File photo by Willie Ann Shelton
From left are coach Rolley Tipler and DeAnthony Tipler and coach Sylvester Kilgore and DaQuan Smith.
Smith, Tipler honored
DaQuan Smith and DeAnthony Tipler have been named two of the top 20 basketball players in the state by The Clarion-Ledger.
The daily newspaper, based in Jackson, released its 2017 All-State boys’ basketball team in its Sunday edition.
Smith, of Holly Springs High School, and Tipler, of Ashland High School, are listed on the third team. They are both juniors.
Smith, a 6’1” guard, averaged 26.3 points and three rebounds per game in helping the Hawks reach the Class 3A semi-finals this past season. He already has more than 1,700 points in his career.
“DaQuan has put himself in an excellent position going into his senior year to be named to the prestigious Mississippi Dandy Dozen team, along with playing on the AAU/Adidas circuit with MBA Hoops based in Jackson,” coach Sylvester Kilgore said. “He is poised to have an excellent summer, as he will be evaluated by some of the top D-I programs in the country.”
Kilgore said Smith has college scholarship offers from Colorado State and the University of Louisiana at Monroe, plus major interest from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Miss, the University of Memphis, Troy University, University of Tennessee at Martin and California State University-Bakersfield, to name a few.
In three seasons at Holly High, he has helped lead the Hawks to three consecutive district regular season championships, two district tourney titles and three consecutive state tournaments. He has made three consecutive all-district teams, all-tournament, Offensive MVP and then overall MVP this past season.
“We are very excited for him and his future as he works toward goals of a state championship, being one of the top players in our state and playing D-I basketball,” Kilgore said. “He is a special player.”
Tipler, a 5’11” guard, averaged 23 points, four assists, four rebounds and two steals per game this past season. He led the Blue Devils to a second consecutive Class 1A championship.
“It makes me feel good as a coach to see any of my players succeed,” coach Rolley Tipler said. “Whenever one player triumphs, we all triumph.
“With the recognition that DeAnthony has earned, it shows the hard work that he’s put into being an elite player. Gaining these achievements will only help with his confidence his senior year. Every year his level of play has increased.
“Hopefully, I will get to witness him having an extraordinary senior year.”
He said Tipler has a few college offers and interests from many other schools.