VALDOSTA — Valdosta High’s Jay Rome has been named the Region 1-AAAAA basketball player of the year by the region coaches for the second consecutive year.
Rome, the only returning starter from Valdosta’s Elite Eight team of 2008-09, led the Wildcats to the regular season region championship while averaging 24 points per game and 11 rebounds per game.
The junior won the honor over Coffee’s Trevis Simpson. Rome and Simpson had a battle for the ages in the region tournament consolation game with Rome scoring a career-high 52 points and Simpson scoring 47 points in Coffee’s win.
Joining Rome and Simpson on the boy’s first team is Robert Powell of Lowndes. Powell averaged a double-double with 20 points per game and 11 rebounds per game.
Nathanial Hill of Colquitt County, Greg Fields of Northside and Justin Sanders of Coffee also made the first team.
Lowndes coach Kingston Clark was named the region coach of the year after helping the Vikings to a fourth place finish in the regular season and a second place finish in the region tournament.
“It’s somewhat shocking,” Clark said. It’s definitely a great honor. All of it is due to the kids coming on strong. Without them we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Lowndes’ Brian Wright made second team all-region. Wright averaged 18 points and five assists per game.
T.S. Whitmore of Warner Robins, Breon Dixon and Vernon Moore of Tift and Buddy Bivins of Houston County are also second team all-region.
Tift’s Colby Neloms is an honorable mention.
Northside’s Tai Brown is the girl’s Region 1-AAAAA player of the year. Brown got the nod over Lowndes’ Keira Peak, who is first team all-region and averaged 24 points and 15 rebounds per game. Peak also averaged four assists, three steals and two blocks per game. She finished her Vikette career with over 1,000 points and 800 rebounds.
Amanda Harper was also named first team all-region for the Vikettes. Harper averaged 15 points and seven rebounds per game.
Rounding out the girl’s first team are Umeika Henry of Colquitt County, Danielle Gazaway of Warner Robins and Vaneeshia Paulk of Coffee.
Amber McKenzie of Tift, Persephone Taylor of Colquitt County, LaDarria Clark of Northside, Kenyonna Armstrong of Warner Robins and Natalia Stevens of Houston County make up the second team.
Chann Fann of Northside is an honorable mention.
Northside coach Casaundra Wilson locked up coach of the year honors after leading the Lady Eagles to a perfect regular season record and the region tournament championship.
Fans of Region 1-AAAAA basketball will have one more chance to watch some of these players. An all-star game featuring the top players from South Georgia and Middle Georgia will take place on March 20 at Lowndes’ Charles Cooper Gym. The girl’s game starts at 7 p.m., and the boy’s game starts at 8:30 p.m.
South team members for the boy’s game include Powell, Simpson, Sanders and Hill. Lowndes’ Justin Mayfield, Mosses Mitchell and Brian Moore are also on the team. Devon Hunt will represent Lanier County.
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Related Photos
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Valdosta High forward Jay Rome (3) goes for a layup against Warner Robins last season. Jonathan M. Chick | The Valdosta Daily Times
Discussion
Rome named Region 1 player of the year
Kingston Clark picked as coach of the year
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