Fayetteville nabs 11 postseason high school basketball awards

The 2021-22 high school basketball season wrapped up in North Carolina this past weekend with the N.C. High School Athletic Association crowning 16 state champions.

With another year in the books, it’s time to take a look at postseason honors for Fayetteville-area teams. The all-district and all-conference awards have been released with several coaches and players in Cumberland County securing some accolades.

Huge savings: $1 for 6 months

Subscribe today to support local journalism and enjoy unlimited digital access including videos, apps, sports news, and more. Special introductory offer for new subscribers only.

Overall, Fayetteville had six players snag a player of the year award. Five coaches in Cumberland County were named coach of the year.

More: High school basketball: Complete coverage of the 2021-22 season

Terry Sanford’s Miya Giles-Jones, who shared player of the year honors in the All American Conference with senior teammate Tamia Morris, was named the District 4 player of the year by the N.C. Basketball Coaches Association.

Giles-Jones averaged 19.4 points and 12.6 rebounds for the Bulldogs (30-1), who swept the AAC titles before losing in the NCHSAA 3A East Regional final to eventual state champion Northwood. The junior wing had 27 double-doubles this season, including 13 in the final 14 games.

Giles-Jones has won the award in two of the last three seasons. She was the 2020 District 4 Player of the Year after E.E. Smith secured a spot in the 3-A state championship. The Golden Bulls were declared co-state champions that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morris, who averaged 18.3 points and led Terry Sanford as its top 3-point shooter, joined Giles-Jones on the all-district first-team, along with Cape Fear’s Jayda Angel.

Angel, who shared United 8 Conference Player of the Year honors with Purnell Swett’s Kylie Chavis, helped the Colts (17-10) earn their first playoff appearance in more than 30 years. The sophomore guard averaged 28.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.6 steals per game this season.

Seventy-First’s Kyleigh Goode, a second-team selection, and Amore’ Kirkland, a third-team honoree, also made the all-district squad.

On the boys’ side, Seventy-First’s Tony Jones was named the District 4 Coach of the Year in his first season with the Falcons (27-5), who claimed a pair of league championships in the United 8 Conference and earned a spot in the 3A state championship game.

Seventy-First, which won its first regional title since 2002, lost to West Charlotte on March 12 in the 3A title game.

Terry Sanford’s Davis Molnar, the All American Conference Player of the Year, and Seventy-First’s Xavier Tubbs-Matthews were first-team all-district selections. Lumberton’s Jamerl Brockington, the United 8 Conference Player of the Year, also got a first-team nod.

Molnar, who is set to continue his basketball career at Furman University, remains the favorite for Fayetteville’s Male Athlete of the Year award. After a successful season on the soccer pitch, Molnar averaged 18.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Bulldogs (18-9).

Pine Forest’s Tristin Harkins, along with Seventy-First’s Jared Davis and James Scott, were second-team all-district selections. Jack Britt’s Demetri Patterson, Cape Fear’s Masaun Bryant and Westover’s Mikey Campbell rounded out Fayetteville’s all-district players as third-team honorees.

Richmond Senior’s Paul McNeil was named the District 4 player of the year.

Two more Fayetteville coaches were honored with awards in the United 8 and All American conferences.

E.E. Smith’s Bryan Tillman, who helped the Golden Bulls bounce back from a 6-29 record in the past two seasons with a 15-10 mark that included a playoff win this year, was named the AAC Coach of the Year.

Cape Fear’s Alphonza Kee was named the United 8 Coach of the Year. The Colts finished with a 16-9 record that included a double overtime win in the 3A state playoffs.

Fayetteville private schools sweep awards

The Northwood Temple boys’ basketball team swept the postseason awards in the NCISAA Sandhills Conference.

Jaquantae Harris, a senior guard for the conference-champion Eagles (26-9), was named Player of the Year in the league. Harris averaged 19.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

James Strong, who led Northwood Temple to a state championship in 2020, was named Coach of the Year.

On the girls’ side, Trinity Christian and Fayetteville Christian split the regular-season title and the postseason awards.

Dezzy Clark, a freshman for the Warriors (16-4), averaged 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game on her way to taking player of the year honors in the Sandhills.

Trinity Christian coach Charles Tubbs was named Coach of the Year (14-8) after leading the Crusaders to a share of the conference crown with a mostly-new group.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com.

Here are the All American, United 8 and NCISAA Sandhills all-conference teams, as voted on by league coaches, and the NCBCA District 4 selections.

United 8 Conference Boys Basketball

Player of the Year: Jamerl Brockington, Lumberton

Coach of the Year: Alphonza Kee, Cape Fear

First Team

• Xavier Tubbs-Matthews, Seventy First

• Demetri Patterson, Jack Britt

• Masaun Bryant, Cape Fear

• Xzavier Thaggard, Gray's Creek

• Jared Davis, Seventy First

Second Team

• James Scott, Seventy First

• Jarod Brown, South View

• Ari Fulton, Gray's Creek

• Cobe Oxendine, Lumberton

• R.J. McDonald, Cape Fear

All American Conference Boys Basketball

Player of the Year: Davis Molnar, Terry Sanford

Coach of the Year: Bryan Tillman, E.E. Smith

All-Conference Team

• Tristin Harkins, Pine Forest

• Jordan Jones, Pine Forest

• Chamond Williams, Pine Forest

• Carlos Craig, Terry Sanford

• Kimani Brantley, Terry Sanford

• Triston Robinson, E.E. Smith

• Darius Robinson, E.E. Smith

• Mikey Campbell, Westover

• Vander Williams, Westover

• Damien Robinson, Overhills

• Ayden Gittens, Overhills

• Will Heard, Triton

• Quez Jones, Harnett Central

United 8 Conference Girls Basketball

Co-Players of the Year: Jayda Angel, Cape Fear; Kylie Chavis, Purnell Swett

Coach of the Year: Kalen Eddings, Purnell Swett

First Team

• Natalie Evington, Purnell Swett

• Kyleigh Goode, Seventy First

• DeNaira Williams, South View

• Neveah Colon, South View

• Jennifer Pongnon, Jack Britt

• Ava Sterling, Gray's Creek

• Carly Hammonds, Lumberton

• Nyla Mitchell, Purnell Swett

• Hannah Lewis, Seventy First

• Danae Hawkins, Seventy First

• Clarissa Warren, South View

• Samara Britt, Cape Fear

• Kayla Jean, Douglas Byrd

• Kayia Starling, Cape Fear

Second Team

• Chloe Locklear, Purnell Swett

• Teralyn Harris, Cape Fear

• Lakiah Hunt, Lumberton

• Khalan Williams, Seventy First

• Amore' Kirkland, Seventy First

All American Conference Girls Basketball

Co-Players of the Year: Tamia Morris, Terry Sanford; Miya Giles-Jones, Terry Sanford

Coach of the Year: Richard Rozier, Triton

First Team

• Zahara Gerald , Terry Sanford

• Breonna Roaf, Terry Sanford

• Skylar White, E.E. Smith

• Jada Priebe, E.E. Smith

• Keashiana Murphy, E.E. Smith

• R’mani Robinson, Westover

• Precious Harris, Westover

• JaNiah Smith, Triton

• A'shari Watlingto, Triton

• Amaya Hunt, Pine Forest

• Eva McRae, Overhills

• Sydney Jackson, Western Harnett

• Sondra Berry, Harnett Central

N.C. Basketball Coaches Association District 4

Boys Basketball

Player of the Year: Paul McNeil, Richmond Senior

Coach of the Year: Tony Jones, Seventy-First

First Team

• Paul McNeil, Richmond Senior

• Davis Molnar, Terry Sanford

• Jarin Stevenson, Seaforth

• Xavier Tubbs-Matthews, Seventy-First

• Jamerl Brockington, Lumberton

Second Team

• Tristin Harkins, Pine Forest

• Drake Powell, Northwood

• Jeyvian Tatum, St. Pauls

• Jared Davis, Seventy-First

• James Scott, Seventy-First

Third Team

• Mikey Campbell, Westover

• Masaun Bryant, Cape Fear

• Lamonte Cousar, Scotland County

• Kaedon Porter, Red Springs

• Demetri Patterson, Jack Britt

Girls Basketball

Player of the Year: Miya Giles-Jones, Terry Sanford

Coach of the Year: Kerri Snipes, Northwood

First Team

• Miya Giles-Jones, Terry Sanford

• Jayda Angel, Cape Fear

• Aaliyah Balser, Union Pines

• Tamia Morris, Terry Sanford

• Kylie Chavis, Purnell Swett

Second Team

• Jamyia Lindsey, Richmond Senior

• Olivia Porter, Northwood

• Aniyah Jackson, Pinecrest

• Jakieya Thompson, St. Pauls

• Kyleigh Goode, Seventy-First

Third Team

• Amore' Kirkland, Seventy-First

• Emmie Modlin, Pinecrest

• Gabrielle White, Seaforth

• Sara Adams, Union Pines

• Brittney Sparrow, Pinecrest

NCISAA Sandhills Conference

Boys

Player of the Year: Jaquantae Harris, Northwood Temple

Coach of the Year: James Strong, Northwood Temple

All-Conference Team

• JaQuantae Harris, Northwood Temple

• Cannon Keziah, Northwood Temple

• Bradlee Wolf, Northwood Temple

• Jaylen Killens-McIntyre, Northwood Temple

• Karsten Swinney, Freedom Christian

• Zy McLean, Freedom Christian

• Jalen Higgins, Freedom Christian

• Steven Lassiter, Trinity Christian

• Diamante Shepard, Trinity Christian

• Deshawn Woods, Cape Fear Christian

• Zeke Brock, Cape Fear Christian

• Kenny Vera, Berean Baptist

• Jaleel Boles, Village Christian

• Joseph Amador, Fayetteville Christian

Girls

Player of the Year: Dezzy Clark, Fayetteville Christian

Coach of the Year: Charles Tubbs, Trinity Christian

• Leasia Matthews, Trinity Christian

• Jasmine Gilchrist, Trinity Christian

• Ahmani Carthin, Trinity Christian

• Sierra Glover, Trinity Christian

• Dezzy Clark, Fayetteville Christian

• Lena Darrell, Fayetteville Christian

• Jaidiah Blake, Fayetteville Christian

• Jaden Corpuz, Fayetteville Christian

• Alyssa Monroe, Freedom Christian

• Saniya McIntyre, Freedom Christian

• Cailee Ray, Cape Fear Christian

• John Dupree, Cape Fear Christian

• Nadia Covin, Northwood Temple

• Mariah Harris, Berean Baptist

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Terry Sanford's Miya Giles-Jones, Seventy-First coach Tony Jones among Fayetteville's postseason award winners in high school basketball