Central's Joe Sawyer named Wyoming boys basketball player of the year by Gatorade
Mar. 21—CHEYENNE — Joe Sawyer wanted to help Cheyenne Central win a Class 4A state championship more than anything this season.
In the back of his mind, Sawyer also knew the more success the Indians had, the more attention their players would garner. Increased attention often equates to accolades.
He was right.
Central posted a 25-3 record on its way to winning its third state title since 2016. On Thursday morning, Sawyer found out he was named Wyoming boys basketball player of the year by Gatorade.
"I owe this all to my teammates," Sawyer said. "I don't see myself getting this award if we don't win a championship. This is basically a team award, as far as I'm concerned."
Sawyer averaged 15.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this winter. His scoring average ranked eighth in 4A. The 6-foot-3, 155-pound wing made 55% of his shots overall (171-for-309), including 61% (154-of-253) from inside the 3-point line. Sawyer's 78% (75-of-96) shooting mark from the free-throw line was tied for eighth-best in 4A.
"This shows that when you have team success, one of the byproducts is individual success and recognition," Central coach Jim Shaffer said. "Joe being Gatorade player of the year really proves that point."
Shaffer said the award often goes to the state's best scorer or the player with the most buzz. Sawyer doesn't have a lot of sizzle to his game, but there is a heaping helping of steak, the coach said.
"He's not a kid whose athleticism jumps out at you, but he has such a great IQ, makes really good decisions and is so fundamentally sound," the coach said.
"It's usually flashier players that win Gatorade player of the year.
"It's pretty cool that (Sawyer) won it because there's no kid who deserves it more. He's such a hard worker and a great teammate. I'm really happy for him."
Sawyer jokingly bristled at hearing Shaffer's description of his game.
"I had some flashy plays the last couple years, but I get what he's saying," Sawyer said with a laugh. "It's always fundamentals first, but I could throw a nice little Euro step in there every other game. I get what he's saying, though."
Sawyer was voted to the Wyoming Coaches Association 4A all-state team after the state tournament. That was the second time he earned that distinction. The coaches also tabbed him as 4A's player of the year.
"Sawyer is a very unassuming player, and I think his greatest attribute is to dominate a game without really sticking out," Kelly Walsh coach Randy Roden said in a news release from Gatorade. "... The thing that sticks out to me when I scout Cheyenne Central is how easy it is to see he's their best player.
"The average fan might not agree, but, as a coach, I see that kid does every little thing all the time at both ends of the floor. He's extremely skilled, but doesn't demand the ball to show off those skills. He's a player without a weakness who makes his team and teammates better."
Central beat Laramie 62-59 to win the 4A title. Sawyer netted 10 of his 19 points during the fourth quarter of that contest.
"There were games where (Sawyer) took over because we really needed him to take over," Shaffer said. "Then there were times where we didn't need him to score as much, and he stepped back and let other players do their thing and helped other players do their thing."
Sawyer is the second player in his family to pick up Wyoming player of the year honors from Gatorade. His uncle, Gregg Sawyer, earned the distinction during his senior season at Burns High in 1994.
Joe Sawyer also is the second Central player to earn the award, following Demetrius Drew (1991).
"There are so many people at Central who could have gotten it over the years," Sawyer said. "I know Nate Talich and Lawson (Lovering) were always in the conversation when I started high school.
"That's part of what makes this such an honor."
Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on X at @jjohnke.
