Bishop Gorman’s Darrion Williams (5) and Liberty’s Joshua Jefferson (5) chase after a loose ball during a game at Liberty High School Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022.
Published Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 | 1:22 p.m.
Updated Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022 | 1:12 p.m.
Bishop Gorman’s Darrion Williams and Liberty's Joshua Jefferson are expected to share the spotlight at the end of the month in Reno during high school basketball’s 5A state basketball championship tournament.
Today, the seniors sharing something else: Player of the Year honors.
The Nevada Basketball Coaches Association released its end of the year awards this afternoon, and the list is dominated by players from Gorman and Liberty — the presumed favorites to win state.
Williams averaged 15.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and four steals per game for undefeated Gorman, while Jefferson posted 18 points and 10 rebounds per game for Liberty.
“He does everything for us,” Liberty coach Kevin Soares said earlier in the season about the 6-foot-7 Jefferson. “For someone his size to be that skilled at this level gives us an advantage each and every game.”
And after Williams had 24 points and nine rebounds in a regular season win over Liberty, Gorman coach Grant Rice proclaimed: “I have been telling people for a year about Darrion Williams. At some point some people need to listen. He is really good, really good.”
Gorman, which is playing for a 10th straight championship when the playoffs begin next week, also has the Defensive Player of the Year (Keenan Bey) and Coach of the Year (Rice). Most of the Gorman starting lineup was recognized, as sophomores Juni Mobley and Jase Richardson, and senior Ryan Abelman took home first team honors.
Liberty’s Aaron Price and Dedan Thomas Jr. were also part of the first team.
Coronado’s Richard Isaacs was tabbed as the Offensive Player of the Year, while teammates Osiris Grady and Isaac Peralta were named to the first team. Durango’s Tylin Riley and Taj Degourville, and Canyon Springs’ Jaylen Foy were also first team selections.
The second-team included: Bishop Gorman’s James Freeman, Canyon Springs’ Jaylen Pollard; Clark’s Jake Price; Coronado’s DJ Pizer; Isaac Boykin and Jamir Thomas from Desert Pines, Shane Thomas and Sterlin Knox from Durango; Foothill’s Zak Abdalla; and Liberty’s Angelo Kambala.
Honorable mention selections include: Brian Townsend, Jalen Dickel and Jaiden Dixon from Arbor View; Dionn Whittaker, Lorenzo Moore and A’lyjah Conway-Wilson from Canyon Springs; Centennial’s Tony Roberts; Coronado’s Josiah Cunningam; Durango’s Mason Brown; Faith Lutheran’s Jace Aquinngoc, Leyton Barr and Graydon Lemke; Foothill’s John Derrick; Liberty’s Kaeden Castillero; Solomon Mason, Paisley Nickelson, Michael Smith and Donovan Ude from Palo Verde.
Liberty also had the class 5A girls Player of the Year in junior forward Alia Matavao, who averaged 13.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game.
Olivia Bigger of Desert Oasis was the Offensive Player of the Year, Kaniya Boyd of Centennial was pegged as the Defensive Player of the Year, and Shadow Ridge’s Ethan Lewis was the Coach of the Year.
The girls first team also included: Mary McMorris and Danae Powell from Centennial; Isabella Jaramillo and Taylor Etopio from Liberty; Aaliyah Gayles and Grace Knox from Spring Valley; Shadow Ridge’s Jamia Carter; and Gorman’s Selina Gutierrez.
The second team included: Reina Bell and Silva Garcia from Gorman; Latahemo Fakahafua and Elin Guzelkucuk from Desert Oasis; Asani Ceasar and Charlece Ohiaeri from Centennial; Coronado’s Kaylee Walters; Liberty’s Sakura Bradley; Faith Lutheran’s Leah Mitchell; and Zh’mya Marti from Shadow Ridge.
Honorable mention selections: Ariyanah Custard (Canyon Springs); Jaila Childress (Spring Valley); Jaden Newman (Liberty); Savannah Wallace (Foothill); Kelly Megown (Shadow Ridge); Briana Green (Spring Valley); AJ Wick (Green Valley); Burcin Kuru (Green Valley); and Jaleese Mckenzie (Legacy).
Class 4A
Players of the Mojave High basketball team, from left Ja'Marion Smith, C.J. Shaw and Giali Chapman, take a portrait during the Las Vegas Sun's High School Basketball Media Day at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, Nov. 1, 2021.
Picks for the class 4A boys team include: Tavi Jackson (Las Vegas), Alijah Adem (Spring Valley), Tayan Thompson (Cimarron-Memorial), Karson Roberts (Bonanza), Kenyon Giles (Silverado) and CJ Shaw (Mojave).
Adem was selected as the Desert League Player of the Year, while Jackson was the Lake League’s Player of the Year. Roberts took the Mountain League’s top honors and Thompson was honored in the Sky League.
Other highlights:
•Mojave had two players on the first team all-Lake League in Giali Chapman and Shaw, while the Rattlers’ TJ McTyer and Amaris Quenum-Stewart are part of the second team. Kejuan Clark is the league’s Coach of the Year.
•Legacy’s Antonio Burns and Marcus Lawson earned first-team all-Mountain League honors, and Rajon Chambers made the second team. Also in the Mountain, Sylis Gray of Bonanza made the first team and Jaden Riley the second. Jermone Riley of Bonanza was the Coach of the Year.
• Silverado had three players honored in Giles (first team), and Jeron Hayes and Julius Robinson (second team). Tayshawn Jackson and TJ Brown of Las Vegas also made the second team. And Green Valley had a few honorees in Phoenix Wortham making the first team and Dominic Washington the second.
• In the Desert League, Donovan Webster (Cheyenne), Frank Evans (Eldorado), Khamari Taylor (Sierra Vista), Pharoah Compton (Spring Valley) and Elijah Johnson (Rancho) were first-team picks.
4A girls
For the 4A girls, Tiairra Brown of Clark was named the Most Valuable Player of the Desert League after averaging 15 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Members of the Desert League first team include: Jamelia Coleman, Taylor Gauther and Caresse Smith from Clark, Adi Perez and Makayla Williams from Rancho, and Tarah Campbell from Valley.
The second team includes: Aria Hofer and Sarah Upshaw from Clark; Dazani Jackson, Heaven Hill and Amaya Payne from Cimarron-Memorial; and Angel Meder of Valley.
In the Mountain League’s, the Player of the Year went to Arielle Davis of Desert Pines and Camryn Harris of Arbor View.
The Mountain League’s first team is: Zaria Glover (Durango), Ashley Saxton (Silverado), Jessica Castro (Arbor View), Sierra McLean (Basic), Grace Sailor-Jones (Sierra Vista) and Cashmere Webb (Desert Pines).
The second team includes Mya Campana and Shayla Kanterevic of Durango, Victoria Leal of Silverado, and Dayana Wilder, Destiny Sao-Martinez and Mia Sao-Martinez from Desert Pines.
In the Sky League, the Most Valuable Player award was shared by Las Vegas High teammates Kayla Terry and Layla Faught.
The Sky League first team includes a pair of sophomores in Akaiya Lidge (Sunrise Mountain) and DyAnna Nicholson (Mojave). The rest of the first team: Halle McKnight (Palo Verde), Serendipity Nebres (Palo Verde), Gemini Ventura (Cheyenne), Halle McKnight (Palo Verde) and Christina Ramirez (Western).
The second team: Amarie Regala and Vernonie Newson from Las Vegas, Dawn Hodnett from Mojave, Sophia Rivera from Palo Verde, Autumn Shulkusky from Cheyenne, and Cheyenne Shelton from Sunrise Mountain.
