Jaden Springer, Nia Daniel named Southwestern 4A players of the year
Rocky River sophomore Jaden Springer is the Southwestern 4A all-conference boys basketball player of the year.
The one high school kid around Charlotte who you see play and say, "You're going to see him play in the (NBA)"? He's 15, and @langstonwertzjr wrote about him. https://t.co/4pHaw9GKVq
— Mike Persinger (@mikepersinger) February 18, 2018
The awards were voted on by the league’s coaches.
Independence coach Preston Davis was named coach of the year. Despite losing all five starters from a 22-7 team a year ago, Davis led the Patriots to an unbeaten run through a league that has three teams among the final four on the western side of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A playoff braket.
Independence (28-1) moved to No. 1 in the Sweet 16 this week and is chasing its first state championship since 1997. The Patriots play host to Olympic in a state quarterfinal Tuesday.
Springer has also led his team to the quarterfinals. Rocky River will play Butler Tuesday. This season, Springer has emerged as a top 15 national recruit and is averaging 25 points and 10 rebounds.
▪ Hickory Ridge’s Nia Daniel is the all-conference girls player of the year. Daniel, a junior committed to North Carolina, helped the lead the Ragin’ Bulls to a 26-2 record and a conference championship. Hickory Ridge was ranked No. 1 in the Observer’s Sweet 16 poll for several weeks this season.
The co-coaches of the year are Independence’s Lauren Galvani, daughter of North Meck coach Duane Lewis, and Shatorie Jones of Rocky River.
Galvani led Independence to a 13-12 record. It was the school’s first winning season and most wins since 2009. Independence won 12 games total over the previous five years. At Rocky River, Jones led the Ravens to a 10-15 record this season.
Southwestern 4A Boys All-Conference team
JADEN SPRINGER- ROCKY RIVER (PLAYER OF THE YEAR)
PRESTON DAVIS- INDEPENDENCE (COACH OF THE YEAR)
DJ LITTLE- BUTLER
GERRELLE GATES- BUTLER
RAQUAN BROWN- BUTLER
JAMARIUS BURTON- INDEPENDENCE
ANDRA MCKEE- INDEPENDENCE
MATT SMITH- INDEPENDENCE
JOHN INGRAM- MYERS PARK
CALEB MCREED- MYERS PARK
JOSH MASSEY- PORTER RIDGE
JORDAN CAMPBELL- ROCKY RIVER
Southwestern 4A Girls All-Conference team
NIA DANIEL- HICKORY RIDGE (PLAYER OF THE YEAR)
LAUREN GALVANI- INDEPENDENCE; SHOTORIE JONES- ROCKY RIVER (CO-COACH OF THE YEAR
MICHAELA LANE- BUTLER
PAYTON SUTTON- BUTLER
MORGAN KELSON- EAST MECKLENBURG
GABBY SMITH- HICKORY RIDGE
RINNAH GREEN- HICKORY RIDGE
REIGAN RICHARDSON- HICKORY RIDGE
BRAYLYN MILTON- INDEPENDENCE
ARIYANNA BROWN- MYERS PARK
TAYLOR HENDERSON- MYERS PARK
ANDRESIA ALEXANDER- ROCKY RIVER
This story was originally published February 26, 2018 at 9:15 PM with the headline "Jaden Springer, Nia Daniel named Southwestern 4A players of the year."