ATLANTA (March 26, 2020) – Each season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club honors the top high school basketball players and coaches across the Atlanta area. Today, Woodward Academy senior forward Walker Kessler and Westlake High School junior guard Raven Johnson were named as Mr. and Miss Georgia Basketball presented by Regions Bank. The Atlanta Tipoff Club also announced that senior guards Genesis Bryant (Lovejoy High School) and Dwon Odom (St. Francis High School) have been named the Atlanta Metro High School Girls and Boys Player of the Year presented by Regions Bank. All three senior players have committed to colleges in the fall with Kessler going to University of North Carolina, Odom attending Xavier University and Bryant joining North Carolina State University.

For outstanding coaching in the Atlanta area, two sets of honors are awarded—the Cremins High School Boys and Girls Coach recognizing Regions 5A-7A of the Year and the Pinholster Boys and Girls Coach of the Year for 1A-4A. Grayson High School boys basketball coach Geoffrey Pierce, a finalist for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Coach of the Year award, and Buford High School girls coach Gene Durden have been selected as the Cremins High School Coach of the Year award winners. The Pinholster High School Boys and Girls Coach of the Year winners are Drew Catlett of St. Francis and Nichole Dixon of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, her second consecutive honor.

Additionally, the Atlanta Tipoff Club revealed the Atlanta All-Metro High School Boys and Girls Teams with 30 boys and 30 girls included. The player honors were compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club Boy’s and Girl’s Selection Committees.

2020 Atlanta All-Metro High School Boys Teams

AWARDNAMEHIGH SCHOOLCLASSCOMMITTED TO
All Metro - 1st TeamMatthew ClevelandPace AcademyJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 1st TeamSharife CooperMcEachernSeniorAuburn
All Metro - 1st TeamSam HinesWheelerSeniorDenver
All Metro - 1st TeamDeivon SmithGraysonSeniorMississippi State
All Metro - 1st TeamJabari Smith Jr.Sandy CreekJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 2nd TeamSterling "Scoota" HendersonKellSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - 2nd TeamCaleb MurphyGraysonSeniorSouth Florida
All Metro - 2nd TeamJT ThorNorcrossSeniorUndecided
All Metro - 2nd TeamBruce Thornton Jr. MiltonSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - 2nd TeamAJ WhiteChattahoocheeJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 3rd TeamEugene Brown IIISouthwest DeKalbSeniorOhio State
All Metro - 3rd TeamCam BryantDutchtownSeniorUndecided
All Metro - 3rd TeamSion JamesLanierSeniorTulane
All Metro - 3rd TeamBrandon StroudEast CowetaSeniorKennesaw State
All Metro - 3rd TeamChris YoungbloodEast CowetaSeniorKennesaw State
All Metro - Honorable MentionCaleb ByrdNewtonSeniorGeorgia Southern
All Metro - Honorable MentionPJ Carter Jr.Langston HughesSeniorCampbell
All Metro - Honorable MentionEric GainesLithoniaSeniorLSU
All Metro - Honorable MentionColin GrangerLambertSeniorOhio University
All Metro - Honorable MentionJusaun HoltSt. FrancisJuniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionJermontae HillTuckerSeniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionDillon HunterWestlakeSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionZawdie JacksonShilohSeniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionToneari LaneGraysonSeniorWinthrop
All Metro - Honorable MentionZocko LittletonSouth CobbSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionJamaine MannDutchtownSeniorGardner-Webb
All Metro - Honorable MentionRyan MutomboLovettJuniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionCameron SheffieldChattahoocheeSeniorRice
All Metro - Honorable MentionJosh TaylorNorcrossSeniorGeorgia
All Metro - Honorable MentionEmon WashingtonSouth CobbSeniorIllinois State

2020 Atlanta All-Metro High School Girls Teams

TEAMNAMEHIGH SCHOOLCLASSCOMMITTED TO
All Metro - 1st TeamAvyonce (AC) CarterWesleyanSeniorGeorgia Tech
All Metro - 1st TeamSania FeaginForest ParkJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 1st TeamJillian HollingsheadHoly Innocents' Episcopal SchoolJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 1st TeamKayla McPhersonMadison CountyJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 1st TeamTate WaltersBufordSeniorFurman
All Metro - 2nd TeamDe'Mauri FlournoyCarrolltonJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 2nd TeamLydia FreemanWestlakeSeniorGeorgia Southern
All Metro - 2nd TeamTa'Niya LatsonWestlakeSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - 2nd TeamSavannah SamuelSt. Francis High SchoolSeniorOregon State
All Metro - 2nd TeamSacha WashingtonCollins HillJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 3rd TeamAmira Abdur-RahimSt. Francis High SchoolSeniorNotre Dame
All Metro - 3rd TeamAnaya BoydLovejoySeniorGeorgia Tech
All Metro - 3rd TeamJada FarrellHoly Innocents' Episcopal SchoolSeniorUndecided
All Metro - 3rd TeamMalia FisherHebron Christian AcademyJuniorUndecided
All Metro - 3rd TeamSydne WattsCherokeeSeniorNavy
All Metro - Honorable MentionKaleigh AddieGreater Atlanta ChristianSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionJameah AlstonCampbellSeniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionAzonya AustinNorth CobbSeniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionNicole AzarHebron Christian AcademyJuniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionSydney BowlesWoodward AcademySophomoreUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionDenim DeShieldsMcEachernJuniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionKara DunnMount Paran ChristianSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionCrystal HendersonKellFreshmanUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionDemeara Hinds Lithia SpringsSeniorWake Forest
All Metro - Honorable MentionPaige LyonsWesleyanJuniorUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionCaroline MartinNorth ForsythSeniorNorth Georgia
All Metro - Honorable MentionDaija PowellSandy CreekSeniorTexas Tech
All Metro - Honorable MentionLazaria SpearmanDaculaSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionBridget UtbergWoodstockSophomoreUndecided
All Metro - Honorable MentionAshuntee WeemsDouglassJuniorUndecided

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB

Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club 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 administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Citizen Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Citizen Watch Company, Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.

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Media Contact:

Traci Messier

Jackson Spalding for the Atlanta Tipoff Club

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