Providence Day’s Devon Dotson is Observer’s All-Mecklenburg boys’ basketball player of the year
By Langston Wertz Jr.
Providence Day junior point guard Devon Dotson is the 2016-17 Charlotte Observer All-Mecklenburg boys’ basketball player of the year.
Dotson, who is 6-foot-1, averaged 24.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists while playing against the toughest schedule of any N.C. high school team, public or private, according to MaxPreps, a national site that tracks high school athletics.
Dotson has received more than 20 scholarship offers and is considered the No. 1 recruit in North Carolina for the class of 2018. He helped Providence Day beat three national top 25 teams, including DeMatha (Md.) and Sunrise (Kan.), on back-to-back nights in December to become the first team to win the Hoodies House holiday tournament national field championship in back-to-back years.
The All-Mecklenburg Coach of the Year is Butler’s Myron Lowery. Lowery led Butler to a 30-1 record, including a record 30 straight wins to start the season. Butler was ranked No. 1 in the Observer’s Sweet 16 poll for much of the season and reached the N.C. 4A Western Regional championship for the first time.
▪ Note: The boys’ team was selected by Observer correspondent Jay Edwards. The Observer also named an all-region team for players in neighboring counties. That team was published in Saturday’s print editions.
All-Mecklenburg boys’ basketball teams
FIRST TEAM
Devon Dotson, Providence Day, 6-1, Jr., PG: Averaged 24.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and has scored more than 1,500 career points. Considered No. 1 N.C. recruit in class of 2018.
Gerrale Gates, Butler, 6-6, Jr., C: Southwestern 4A Player of the Year averaged 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks. Made second-team All-District 9 on team that reached state semifinals.
BJ Mack, Charlotte Christian, 6-8, So., F: All-state pick averaged 17.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and shot 58 percent from the field. Committed to Virginia Tech. Top 10 N.C. recruit in 2019.
Bryant Thomas, South Mecklenburg, 6-8, Sr., F: SoMeck 8 Player of the Year averaged 17.9 points, 10 rebounds and 7.7 blocks, which led the nation. He shot 60 percent from the field.
Trey Wertz, Providence Day, 6-5, Jr., G: All-state. Averaged 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and shot 41 percent on 3-pointers, 58 percent on 2-pointers. Top 10 N.C. recruit in 2018.
SECOND TEAM
Cam Hamilton, Vance, 5-11, Sr., G
Zane Rankin, Butler, 6-4, Sr., W
Jae’lyn Withers, North Mecklenburg, 6-8, So., F
Donovan Gregory, Carmel Christian, 6-3, So., W
Troy Cracknell, Lake Norman Charter, 6-6, Sr., G
THIRD TEAM
Justyn Hamilton, Independence, 6-10, Sr., F
Jaden Springer, Rocky River, 6-3, Fr., G
Madison Monroe, SouthLake, 6-3, Jr., G
Vaud Worthy, North Meck, 6-2, Jr., PG
DJ Little, Butler, 6-1, Jr., G
Player of the year: Devon Dotson, Providence Day
Coach of the year: Myron Lowery, Butler
By Langston Wertz Jr.
Providence Day junior point guard Devon Dotson is the 2016-17 Charlotte Observer All-Mecklenburg boys’ basketball player of the year.
Dotson, who is 6-foot-1, averaged 24.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists while playing against the toughest schedule of any N.C. high school team, public or private, according to MaxPreps, a national site that tracks high school athletics.
Dotson has received more than 20 scholarship offers and is considered the No. 1 recruit in North Carolina for the class of 2018. He helped Providence Day beat three national top 25 teams, including DeMatha (Md.) and Sunrise (Kan.), on back-to-back nights in December to become the first team to win the Hoodies House holiday tournament national field championship in back-to-back years.
The All-Mecklenburg Coach of the Year is Butler’s Myron Lowery. Lowery led Butler to a 30-1 record, including a record 30 straight wins to start the season. Butler was ranked No. 1 in the Observer’s Sweet 16 poll for much of the season and reached the N.C. 4A Western Regional championship for the first time.
▪ Note: The boys’ team was selected by Observer correspondent Jay Edwards. The Observer also named an all-region team for players in neighboring counties. That team was published in Saturday’s print editions.
All-Mecklenburg boys’ basketball teams
FIRST TEAM
Devon Dotson, Providence Day, 6-1, Jr., PG: Averaged 24.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and has scored more than 1,500 career points. Considered No. 1 N.C. recruit in class of 2018.
Gerrale Gates, Butler, 6-6, Jr., C: Southwestern 4A Player of the Year averaged 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks. Made second-team All-District 9 on team that reached state semifinals.
BJ Mack, Charlotte Christian, 6-8, So., F: All-state pick averaged 17.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and shot 58 percent from the field. Committed to Virginia Tech. Top 10 N.C. recruit in 2019.
Bryant Thomas, South Mecklenburg, 6-8, Sr., F: SoMeck 8 Player of the Year averaged 17.9 points, 10 rebounds and 7.7 blocks, which led the nation. He shot 60 percent from the field.
Trey Wertz, Providence Day, 6-5, Jr., G: All-state. Averaged 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and shot 41 percent on 3-pointers, 58 percent on 2-pointers. Top 10 N.C. recruit in 2018.
SECOND TEAM
Cam Hamilton, Vance, 5-11, Sr., G
Zane Rankin, Butler, 6-4, Sr., W
Jae’lyn Withers, North Mecklenburg, 6-8, So., F
Donovan Gregory, Carmel Christian, 6-3, So., W
Troy Cracknell, Lake Norman Charter, 6-6, Sr., G
THIRD TEAM
Justyn Hamilton, Independence, 6-10, Sr., F
Jaden Springer, Rocky River, 6-3, Fr., G
Madison Monroe, SouthLake, 6-3, Jr., G
Vaud Worthy, North Meck, 6-2, Jr., PG
DJ Little, Butler, 6-1, Jr., G
Player of the year: Devon Dotson, Providence Day
Coach of the year: Myron Lowery, Butler
