Players also Selected as First Team All-Americans
ATLANTA (February 20, 2024) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced the five finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls’ Player of the Year Trophy and the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls’ Coach of the Year honor.
All five Player of the Year finalists are also named Jersey Mike’s Naismith first-team All-America selections. The list includes players who have led their team to a top 10 ranking in the nation for the 2023-24 season, led by senior guard and UConn commit Morgan Cheli from No. 1-ranked Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA.). Meanwhile, senior point guard Jaloni Cambridge (Nashville, Tenn.) has Montverde Academy (FL) ranked ninth in the nation with 21-3 record thus far. She has committed to Ohio State.
Rounding out the finalists are South Carolina commit senior forward Joyce Edwards (Camden, SC, Camden HS), junior guard Aaliyah Chavez (Lubbock, TX, Monterey HS) and senior forward Sarah Strong Fuquay-Varina, NC, Grace Christian HS).
2024 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Girls High School Player of the Year Finalists
| FULL NAME | CLASS | POS | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL | COMMITTED TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaloni Cambridge | Senior | PG | Nashville, TN | Montverde Academy | Ohio State |
| Aaliyah Chavez | Junior | PG | Lubbock, TX | Monterey High School | |
| Morgan Cheli | Senior | G | San Jose, CA | Archbishop Mitty High School | UConn |
| Joyce Edwards | Senior | F | Camden, SC | Camden High School | South Carolina |
| Sarah Strong | Senior | F | Fuquay-Varina, NC | Grace Christian School |
On the coaching side, two finalists are previous winners of the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls’ Coach of the Year award – Christina Raiti of Long Island Lutheran (NY) is the defending winner and Archbishop Mitty’s Sue Phillips captured the honor in 2018. The other three finalists are Alicia Komaki of Sierra Canyon (CA), Etiwanda (CA) High School’s Stan Delus and Grayson (GA) High School’s Tim Slater.
2024 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Girls High School Coach of the Year Finalists
| FULL NAME | SCHOOL | CITY, STATE |
|---|---|---|
| Stan Delus | Etiwanda High School | Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
| Alicia Komaki | Sierra Canyon School | Chatsworth, CA |
| Sue Phillips | Archbishop Mitty High School | San Jose, CA |
| Christina Raiti | Long Island Lutheran | Brookville, NY |
| Tim Slater | Grayson High School | Loganville, GA |
On March 6, the Jersey Mike’s Naismith All-America Teams will be announced, followed by the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Girls’ Coach of the Year on March 7 and the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy winner on March 8.
“In a season steeped that has featured unbelievably intense competition, these distinguished finalists stand as the best in the nation,” said Eric Oberman, president of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Choosing winners from these immensely talented finalists will undoubtedly test our voters.”
“At Jersey Mike’s, we are deeply honored to recognize the exceptional dedication of the leading high school female athletes and coaches this season,” said Jeff Hemschoot, Jersey Mike’s vice president of marketing. “We commend the remarkable accomplishments of these finalists and extend our best wishes for a successful conclusion to their seasons as they embark on the journey through postseason tournament play.”
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include AXIA Time, Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS
Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,300 locations open and under development nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflective in its mission statement “Giving…making a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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Media Contact:
Mallory Hadaway, Atlanta Tipoff Club
mallory.hadaway@naismithtrophy.com
(256) 682-0599