Each Player Earns Jersey Mike’s Naismith First-Team All-America Selection
Atlanta (Feb. 20, 2025) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today the five finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Player of the Year and the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Coach of the Year honor.
“These finalists represent the apex of high school basketball talent, each bringing a unique set of skills and achievements to the court,” said Eric Oberman, president of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Their exceptional performances throughout the season have elevated their teams and set new standards in the sport. Selecting a winner from this group will be a formidable task, but we eagerly anticipate the culmination of these players’ outstanding seasons.”
All five Player of the Year finalists are also named Jersey Mike’s Naismith first-team All-America selections. Two previous finalists lead the prestigious list.
The finalists include Duke-commit Cameron Boozer from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, who is now a three-time finalist for the award. A.J. Dybantsa from Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah, earns a spot on the list for the second straight year. He committed to BYU earlier this season.
Darryn Peterson, shooting guard from Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif., who has signed with Kansas; Nate Ament, a versatile forward from Highland School in Warrenton, Va., who remains uncommitted to a college; and Darius Acuff, a dynamic point guard from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., who is an Arkansas signee, round out the list.
| NAME | CLASS | POS | SCHOOL | CITY, ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Acuff | Senior | PG | IMG Academy | Bradenton, Fla. |
| Nate Ament | Senior | F | Highland School | Warrenton, Va. |
| Cameron Boozer | Senior | F | Christopher Columbus High School | Miami, Fla. |
| A.J. Dybantsa | Senior | F | Utah Prep | Hurricane, Utah |
| Darryn Peterson | Senior | G | Prolific Prep | Napa, Calif. |
Two coaches return as finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Coach of the Year award, including last year’s winner, Kevin Boyle from Montverde, Fla. Academy. This year, his team is second in the nation. He is a four-time recipient of the award, winning in 2018, 2020 and 2024 at Montverde and in 2011 while coaching at St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, N.J.
The other repeat finalist is Andrew Moran, Boozer’s coach, who has led Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School to No. 1 in the nation as of mid-February. They are the only player and coach tandem to be a finalist for this year’s Boys awards.
The final three coaches all have their teams in the top 10, including Jason Smith from third-ranked Brewster, N.H., Academy, Brandon Rosenthal from Bella Vista College Prep, Scottsdale, Ariz., who has his team ranked No. 8 while David Rebibo’s Harvard-Westlake, Calif., School team is at No. 10.
| FULL NAME | SCHOOL | CITY, ST |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Boyle | Montverde Academy | Montverde, Fla. |
| Andrew Moran | Christopher Columbus High School | Miami, Fla. |
| David Rebibo | Harvard-Westlake School | Studio City, Calif. |
| Brandon Rosenthal | Bella Vista College Prep | Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Jason Smith | Brewster Academy | Wolfeboro, N.H. |
“The level of talent and dedication demonstrated by these young athletes is truly inspiring,” said Jeff Hemschoot, Jersey Mike’s vice president of marketing. “Each finalist has shown remarkable prowess on the court and exemplary character off it. We are honored to recognize their achievements and look forward to witnessing the impact they will undoubtedly make in the future of basketball.”
The Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Coach of the Year award winner will be announced on Thursday, March 6, followed by the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Trophy winner on Friday, March 7.
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Media Contacts:
Mallory Hadaway, Atlanta Tipoff Club
mallory.hadaway@naismithtrophy.com
(256) 682-0599
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, MOLECULE, Sharpie and Werner Ladder. For more information, visit www.naismithtrophy.com.
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