Devon Brown named AP player of the year

The Associated Press
Published: May 7, 2008

RICHMOND — She scored more points than any Group AA girl in state history, and finished her career with 19 points and 12 rebounds in the state championship game.
Devon Brown of Waynesboro didn’t finish her career by raising the championship trophy, but sports writers from around the state gave her a nice consolation prize: The 5-foot-11 senior was the runaway selection as The Associated Press Group AA player of the year for 2008.
Brown averaged better than 30 points and 15 rebounds for Waynesboro, which went 26-4 and lost 59-45 to repeat state titlist Hidden Valley in the championship game. She also averaged four assists and finished as the No. 2 career scorer in state history with 2,728 points.
She’s joined on the AP’s All-Group AA team by Hidden Valley teammates Abby Oliver and Kylee Beecher, Joyous Tharrington of Brookville and sophomore Jackie Brewer of Handley.
Hidden Valley coach Mike McGuire was selected as the coach of the year. His team, which also placed Abby Redick on the second team, finished 26-4 and won its last 16 games to become the first repeat champion among Group AA girls since Lord Botetourt in 1995-95.
Oliver, 5-8, was the only other player to get player of the year votes. She averaged 18.2 points and 3.1 assists and connected on nearly 46 percent of her 3-point field goal attempts.
Beecher, 6-4, averaged 12.3 points and 8.2 rebounds. She led the way in the championship game, scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds and adding three assists and two steals.
Brewer, 5-10, averaged 25.1 points and 8.6 rebounds and had one of the best two-day stretches of the season. She scored a career-high 42 against Millbrook on 17-of-21 shooting, then followed that with 40, including 26-of-29 from the free-throw line, against James Wood.
Tharrington, 6-1, averaged 17.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and shot 61.8 percent.
The seven-member second team includes seniors Redick, Brittany Campbell of Brookville, Kimmy Hopkins of Brentsville, Jen Falin of Bruton and T.T. Webb of Pulaski County, and juniors Quaneva Avent of Greensville County and Shalita Brown of Charlottesville.