THE WINNER: Jayson Tatum

THE BASICS

School: Chaminade College Prep (St. Louis, Mo.)
Grade: Junior
Position: Forward
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 198 pounds

Athletic achievement: He has led the Red Devils to a 24-3 record and a berth in the Class 5 semifinals, scheduled for March 20. Tatum averaged 26.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game while shooting 60 percent from inside the arc through 27 games. The state’s returning Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, he was a member of the 2014 USA Basketball Men’s U17 National Team that won a gold medal at the FIBA U17 World Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates last summer. He is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2016 by ESPN.

Academic excellence: Tatum has maintained a B average.

Exemplary character: He has volunteered locally on behalf of a homeless shelter, as a student ambassador at his school and as a youth basketball coach.

THE PRAISE

“Jayson Tatum is a very humble young man who respects his coaches, teammates and everyone around him,” said David Watkins, head coach at Ritenour High. “He has the ability to affect the game in so many different and positive ways. It is a pleasure and a nightmare at the same time to coach against him.”

THE FUTURE: Tatum will be a senior this fall.