Chiney Ogwumike and Jared Sullinger Named 2010 Naismith National High School Basketball Players of the Year
Sean Casey and James “Satch” Sullinger Claim Coach of the Year Honors
ATLANTA (March 10, 2010) – Cypress-Fairbanks (Cypress, Texas) High School senior Chiney Ogwumike and Columbus (Ohio) Northland High School senior Jared Sullinger have been named the 2010 Naismith National High School Girl’s and Boy’s Basketball Players of the Year, respectively, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. Also recognized were Sean Casey (Peddie School, Highstown, NJ) and James “Satch” Sullinger (Northland High School, Columbus, Ohio) as the 2010 Naismith National Girl’s and Boy’s High School Coaches of the Year, respectively.
The winners were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, a collection of leading basketball journalists and administrators from around the country, based on performances over the course of the season.
The four award winners will be honored at the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Naismith Awards Banquet presented by AT&T and SunTrust on March 23 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta. Among those also being honored that evening are Marsha Sharp and John Thompson for outstanding contribution to women’s and men’s basketball, respectively.
The Naismith Trophy, presented annually to the top girl’s and boy’s high school players and coaches in the country, is the most prestigious national award in basketball.
About the winners:
Chiney Ogwumike – The consensus No. 1 prospect in the country by all major recruiting services led Cy-Fair (36-1) to its second Class 5A State Championship in the past three seasons. She scored 31 points and hauled down 18 rebounds in the 65-41 championship game win over Fort Bend Hightower, and was named the tournament MVP. This season she averaged 22.9 points per game, 13.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. The Lady Bobcats went 55-0 in district during her four years with the program. Next year, she will play alongside her older sister Nneka at Stanford.
"For Chiney to win this award says so much about her abilities as an athlete, and it also shows how much determination it takes to maintain the level of play that Chiney has done over the last four years, said Cy-Fair head coach Ann Roubique. “She has represented our campus and our community with her character, determination, and leadership, and I am so proud to have been a part.”
Jared Sullinger – The 6-9 center has led Northland to an undefeated season (21-0) and a No. 1 ranking in USA Today. The Vikings are playing for the Division I district title on Saturday in the state playoffs. The reigning Mr. Ohio Basketball led Northland to the Division I state title a year ago. This season, Sullinger has averaged 23.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Ohio State next season.
“Jared's body of work during the last four years speaks for itself, including an undefeated and top-ranked senior season,” said Northland Head Coach James “Satch” Sullinger. “But what really makes me proud is that Jared is a better person then he is a basketball player.”
Sean Casey – Peddie defeated Blair Academy, 48-40, to collect its 14th consecutive NJISAA Prep A championship. In addition, the Falcons have won 12 consecutive Mid-Atlantic Prep League titles, winning every MAPL game (77-0) since the inception of the league in 1998-99. Completing his third straight 20-win season and ninth overall, Casey ended the 2009-10 campaign at 23-2, giving the veteran coach a final career mark of 326-89 (.784). He is stepping down after 17 seasons as head coach. During his 17-year tenure, Casey coached three High School All-Americans and sent 17 of his student-athletes to Division I collegiate programs.
"I have been blessed and honored to work with some of the best student-athletes in the country throughout my career at Peddie, and I have had some of the finest assistant coaches,” said Casey. “To receive this award is an amazing honor and a credit to all of the people who have been involved in our program this season and for the last 17 years.”
James “Satch” Sullinger – He has led the Vikings to a 21-0 mark this year and a No. 1 ranking in USA Today with the team playing Saturday in the Division I District Finals. For his career he has amassed a 145-76 record in his 10 seasons at Northland including the 2009 Division I Ohio State championship. His overall coaching mark is 234-135.
"This amazing honor was earned through wonderful young men that bought into our slogan, ‘One Heartbeat’ team first and foremost, ” said Coach Sullinger. “I proudly share this honor with them."
Past Naismith Trophy winners have set a precedent for excellence at the college and professional levels. That group includes Lisa Leslie (1990), Chamique Holdsclaw (1995), Diana Taurasi (2000), LeBron James (2003), Dwight Howard (2004) and Greg Oden (2006).
Last year, Skylar Diggins of Washington High School (South Bend, Ind.) joined South Atlanta’s Derrick Favors (Atlanta, Ga.) as the Naismith National High School Players of the Year, while Stan Benge (Ben Davis High School, Indianapolis, Ind.) and Steve Smith (Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va.) were selected as the Naismith National High School Coach of the Year award winners.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award has become the most prestigious award in all of college basketball, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high schoo l basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.