Leading off today: Kevin Huerter has completed his sweep of the major individual awards in New York boys basketball.
The Shenendehowa senior was selected the New York State Sportswriters Association's 2016 player of the year in Class AA. The University of Maryland recruit was previously named the state's player of the year by Gatorade and selected Mr. Basketball by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York.
The announcement was made Friday as the NYSSWA released its all-state selections in the large-school classifications.
The NYSSWA selected co-players of the year in Class A, with Hameir Wright and Stafford Truehart sharing the honor.
Wright, a 6-foot-7 junior, averaged 19 points a game for Albany Academy. Truehart, a 6-6 senior, averaged 20.8 points for Canisius. They were joined on the Class A first team by repeat selection Anthony Lamb of Greece Athena.
Shen's Huerter averaged 22 points a game as a senior to lead the Plainsmen into the Class AA championship game of the New York Public High School Athletic Association tournament. Among those joining him on the first team were repeat selections Jamel Allen of Brentwood and Devonte Green of Long Island Lutheran.
The complete 2016 AA and A lists can be found here. The Class B, C and D all-state teams were announced last week. Here are some helpful links to basketball-related material from the NYSSWA:
Past NYSSWA players of the year
Recent all-state teams
Heading downstate: Amani Free, second in scoring for the Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball team this winter, will transfer to Long Island Lutheran, Syracuse.com reported.
Free, a 6-foot sophomore forward, averaged 13.9 points per game to help the Northstars (23-1) to their eighth consecutive Section 3 Class AA championship. She joined the C-NS varsity as an eighth-grader and earned all-state honorable mention as a freshman.
Daryl Free said his daughter will spend her junior and senior years living with relatives and attending LuHi, an AIS member in Brookville that has been a power in the sport in recent years.
"We're not moving. It will be a little tough," he said. "We're definitely thankful for C-NS and the coach (Eric Smith) and all he's done. She's developed a lot of friendships there."
Speaking of prospects: Former Guilderland basketball star Andrew Platek, who left for prep school last summer after his junior year, has received a scholarship offer from North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams.
