All-baltimore City/county Basketball

BOYS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Tyler Smith

Douglass, senior

Smith's play exemplified the No. 1 Ducks this season: quick and powerful.

The 6-foot-2 guard led the area in scoring at 28.1 points per game for Douglass, which enjoyed its first perfect season at 28-0. He also led the team with 4.9 assists and 4.8 steals, taking over a game in crucial moments.

Against Philadelphia's Overbrook at the Basketball Academy Mixer at Coppin State, Smith scored 12 of his game-high 28 points in the final quarter to rally Douglass to a 70-62 victory. His game-high 29 points helped Douglass defeat then-defending state champ and No. 3 Randallstown in the North region title game, ending the Baltimore County school's 35-game winning streak.

He scored in double figures in all but one game (nine vs. then-No. 1 Walbrook), including a season-high 50 against Franklin. A second-team All-City/County pick last season, Smith scored 54 points (19-for-29 shooting) to power Douglass past Chopticon of St. Mary's County and Prince George's County power Gwynn Park for the state title last weekend at Cole Field House.

Smith has been selected to a team of area standouts that will play against some of the nation's top senior prospects at the Charm City Challenge on March 25 at Towson Center. Georgetown, James Madison, Manhattan, Rhode Island and South Carolina are recruiting Smith.

BOYS COACH OF THE YEAR

Rodney Coffield

Douglass

Four seasons after leading Douglass to an upset win over Dunbar in the city championship game, Coffield sent the west Baltimore school on an impressive run this winter.

The Ducks went 28-0, the first team since the 1996-97 Southwestern squad to go undefeated. It also was the most wins by a city public school team since the 1991-92 Dunbar squad that went 29-0 and won the mythical national championship.

After edging then-No. 1 Walbrook to claim the top ranking, the Ducks never looked back, including victories over state semifinalists Dunbar, Eastern Tech and Mervo. Douglass finished its season with victories over then-unbeaten Chopticon of St. Mary's County and Prince George's County's Gwynn Park at the University of Maryland last weekend.

A police officer at Douglass, Coffield was a two-sport standout in the early 1980s at Dunbar. In seven seasons, Cofield has a record of 133-43.

FIRST TEAM

Gerald Brown

Douglass, junior

Brown simply did whatever needed to be done this season for the city and state 3A champions. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 19.9 points, 4.9 assists and 4.8 steals. Against Walbrook, top-ranked at the time, Brown scored a game-high 31 points, but his assist on the game-winning basket sparked the Ducks' run to a perfect season.

Jaz Cowan

McDonogh, senior

A second-team All-City/County selection last year, the 6-foot-7 center was the go-to guy this year for the Eagles (17-10). He averaged 17.6 points and 11.9 rebounds. A three-year varsity starter, he had 1,304 points and 735 rebounds. An All-MIAA A Conference pick by the coaches, Cowan is being recruited by Central, Dayton, George Washington and James Madison.

Richard Dorsey

Douglass, senior

In his first year of organized play, Dorsey was an immovable force for the city champs. The 6-foot-8 post performer averaged 11.7 points, 12 rebounds and was an intimidator with 6.9 blocks per game and powerful dunks. He scored the winning basket in Douglass' 69-68 win over Walbrook that propelled the Ducks to the area's No. 1 spot. He has been selected to play for the Baltimore Metro All-Star team at the Charm City Challenge.

Paul Frazier

Mervo, junior

Frazier helped carry the Mustangs to the state Class 4A semifinals this season. The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 20.4 points, four rebounds and 3.1 assists for a team that played on the road all season because of renovations to its gymnasium. In the state semifinals against eventual state champ Eleanor Roosevelt of Prince George's County, Frazier had a game-high 18 points in a 74-41 setback.

Darnell Hopkins

Towson Catholic, senior

Though the Owls had a disappointing season, Hopkins was still among the area's top players. The guard averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 assists for the Owls, who were ranked No. 1 at the start of the season. A repeat first-team All-City/County pick, Hopkins was an All-MIAA A selection by the coaches. He is being recruited by Delaware, Northeastern and Manhattan.

Gary Neal

Calvert Hall, senior

Neal provided the spark Calvert Hall needed to make a run at the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and Catholic League titles. The LaSalle University-bound guard averaged 17.5 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Cardinals, who were second to Spalding in the MIAA A and Catholic League regular season. A second-team All-Metro pick last year, Neal was also an All-Catholic and MIAA A first-team selection.

Levi Stukes

Randallstown, junior