Dialog reporter
Adrianna Hahn of Ursuline Academy and Donte DiVincenzo Salesianum School, who led their teams to the girls’ and boys’ basketball state championships last weekend, have been named Delaware’s players of the year. The selections were made by the state’s high school sports media and basketball coaches and were announced Wednesday afternoon. All ballots were submitted before the semifinal and final rounds of the playoffs.
Hahn won the award for the third time, the first player since fellow Ursuline alumna Elena Delle Donne to do so. She adds this honor to her Gatorade Player of the Year Award for Delaware, which she also received three times. This was her fourth selection to the first team.
Hahn led the Raiders to a 23-1 record this season and the school’s 15th state title, which they also captured in her freshman year. She was sensational in the finals against Caravel Academy, scoring 29 points in the 53-41 win, including 18 of 23 in the first half. She will continue her career next year at Villanova University.
Alex Thomas of St. Elizabeth also made the first team. The senior forward helped the Vikings reach the state semifinals this season, where they lost to Ursuline. St. Elizabeth finished with a record of 16-7 against a very tough schedule.
No other Catholic school students were selected for the second or third teams. Those who received honorable mention include Alisha Lewis, Alyssa Irons and Kailyn Kampert of Ursuline; Alanna Speaks and Jordyn Humes of St. Elizabeth; and Teresa Highberger of Padua.
For the boys, DiVincenzo was instrumental in guiding Salesianum to its second straight boys championship, a 52-45 win over Polytech. He scored 23 points in the final, capping a phenomenal postseason for the sixth-seeded Sals. They went 10-10 during the regular season, then defeated St. Georges and three higher-seeded teams to win the crown.
Like Hahn, DiVincenzo has committed to Villanova. This was his second straight selection to the first team, and he made the second team as a sophomore in 2012-13.
Jordan Money of St. Elizabeth joined DiVincenzo on the first team. The St. Elizabeth sophomore was a key part of a talented Vikings team that went 17-5 and reached the state quarterfinals before bowing out to Sanford.
Catholic school students who earned honorable mention were Matt Williams, St. Mark’s; Mike Piekarski and Malik Curry, St. Elizabeth; and Shane Clark, Salesianum.
