Atlanta Tipoff Club Announces State of Georgia Basketball Award Winners Crittenton named Mr. Georgia Basketball; Moore top women’s prep player ATLANTA (April 7, 2006) – With the completion of the 2005-06 high school and collegiate basketball seasons, the Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced its winners for the State of Georgia Basketball Awards. The winners will be recognized at the Tipoff Club’s Naismith Awards Banquet presented by Delta Air Lines on April 7 at the Georgia World Congress Center. “This was an incredibly competitive and exciting year for basketball fans throughout Georgia,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “These award winners represent the best our state has to offer, and we are delighted to honor them alongside our national Naismith Awards winners.” Award winners were announced as follows: Mr. Georgia Basketball: Javaris Crittenton, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Atlanta. Crittenton averaged 30 points per game and was the only Georgia representative in the 2006 McDonald’s All American Boys Game. He has signed with Georgia Tech for 2006-07. Miss Georgia Basketball: Maya Moore, Collins Hill High School, Suwanee. Moore led the Lady Eagles to a second straight Class 5A title and was named the Naismith Trophy Female High School Player of the Year. Collins Hill ended the year ranked No. 2 nationally by USA TODAY. Bobby Cremins State of Georgia Female High School Coach of the Year: Jan Azar, Wesleyan High School, Norcross. Azar’s team went 30-3 and won their third straight Class AA championship. Bobby Cremins State of Georgia Male High School Coach of the Year: Phil McCrary, Columbia High School, Decatur. McCrary led the Eagles to a 32-1 record and the school’s first state championship. State of Georgia Women’s College Player of the Year: Sherrill Baker, University of Georgia, Athens. Baker, who became UGA’s and the SEC’s career steals leader, also averaged 18.7 points. She was drafted in the first round of the WNBA Draft this week by the New York Liberty. State of Georgia Men’s College Player of the Year: Michael Ford, West Georgia, Carrollton. Ford, a Macon native, averaged 24.6 points, the third-highest mark in NCAA Division II. Whack Hyder State of Georgia Men’s College Coach of the Year: Jeff Burkhamer, Armstrong Atlantic State, Savannah. Burkhamer led team to a 23-8 record and national rankings. AASU was under .500 before he arrived three years ago. Whack Hyder State of Georgia Women’s College Coach of the Year: Buffie Burson, North Georgia, Dahlonega. Burson was named Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year after winning a PBC-record 19 games en route to a 23-4 record. Steve Schmidt Outstanding Contribution to Georgia Women’s Basketball: J.B. Bearden. Cartersville, Ga., native had 684 wins at six different high schools during his 36-year coaching career. Steve Schmidt Outstanding Contribution to Georgia Men’s Basketball: Jack Berkshire. Former Oglethorpe head coach spent 22 years at the school and was inducted to the OU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1986. ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. In 1987, Indiana’s Bob Knight became the first men’s college coach to win the Award. The Naismith Awards program has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the men’s and women’s college players, coaches and officials of the year, and the male and female high school players of the year. - end - Contact: Matt Garvey, 404-586-8496 Atlanta Tipoff Club .