Boys

(+1) 1. Lavon Brutus, Sr., G, Rocky Mount High: Brutus not only saved the Gryphons on Tuesday night, but he also set a career-high in points in the process. No-brainer. He scored from everywhere Tuesday night.

(NR) 2. Ernest McKinnon, Sr., C, SouthWest Edgecombe: McKinnon is averaging 16.2 points and 12 rebounds this season. He’s one of the select few in the area averaging a double-double – and he might be the only one.

(NR) 3. Jalen Hendricks, Sr., G, Nash Central: The Bulldogs took sole possession of second place in the Big East with two wins this week. Hendricks had 32 points and took the lead of the team against Wilson Hunt.

(NR) 4. DeShawn Freeman, Jr., C, Rocky Mount Prep: Arguably the most dominant player in the area returned with a vengeance. In his first full game in nearly a month, Freeman scored 24 points and hauled in nine rebounds. He followed that with a 13-8 night.

(-4) 5. Donte Samuels, Jr., F, Rocky Mount Prep: Freeman’s return hurts the Jaguars in only one way. Samuels gives back the star role and falls from the top despite 28 points and 14 rebounds in the past two games.

In consideration:

Detron Avent, F, North Edgecombe; Jacob Barrett, G, Rocky Mount Prep; Dante Battle, F, Rocky Mount High; Wesley Battle, C, Northern Nash; Adam Bayless, G, Rocky Mount Academy; Lucas Bayless, G, Rocky Mount Academy; Deondre Dancy, F, Northern Nash; Terrill Hilliard, F, Rocky Mount High; Javin Hinton, G, SouthWest Edgecombe; Phillip Jones, Nash Central; Devonte Lloyd, North Edgecombe; Nathaniel Pittman, F, Nash Central; Josh Sessoms, F, Southern Nash.

Girls

(--) 1. J’Kyra Brown, Jr., G, Rocky Mount High: In Rocky Mount’s biggest game of the year, Brown was the best player on the court. She scored a game-high 20 points against Northern Nash on Tuesday night with more than a few coast-to-coast buckets.

(+2) 2. Timyra Staton, Jr., F, Nash Central: Nash Central finally won a conference game. Staton scored a team-high 21 points against Southern Nash and scored 35 points the past week.

(NR) 3. Niya Styles, Jr., G, Nash Central: Styles matched Staton with 35 points in the past two games. She was just as important in the Bulldogs’ first win.

(+1) 4. Tia Hudgins, Sr., F, Rocky Mount High: Hudgins out-hustled Northern Nash inside Tuesday night as the Gryphons took over first place in the Big East. She also had 32 points in two games this past week.

(-3) 5. Alexus Hill, So., G, Northern Nash: Hill scored 11 points in the first half of the Knights’ first loss of the season, but she left the game with a hyper-extended knee, and her team seemed to lose a little energy.

In consideration:

Rebekah Brown, C, Rocky Mount Academy; Miya Bryant, G, Southern Nash; Amanda Coats, G, Rocky Mount Academy; Alexus Cooper, G, Rocky Mount High; Jasmine Griffin, C, Northern Nash; Khadijah Manning, F, Southern Nash; Khadijrah Richardson, G, Northern Nash; Megan Shearin, G, Rocky Mount Academy; Jalynn Westry, C, Nash Central.

*Parentheses signify a player’s movement from last week’s Starting 5