Jay Rome (3) goes in for a layup against Houston. Rome, a sophomore, is the Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year.

VALDOSTA — Valdosta High sophomore Jay Rome has been named the Region 1-AAAAA Player of the Year in basketball.

Rome, who averages 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, received 5.5 of the eight votes from the region coaches.

Kenny Fluellen of Warner Robins was the only other player to receive Player of the Year votes. He collected the remaining 2.5 votes.

“I think (Rome) deserves it,” Valdosta head coach Rufus McDuffie said. “It was between him and Fluellen, but Jay led his team to the region championship, so I felt like he deserved it. He led his team to the best record in the region and had some big game even while being double-teamed. We’re still looking for him to get better.”

Rome wasn’t the only ’Cat to be recognized by the coaches. McDuffie was named the region’s Coach of the Year.

“It’s an honor,” McDuffie said. “My first year, we didn’t make the playoffs, and last year we were region runner-up. We didn’t get it done last year. It’s a testament to what the kids have put in. If they don’t play and perform, then I can’t win Coach of the Year.”

Valdosta seniors Cameron Venus and Thoulitt Hunter were named All-Region, along with Rome.

“They were deserving to be there,” McDuffie said. “Thoulitt is one of the better shooters in the region. Cameron is one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever coached. He could be averaging 15-18 points, but instead he’s around 10. He helps us do everything. He handles the ball, rebounds and guards the best player on the other team.”

Coffee was the only other team that had more than one player named All-Region. Trevis Simpson and Mario Bennett were honored for the Trojans.

Robert Powell was named All-Region for Lowndes. Justin Mayfield received honorable mention for the Vikings.

Only three players were named All-Region by unanimous decision — Simpson, Fluellen and Dejour Mitchell of Tift County. Rome received seven of eight votes.

The ’Cats finished the regular season with a 24-1 record and went 13-1 in the region. Their only loss came at Tift, but they beat Tift at home in the regular season finale, 64-33.

The ’Cats won the region’s regular season title, then beat Northside-Warner Robins and Coffee to win the region tournament. They take on Greenbrier in Valdosta on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the first round of the state tournament.

“It’s good that we won our last game, but the bottom line is we have to be ready to play,” McDuffie said. “Greenbrier beat some really good teams despite not having a good record. It’s a scary team. You never know which team is going to come out to play. They are certainly capable of beating us.”