O’Neal threepeats, Jones a first time All District selection

Published 3:55 pm Thursday, March 9, 2023

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Southside senior Ka’Nyah O’Neal and Northside junior Mariah Jones have been selected to the North Carolina Basketball Coaches All-District One first team.

The coaches choose 15 players from each of 12 regions across the state from east to west and split them into five player first, second and third teams regardless of classification.

This is the third straight year O’Neal has been selected to the first team, while Jones name appears for the first time.

O’Neal was District Player of the Year as a sophomore, but finished runner up in this year’s voting to Northeastern junior Jasmine Felton, who averaged 30.3 points a game and led her squad to the fourth round of the 2A playoffs where they lost to North Pitt.

O’Neal averaged 29.3 points and 12.1 rebounds for the 25-7 Seahawks, who lost at Chatham Charter in the fourth round of the 1A playoffs.

“It’s a great honor for her and Southside High School,” coach Milton Ruffin said. “It’s nice that the other coaches see her talent and how hard she works.”

Jones averaged over 20 points a game for Northside and helped the Panthers to an 18-7 record and a trip to the second round of the 1A playoffs.

“I think she improved her leadership on and off the court, coach Michelle Leathers said.  “She was more vocal to me about what she thought could work during games and she improved her ability to go the basket with strength as well as dish the ball to other players.”

Northeastern senior Aniyah Rainey and Perquimans sophomore Lailana Harris completed the first team.

On the boys side, Southside senior Manvonte Deloach was voted to the third ream.