all state players of the year

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SoCalHoops High School News

Casey Jacobsen & Diana Taurasi Named State
Players Of The Year--(April 2, 1999)

We've received dozens and dozens of requests to post the State All-CIF selections and the Players of the Year in California CIF and in each Division and class level. Of course, we could make up our own nominations, something we've considered doing, but since Cal-Hi Sports has been doing it for years, and publishes the official State CIF nominations, why re-invent the wheel. Cal-Hi's nominations were published in most local newspapers today, but the only problem is that if you look in the paper, you're likely only to see the results from the paper's local coverage area. In other words, Fresno papers will print the first team but then usually only print the players from their local area; the LA Times, Orange County Register, and Long Beach Press-Telegram are pretty much the same way when it comes to printing the All-CIF State selections.

But our good friends over at Student Sports, Inc, who also have their own great website (www.studentsports.com), who also publish the Cal-Hi Sports Newswire Service sent us a complete copy of the All-State Teams and Player selections from Volume 20, No. 29 of their March 31, 1999 Newsletter, including the CIF Players Of The Year selections.

For 1998- 1999, Cal-Hi Sports has chosen Casey Jacobsen (6'-6" Sr. SG) from Glendora High and Diana Taurasi (5'-11" Jr. SG) of Don Lugo as State Players of the Year. Interestingly, both are from the Baseline League.

Jacobsen, as most people who have been reading about him already know, finished his high school playing career with 3,284 ponts, second highest ever in California history (about 140 short of the record) and he now holds the all-time scoring record in Southern Section, breaking Tracy Murray's previous record of 3,053 which has lasted from 1989 until this season. Casey averaged 31.2 points per game this season, third highest in the state, and last year he averaged 33.4 ppg, leading the state in points scored. At the McDonald's All-American game Casey scored 22 points (and in our view could have easily broken Michael Jordan's old record had he not played so unselfishly, insuring that his teammate Jonathan Bender broke the record), and he scored 31 points last Saturday at the Nike Hoop Summit.

Taurasi, only a junior, was one of the most dominate players in the state, helping her team to a win over State Champions Brea-Olinda at the Tournament of Champions in December, a game in which she scored 44 points and 18 rebounds. Taurasi scored an average 27.2 ppg this season, 13.1 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game. She led the state in scoring as a freshman two years ago, averaging more than 30 ppg, and this year she led Don Lugo to a 24-4 record.

Cal-Hi also considered several other players for Boys State Player of the Year: Jason Kapono (6'-8" Sr. PG/SG/SF/PF) from Artesia, Marlon Parmer (6'-2" Sr. PG) from Verbum Dei, Andrew Gooden (6'-9" Sr. PF) El Cerrito, and De Shawn Stevenson (6'-6" Jr. SG/SF/PF) of Fresno Washington Union. DeShawn was the only junior considered, and was instead selected as the State Junior Player of the Year.

On the Girls' side, others considered for POY were Ebony Hoffman from Lomita Narbonne, Rometra Craig of Archbishop Mitty in San Jose, Chelsea Trotter of Brea Olinda, and Aisha Hollans of Berkely.

We told our friends over at Cal-Hi Sports that if they let us publish the lists, we'd give them all the free-publicity they could handle. So here goes: There's a lot more that goes into Cal-Hi Sports Newsletter, which is published weekly during each high school year, than just player of the year and All-State CIF selections at the end of the season. They print state rankings, player information, and lots more in each weekly issue. The newsletter is well worth the price, and subscriptions can be obtained for $69.00 for an entire year, or if you are just interested in basketball, (or fall sports, or spring sports) you can get individual season subscriptions for $35.00 per season. If you want to subscribe, call Cal-Hi Sports at (310) 816-1080, and they can process your credit card order over the phone and will start your subscription immediately. If you want to send them snail-mail, they are located at 21720 S. Wilmington Ave. Suite 307, Long Beach, CA 90810.