ESPN RISE REGIONAL BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
East: Naquan Pierce
John F. Kennedy (Bronx, N.Y.)
The 5-foot-9 point guard, who was the Bronx Player of the Year last season, had 38 points, eight steals and eight assists in 83-73 win vs. Wings Academy (Bronx, N.Y.). Pierce's team improved to 19-2 and hopes to return to the PSAL title game at Madison Square Garden.
Southeast: Lester Wilson
Carter (Strawberry Plains, Tenn.)
After breaking a 31-year-old single-game school scoring record several weeks ago, the 6-foot-4 junior broke it again last week with 47 points in a 73-71 victory over Pigeon Forge (Pigeon Forge, Tenn.). Wilson also had 41 points and 28 rebounds last week as his team topped Gibbs (Corryton, Tenn.), 105-80.
Midwest: Tommy Knipp
Elliott County, (Sandy Hook, Ky.)
A 6-foot-7 junior center averaging 30.8 points per game, Knipp had 36 points, eight blocks, four assists and five rebounds in a 91-78 triumph vs. Ashland Blazer (Ashland, Ky.).
Southwest: Jon Gilliam
Paris (Paris, Mo.)
The 5-foot-11 point guard with a gaudy 29.9 per game scoring average posted a season-high 49 points as the Coyotes topped Westran (Huntsville, Mo.), 85-74. Gilliam, a two-time all-state pick, also had 27 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds last week in a 71-42 romp past Marion County (Philadelphia, Mo.).
West: Cole Dickerson
Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.)
The leader of the No. 1 team in Washington had 38 points as the Eagles topped Jefferson (Auburn, Wash.), 90-69. Dickerson, a 6-foot-7 forward headed to the University of San Francisco, also had 29 points in a 95-39 win over Tahoma (Kent, Wash.).