe.

MIDWEST

Martez Walker, Pershing (Detroit)
The 6-foot-5 junior shooting guard helped the unbeaten Doughboys into the FAB 50 rankings with two wins last week, including an 81-80 win over previously unbeaten, and FAB 50-ranked defending Class B state champion Sexton (Lansing, Mich.). Walker scored 24 points in the showdown after scoring 31 points the previous night in an 87-74 victory over Detroit Public League rival Crockett Tech (Detroit). Walker waxed hot with 23 points in the first half.

MIDLANDS

Ricky Seals-Jones, Sealy (Texas)
Get ready for the hype machine surrounding this 6-foot-6, 220-pound football-basketball standout. Just a junior, Seals-Jones gets onto this week’s national honor roll by scoring 42 points with 12 rebounds and five assists in Sealy’s 76-59 win last week over Tomball (Texas). He also improved his scoring average to 31.3 per game to go along with 13.9 rebounds. But football still may be Ricky’s best sport. He’s regarded as one of the top tight end/wide receiver prospects in Texas and has offers already for next year from LSU, Notre Dame, Baylor, Texas Tech and others. Sealy is the hometown of NFL Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson, who also happens to be Ricky’s uncle.

WEST

Dewayne Russell, Peoria (Ariz.)
A 5-foot-11 senior guard headed to USC, Russell had the strange phenomenon of playing the same team two nights in a row and almost having exactly the same totals. First, Russell had 36 points with eight rebounds and four assists in a 67-52 victory over Apollo (Glendale, Ariz.). The next night against the same team, he had 34 points with five steals and three assists in a 67-57 win. Russell, who is a four-year starter, is averaging 28.9 points per game with 5.6 assists.

Related: Players of the Week (Jan. 4) | RecruitingNation top performances

(After games of Saturday, Jan. 7)

Here are this week's high school boys’ basketball Players of the Week. One player is chosen from each region of the country. No player will be chosen more than once during a season.

EAST
Troy Caupain, Cosby (Midlothian, Va.)
The 6-foot-2 junior point guard continued his recent torrid play with a career-high 41 points to tie the six-year-old school record in an 83-67 victory over Manchester (Midlothian, Va.). Caupain converted 18-of-23 free throws and the guard pulled down 15 rebounds in an all-round effort. Caupain was coming off a holiday tournament in which he averaged 31.5 points per game for the Titans.

SOUTHEAST
Diamante Lewis, Lake Weir (Ocala, Fla.)
The 6-foot-3 senior guard has been among the early-season scoring leaders in Florida and boosted his average to 29.4 points per game with a pair of strong outings last week. Lewis, who was named the Marion County Player of the Year as a junior after averaging 21 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists per game, had 36 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a 75-60 triumph over West Port (Ocala, Fla.). Lewis followed that with 34 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and six steals to lead his team past South Lake (Groveland, Fla.).

MIDWEST
Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian Academy (Duluth, Minn.)
The 6-foot-1 junior guard is on track to shatter the all-time state career scoring record of 4,086 points set by current West Virginia freshman Kevin Noreen, who played five varsity seasons at Minnesota Transitions (Minneapolis). Broman scored 82 points in two games last week, netting 43 in a 94-79 win over Northwestern (Maple, Wis.) and 39 in a 71-68 loss to New Life Academy (Woodbury, Minn.). Broman has scored 412 points in nine games this season, including a season-high 56, for a 45.8-point average. The junior has scored 2,935 career points, including 503 pre-freshman points for the varsity.

MIDLANDS
Stephen Clark, Douglass (Oklahoma City)
He’s a 5-foot-10 junior guard who has caught the eye of many recruiting analysts – including ESPN’s Dave Telep – for his long-range shooting. All eyes should be on Clark now after what he did in a 106-92 loss last week to Airline (Bossier City, La.) at the Bossier Invitational. Clark connected for 65 points, including 52 in the second half. He also made 27-of-27 free throws. Clark is reported to have offers from Providence, Marquette, Fresno State and more.

WEST
Grant Verhoeven, Central Valley Christian (Visalia, Calif.)
After this season, the 6-foot-9 senior center will head to Stanford and the rigors of the Pac-12. Verhoeven has been averaging 25 points and 18 rebounds per game and enjoyed another stellar week. He opened league play with 23 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks against Coalinga (Calif.) in a 60-49 win, and then had 22 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks as the Cavaliers topped Dinuba (Dinuba, Calif.), 72-51. Verhoeven ended the week with 40 points, 22 rebounds and 11 blocks in an 80-73 triumph over Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield, Calif.). He also became the 15th player to score more than 2,000 career points in the history of the CIF Central Section, according to section historian Bob Barnett.

Related: Players of the Week (Dec. 28)

(After games of Saturday, Dec. 31)

EAST
Devin Thomas, Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, Pa.)
The 6-foot-9 senior and Wake Forest recruit had double-doubles on back-to-back nights as the unbeaten Rams (7-0) won a four-team local holiday tournament. In a 59-52 overtime win over Souderton (Souderton, Pa.), Thomas scored 31 points and collected 22 rebounds. The next night, he scored 19 points and had 10 rebounds in a 52-48 victory over Norristown (Norristown, Pa.). He also totaled eight blocked shots in the two wins. Thomas was selected a tournament MVP for the second time in three weeks. He averages 21.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this season after earning all-state honors as a junior.

SOUTHEAST
Imara Ready, Parkview (Little Rock, Ark.)
For the first time since 1992, a team from outside Texas has won the Whataburger holiday tourney and that team was unbeaten Parkview, led by its 5-foot-11 junior point guard. Ready pumped in 32 points in the title game of the 54-year tourney’s top division as Parkview defeated Rufus King (Milwaukee) 72-64. In last year’s final, Parkview lost to Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas), a FAB 50-ranked team that also was in this year’s field but lost in an early-round game to Richland (Richland, Texas). Ready averaged 17 points and seven assists as a sophomore starter for Parkview’s Class 6A state title team. He’s improved in all facets of his game and has already committed to Nebraska.

MIDWEST
Zak Showalter, Germantown (Germantown, Wis.)
The 6-foot-2 senior guard exploded for 15 first-quarter points and ended with a game-high 28 as the unbeaten (10-0) Warhawks defeated previously unbeaten and state-ranked De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 60-49 in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout at Mequon. Germantown jumped out to a 22-8 first-quarter cushion against a team that had beaten the Warhawks last year at the same event. Showalter, son of Germantown coach Steve Showalter, has elected to accept a preferred walk-on invitation from Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan after considering 15 other scholarship offers. An all-state and local Player of the Year choice as a junior, he averaged 19 points and 4.5 assists last season.

MIDLANDS
Martez Harrison, University Academy (Kansas City)
The 5-foot-11 senior point guard is among the nation’s top scorers at 34.0 points per game and led his team last week to the championship of the Bishop LeBlond Holiday Tournament in St. Joseph, Mo. Harrison had 30 points, eight assists and four steals when the Gryhpons topped the host school 59-50 in the title game. Earlier in the event, he had 34 points with seven assists and four steals when University Academy beat Mid-Buchanan (Faucett, Mo.) 66-51. Harrison exploded for a 58-point game early in the season against Harrisonville (Harrisonville, Mo.) and his game-high for assists so far is 11. He has generated interest from a few mid-major colleges, but remains uncommitted.

WEST
Nick Emery, Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)
He helped Lone Peak bounce back from an early in-state loss with a solid runner-up finish at the prestigious Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Although Lone Peak was defeated by Milton (Milton, Ga.) in the title game, Emery set a four-game tournament record with 119 points to best the previous mark set by ESPNHS All-American Chris Wright of St. John's (Washington, D.C.) in 2006. He scored 21 points in the title game and 29 in a 72-67 overtime semifinal thriller over Whitney Young (Chicago) in which there was 15 lead changes. A BYU recruit, Emery is one of the better shooting guards in the West region for the class of 2013 and has led Lone Peak back this week into the POWERADE FAB 50 national rankings.

(After games of Dec. 19)

Here the ESPNHS Players of the Week. One high school boys basketball player is chosen from each region of the country. The only other criteria is that no player will be chosen more than once during a season.

EAST

Boo Lathon, Wheeling Park (Wheeling, W. Va.)
The 6-foot-2 senior wing is off to a fast start for West Virginia's top-ranked team after the Patriots finished as Class AAA state runnerup the last two years. Lathon, a third team all-state choice as a junior and contender for state player of the year honors, scored 53 points and had 21 rebounds in two big wins for the 3-0 record team. He outscored city rival Wheeling Central Catholic (Wheeling, W.Va.) with 29 points, and 10 rebounds, in a 95-25 blowout of the Maroon Knights, the widest margin of victory in the 35-year history of the series. In an 80-61 romp over previously-unbeaten North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), Lathon was 11 of 17 from the floor with 24 points -- including three dunks, 11 rebounds and five steals. He averages 21 points and nine rebounds per game.

SOUTHEAST

Josh Cuthbertson, West Craven (Vanceboro, N.C.)
The 6-foot-5 junior forward connected for 36 points on Saturday to lead the Eagles to their ninth straight win to start the season as they defeated New Bern (New Bern, N.C.) 106-70. Cuthbertson also tossed in 33 points the night before against Washington (Washington, N.C.) as is averaging nearly 28 points per game. He also is contributing 11 rebounds and four assists per game. Last year as a sophomore, Cuthbertson posted averages of 20 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

MIDWEST

Tyus Jones, Apple Valley (Apple Valley, Minn.)
The highly recruited 6-foot-1 sophomore point guard scored 53 points in two wins last week and leads the Minneapolis area in scoring with a 29.5 per game average for the 3-1 record team. Jones, who scored 37 in a season-opening loss to Eden Prairie (Eden Prairie, Minn.), connected on 12 of 15 goal attempts and scored 32 points in a 80-62 win over Henry Sibley (Mendota Heights, Minn.), and netted 21 points in a 91-87 victory over St. Louis Park (Minneapolis, Minn.). In the other game this season, Jones scored 28 points and dished off eight assists in a 79-69 win over Tartan (Oakdale, Minn.) with Minnesota coach Tubby Smith in the crowd.

MIDLANDS

Cody McCoy, Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins, Colo.)
In the semifinals of last weekend’s HealthOne Holiday Tournament, McCoy suffered a head wound that knocked him out the game and required three staples to close. The junior guard, though, was cleared to play for Saturday’s tourney final and the Sabercats are glad he did. McCoy pumped in 33 points and led Fossil Ridge past Denver South 75-55. McCoy is averaging 16.5 points and 3.3 assists per game so far this season.

WEST

Michael Washington Jr., Oak Harbor (Oak Harbor, Wash.)
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior guard netted 41 points to lead his team to a thrilling 66-62 double-overtime victory over Everett (Everett, Wash.). His scoring outburst tied the second best single-game performance in school history, which was set in 1953 by Pat McGreevy (49 points). Some poor free throw shooting by Oak Harbor helped keep Everett in the game, but with the score knotted at 55 after one overtime, Washington scored 10 points in the second extra period to ice the game. His performance helped raise his season scoring average to 22.6 per game after five games for the 2-3 Wildcats. Washington averaged 18. 2 points as a junior and is headed to Princeton next fall.