By Alan Robinson
AP Sports Writer
This season, it was almost necessary to be a leading player of the year candidate nationally to be considered for the same award on the state level in Pennsylvania.
Terrelle Pryor and Tyreke Evans, two of the country’s top high school athletes, lead The Associated Press Pennsylvania boys basketball all-state teams after achieving considerable recognition far beyond the commonwealth’s borders.
Here in Mercer County, Kennedy Catholic junior Kyle Randall made 1st team in Class A, while Farrell’s Donald Jackson was a 2nd-team pick in Class AA.
Randall recorded an area-best 798 points this season, 2nd-best in all-time county cage annals behind former West Middlesex High standout Rick Ladjevich (827). He has scored 1,298 career points and keyed Kennedy to a 20-10 mark and state-wide Final Four berth before suffering a 78-76 overtime setback to Serra Catholic in the west region title tilt. Serra secured the commonwealth crown.
Jackson jolted opponents for 16.9 points per game (1,124 for his career) in addition to his rebounding and shot-blocking skills in leading staking the Steelers (25-5) to the PIAA AA quarterfinals where they suffered a setback to North East (66-60).
Pryor had quite the senior year at Jeannette. As the nation’s most-recruited high school quarterback, he led the Jayhawks to the state Class AA football title. Then, refusing to be distracted by nearly ’round-the-clock football recruiting that didn’t end until he signed with Ohio State on March 19, he pulled off the same feat by powering his team to the AA basketball championship.
“I know he loves the game. I’m just going to tell you, I don’t know if some of you guys realize the commitment that he’s made to our basketball team,” said Jeannette’s “Great! Well deserved!” Steelers’ skipper Roland Shannonhouse said of Jackson’s selection. “It’s the accumulation of all his years of playing, a lot of hard work. He never missed a day, and always did what we asked of him and it’s paid off for him. It’s time he got a few accolades,” Shannonhouse added. “We’ve never had a problem out of Donald — he’s a good person on and off the court — and a good basketball player. I’m happy for him.”
Shannonhouse said Jackson has been invited to the upcoming Dapper Dan Classic at Geneva College.
Attempts to reach Kennedy Catholic coach MarlonMcGaughy were unsuccessful.
Evans’ American Christian school from the Philadelphia area isn’t a PIAA member but the 6-foot-5 senior is the nation’s most recruited point guard, averaging 29 points. The Class AAAA player of the year, Evans leads the all-state team in that class.
Player of the year Pryor made the Class AA all-state 1st team for the 2nd year in a row. He was a 2nd-teamer as a sophomore.
Last season, Evans was chosen as the Class A player of the year based on American Christian’s tiny enrollment. Because the school elected to play up in class to showcase Evans’ talents this season, he was moved up to AAAA and is the 1st athlete chosen as one of the Pennsylvania players of the year 3 consecutive seasons since The AP awards began in 1988.
Chester, winning a state title for retiring coach Fred Pickett(3-time coach of the year), was the only school to place 2 players on the AAAA all-state team. Nasir Robinson, a Pitt recruit, repeats as a 1st-teamer, while point guard Karon Butler made the 2nd team after averaging a team-leading 18.6 points. Also making the AAAA 1st team were Schenley star Deandre Kane (30.8 ppg.), who helped his team to the state title in 2007, Pennsbury star junior Dalton Pepper, Philadelphia Roman Catholic leader Maalik Wyans and Moon’s Brian Walsh, a Xavier recruit.
Andrew “Scootie” Randall, a Temple signee an The Philadelphia Daily News player of the year, heads the AAA team and is the player of the year. Randall, a 2nd-team choice last season, averaged 22.5 points on a team that reached the AAA quarters before losing to Susquehanna Twp. Lance Chisholm, who led Steelton-Highspire to the AAA championship by averaging 17.1 ppg., is joined on the 1st team by seniors Antoine Childs (Blackhawk), repeat 1st-teamers Tony Fannick (Milton) and Shawn Walker (General McLane) and Dameatric Scott (Greencastle-Antrim). Also making the AA 1st team are repeat selection Jacob Iati of York Catholic, plus Aliquippa’s Jonathan Baldwin — a 2nd-teamer last season. Dwayne Davis of AA runner-up Strawberry Mansion and Rashad Savage of PIAA AA semifinalist Imhotep Charter also made the 1st team.
The Class A 1st team is headed by all-Philadelphia 1st team selection Jarrod “G” Denard, chosen as the player of the year after steering Freire Charter to the state championship game. Serra Catholic, which won that title game 67-66, landed 6-8 senior Pat Grubbs on the 1st team and T.J. Heatherington on the 2nd team. Also chosen as Class A 1st-teamers were the high-scoring Brandon Penn (27.3 points) of Philadelphia’s Paul Robeson High, Kennedy’s Randall and Sewickley Academy sophomore Tom Droney.
John Johnson of Girard College has a chance of making the all-state team 4 seasons in a row. After averaging 20 points while leading his school to a No. 4 ranking in Class A, Johnson — a freshman — made the 2nd team.
Vince Rogers of runner-up Susquehanna Twp. (AAA) has a 2-year record of 57-8 after being a last-minute fill-in, and is coach of the year, as is Serra’s Bob Rozanski (A) and Jeannatte’s Jim Nesser (AA).
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KC's Randall, Farrell's Jackson named to All-State teams
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