Smith, Hall lead All-Big South basketball teams

Two athletes who led their teams to the area’s deepest playoff runs earned the Big South 3A Conference’s top awards.

Forestview senior Shannon Smith and Hunter Huss junior Jontavian Hall were selected the league’s girls and boys player of the year, respectively, in a vote by the Big South’s head coaches.

Although Smith powered Forestview to a state championship and Hall helped the Huskies reach the Western Regional, the Big South awards were voted upon prior to the regular-season finales.

Smith, a 5-foot-7 senior point guard, averaged 23.2 points and 7.2 assists for the full season and led Forestview to its fourth straight Big South title. The North Carolina signee reached 20 points in nine of 14 games against conference opponents, including a high of 37 against Ashbrook. The Jaguars went undefeated in the Big South for the third straight year.

Hall, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 12.6 points, 6.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 steals for the Huskies, who tied Forestview for the regular-season conference title, then won the Big South tournament. Hall’s best games came against Kings Mountain, a team he torched for 33 and 27 points.

Forestview’s Dan Ghent was selected boys coach of the year by his peers after leading the Jaguars to their second consecutive Big South regular-season title. Ghent’s team was the only Big South team to knock off Hunter Huss, doing so convincingly, 64-41, on the Huskies’ home floor.

Hunter Huss’ Jan Wiggins picked up girls coach-of-the-year honors after guiding the Huskies in a bounce-back season. Hunter Huss went from a 2-10 conference record and sixth-place tie last year to a 7-5 record and third-place finish this season.

You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.

Big South 3A Conference basketball awards

Boys

Coach of the year — Dan Ghent, Forestview

Player of the year — Jontavian Hall, Hunter Huss

All-Big South team

Zeek Bigger, Ashbrook

Catrell Boyd, Forestview

Brian Brown, Kings Mountain

Taylor Crosby, Crest

Giovanni Dotson, North Gaston

Jontavian Hall, Hunter Huss

Preston Holmes, Forestview

Chris Johnson, Forestview

Christian Lawrence, South Point

Jack Sumner, Forestview

Cedric Thompson, Kings Mountain

T.J. Wilson, Hunter Huss

Jihad Wright, Hunter Huss

Girls

Player of the year — Shannon Smith, Forestview

Coach of the year — Jan Wiggins, Hunter Huss

All-Big South team

Bre Armstrong, Forestview

Janay Brickey, Ashbrook

Whitney Collins, Ashbrook

Shaliah Degree, Crest

Meghan Hardin, Hunter Huss

Kelsey Harris, Forestview

Misty Haskins, North Gaston

Taylor Jordan, Hunter Huss

Hayley Lowe, South Point

Kendyl McWhirter, Crest

Brittnee Roberts, Kings Mountain

Shannon Smith, Forestview

Justin Taylor, Ashbrook