Meet the area’s top high school boys’ basketball players, the 2023-24 All-Observer team
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North Mecklenburg senior forward Isaiah Evans and South Mecklenburg coach Chris McDonald highlight the 2023-24 All-Observer boys’ high school basketball team.
The media outlet has named an All-Observer team since the 1997-98 season, naming one team to honor all of the players in its coverage area.
Prior to that, The Observer named all-star teams in Mecklenburg County (All-Mecklenburg) along with a team for schools in the newspaper’s western N.C. coverage area (All-Piedmont) and in the Rock Hill, S.C., area (All-Upper State).
This year, players in the following counties were eligible for inclusion on the All-Observer team: Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Union plus Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina.
Evans repeats as player of the year after he repeated as the winner of the state’s biggest award, Mr. N.C. Basketball. He was also named Gatorade and MaxPreps’ state player of the year.
Evans, a 6-foor-7 senior signed to Duke, is ranked among the nation’s top 15 players. This season, he led the Vikings to a 30-3 record and the school’s third state championship. He averaged 27.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.3 blocks.
McDonald, a Richmond Senior alumnus, is the coach of the year. He led the Sabres to a 21-6 record this season. It was the most wins by a South Mecklenburg team since coach John Fitch led the 2011-12 Sabres to a 23-6 record. McDonald’s first team at South Mecklenburg, in the 2022-23 season, finished 8-17.
Meet the teams, which include a sixth man this season:
First team
Isaiah Evans, North Mecklenburg, 6-7, Sr, F: The McDonald’s All-American was MVP of the NCHSAA 4A state championship game in March; has scored more than 2,000 career points.
Austin Swartz, Cannon School, 6-5, Sr, G: The top 50 national recruit has signed with Miami. Swartz averaged 26 points, six assists and five rebounds per game. He was an NCISAA all-state pick and was CISAA conference player of the year.
Sadiq White, Myers Park, 6-9, Jr, F: White averaged 18 points and six rebounds for a team that was ranked as high as No. 4 in America. He’s a top 20 national recruit in the class of 2025.
Trent Steinour, Lake Norman, 6-10, Jr, C: Steinour, a Power 5 recruit, led his team to the NCHSAA 4A Western Regional championship game. He averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and 4.3 blocks. He set school records for blocks in a season (126) and a game (13).
DJ Kent, Central Cabarrus, 6-6, Sr, F: Kent, who will play at Lees-McRae, was named NCHSAA 3A championship game MVP after leading his team to an unbeaten season. Kent averaged 19.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 2.2 assists and 2.2 blocks per game.
Kam Taylor, Carmel Christian*, 6-7, Sr, F: Taylor transferred from Olympic High and was named all-state in the NCISAA. He averaged 24.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks for the Cougars.
Second team
Bishop Boswell, Myers Park, 6-3, Sr., G; Maurio Hanson, Chambers, 6-7, Sr., F; Isaiah Henry, Cannon School, 6-5, Jr, F; KJ Younger, Weddington, 6-5, Jr, G; Sir Mohammed, Myers Park, 6-6, Sr, W; Chadlyn Traylor, North Meck*, 6-3, Jr, G
Third team
Tyler Showalter, Butler, 6-6, Sr, F; Peter Moye, South Mecklenburg, 6-3, Sr, G; Trey Maxwell, North Mecklenburg, 6-3, Sr, G; Isaiah Denis, Davidson Day, 6-5, Jr, G; Tarris Bouie, Chambers, 6-5, soph, W; Chase Daniel, Central Cabarrus*, 6-1, Sr, G
Honorable mention
Amare Bethel, Country Day, 6-3, Sr, G; Jonah Lawrence, Providence Day, 6-5, Jr., G; JD Bowden, United Faith, 6-1, Jr, G; Quay Watson, Hopewell, 5-11, Sr, G; Carson Daniel, Central Cabarrus, 6-0, Sr, G; Mike Jones, Indian land, 5-9, Soph, G; Grant Hamilton, Weddington, 6-2, Sr, W; Langston Boyd, Mallard Creek, 6-4, Sr, G; Parker Ryan, Christ The King, 6-1, Sr. G; L.J. Smith, Lincolnton, 6-4, Fr, G
All-freshman team
Lincoln Vinson, Cannon, 6-2, G; Josiah Johnson-Freeman, Northside Christian, 6-4, G; Zaiyir Phillips, Hunter Huss, 5-11, G; Parker Watkins, Hickory Ridge; Christan Jones, Mountain Island Charter, 5-11, G
FOY: LJ Smith, Lincolnton, 6-4, G
All-defensive team
Trent Steinour, Lake Norman, 6-10, Jr, G; Sir Mohammed, Myers Park, 6-6, Sr, W; Michael Marcus, Covenant Day, 6-9, Sr, C; Carson Daniel, Central Cabarrus, 6-0, Sr, G; Josiah Pratt, West Mecklenburg, 6-5, Soph, F
DPOY: Tosh Alberga, Independence, 6-6, Sr, F
