Trophy Winners Lead Respective Teams to Memorable Seasons
ATLANTA (March 7, 2025) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today that Aaliyah Chavez of Monterey High School (Lubbock, Texas) and Darryn Peterson from Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) have been named the winners of the 2025 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Player of the Year Trophy, recognizing them as the most outstanding high school basketball players in the nation.
“Aaliyah and Darryn’s exceptional performance and commitment to the game have justly earned them the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Player of the Year awards,” said Eric Oberman, president of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “We’re thrilled to recognize their outstanding accomplishments and offer our heartfelt congratulations as they prepare to take their basketball careers to new heights in college. Their impressive achievements reflect their extraordinary abilities and unwavering determination.”
Chavez, a 5’9″ guard, has established herself as the nation’s consensus top women’s basketball recruit. Her exceptional scoring ability has set new records. She finished her career with 4,796 points, good for 14th on the state’s all-time girls’ basketball scoring list.
Her senior season was impressive, as she averaged 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals per game. She led Monterey to a 37-5 record and finished her career leading her team to its first state title in 44 years in the Class 5A Division II finals. In this year’s playoffs, she averaged 29.3 points per game, including games of 50 and 45 points.
Chavez became the third player from Texas to win the award in its 39-year history, following Tamika Catchings (Duncanville High School, 1997) and Chiney Ogwumike (Cy-Fair High School, Cypress, 2010).
She is still making her college choice and should do so soon.
“Every moment of doubt I pushed through over the years has led to this point. Being honored as the top player in the nation isn’t just about talent — it’s about the countless hours of sacrifice when no one was watching,” Chavez said. “This Jersey Mike’s Naismith Girls High School Player of the Year Trophy represents my journey, not just the destination.”
Peterson is ranked among the nation’s top three players. He has led his Prolific Prep team to a 28-5 record and a top five ranking in the nation.
The native of Canton, Ohio, has averaged 30.4 points, 7.4 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest while shooting 52 percent from the field, 44 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the free throw line.
The Kansas signee becomes only the third player from a California school in the 39-year history of the award to be named the Boys Player of the Year, following Lonzo Ball (Chino Hills High School, 2016) and Hall of Famer Jason Kidd (St. Joseph’s Notre Dame High School, Alameda, 1992).
He is the third Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Player of the Year to play at Kansas. Andrew Wiggins (2013) and Cliff Alexander (2014) are the others.
He was a 2023 Men’s U16 National Team member that won gold at the 2023 FIBA Men’s U16 Americas Championship in Merida, Mexico. He led the team in scoring at 16.8 ppg and was the second-leading scorer in the tournament.
“It is a blessing to be in this position. It is an unbelievable honor to win the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year. To know that I have added my name to a list that includes LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and others is quite the feeling,” Peterson said. “My teammates and I put in an extreme amount of work throughout the year, and it would not be possible without them. I would like to thank the members of the committee that voted for me, as the five finalists for this award were all deserving. Lastly, big thank you to my parents for believing in me every step of the way. Even if I did not win player of the year, I would still be player of the year to them.”
The Naismith Awards committee first presented the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Player of the Year Trophy in 1987. The Naismith Awards National High School Voting Academy, a group of basketball journalists from around the country, selects the winners. The committee bases its selections on outstanding on-court performances during the 2024-25 high school basketball season.
“This year’s Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Players of the Year, Aaliyah and Darryn, have consistently demonstrated they’re at the pinnacle of high school basketball across the nation,” said Jeff Hemschoot, vice president of marketing at Jersey Mike’s. “On behalf of Jersey Mike’s and our passionate franchise owners nationwide, we extend our warmest congratulations. Their exceptional talent and dedication have captivated fans throughout the season, and we’re excited to see what they’ll achieve in their future basketball careers.”
Each winner will be awarded the Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Trophy, produced and provided by Herff Jones, a leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones will donate a replica trophy to the players’ high schools.
Past notable boys winners have included Jason Kidd (1992, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, Alameda, Calif.), Kobe Bryant (1996, Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, Pa.), LeBron James (2003, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio) and Derrick Favors (2009, South Atlanta High School, Atlanta). Notable girls winners have included Lisa Leslie (1990, Morningside High School, Inglewood, Calif.), Chamique Holdsclaw (1995, Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y.), Candace Parker (2003, Naperville Central, Naperville, Ill.) and Maya Moore (2006 and 2007, Collins Hill High School, Suwanee, Ga.). The 2024 award winners were Sarah Strong (Grace Christian School Sanford, N.C.) and Cooper Flagg (Montverde Academy, Montverde, Fla.).
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Media Contact:
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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