Georgia High School Basketball Award Winners Announced
Maya Moore and Gani Lawal Claim Top State Honors

ATLANTA (March 15, 2007) – Maya Moore from Collins Hill and Gani Lawal of Norcross, both fresh off leading their teams to state championships, have been named Miss Georgia and Mr. Georgia Basketball, respectively, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.  Also named by the Atlanta Tipoff Club were the Georgia High School Male Coach of the Year Eddie Martin of Norcross, and Female Coach of the Year, Tracey Tipton of Collins Hill.

Chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Georgia Selection Committee, all winners will be honored at the annual Naismith Awards Banquet on April 5 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Moore, who was recently named the Naismith National High School Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, also becomes a repeat winner for Miss Georgia Basketball.  The 6-0 senior forward averaged 25.2 points, 12 rebounds, 5 steals, 5 assists and 2 blocked shots per game in leading the Eagles (31-0) to a third straight Class 5A state championship and a number-one ranking in USA Today.  Collins Hill went 125-3 during Moore’s four seasons.  She has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Connecticut. 

Lawal, a 6-9 senior forward, averaged 18.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots per game while shooting 73 percent from the field.  His 31-point, 13-rebound effort led the Blue Devils to the 2007 5A state championship, the school’s second consecutive title.  Lawal has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Georgia Tech University. 

Tipton led the Eagles to a 31-0 season and Class 5A state championship.  Rated the top girls’ high school basketball team all season long, Collins Hill claimed a number-one ranking in USA Today.  In just two seasons at the helm, Tipton was won consecutive 5A state championships and has amassed a 62-1 record. 

Martin, who won the 2006 Metro Atlanta Boys High School Coach of the Year, led this year’s Blue Devils to a 29-3 record and second straight Class 5A state championship.  In five years at Norcross he is 141-16, and is approaching 400 overall wins in his 25-year career.

“With so many talented players and coaches in Georgia it’s difficult to pick just one winner in these categories,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “It’s hard to argue with these honorees after the seasons that Collins Hill and Norcross had.”

Contact:

Eric Oberman
Atlanta Tipoff Club
(404) 586-8506
eoberman@macoc.com