Avery junior guard Dustin Clarke was named the Western Highlands Conference Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and officials.Dustin had an outstanding season that placed him among the state’s leaders in scoring at 23.1 points per game. Clarke also averaged three steals a game to go with five assists and over six rebounds per game.
Clarke was integral part of the Vikings’ turnaround season in 2009-10 that witnessed the team’s improvement from a three-win squad in ’08-’09 to an 11-win team and state playoff qualifier this past season.
“I’m so proud to see Dustin receive the Player of the Year award for his hard work,” Avery head basketball coach Bo Manis said after the announcement. “He’s put in a lot of time and effort, and I’m glad to see it paying off for him.”
In addition to Clarke’s award, Avery Vikings head men’s basketball coach Bo Manis was named by his peers as the Western Highlands Conference Coach of the Year. Manis took over a squad with three wins in the season before his arrival and has won 14 games over the past two seasons.
Manis’ Vikings club qualified for the state playoffs and won a state playoff game for the first time since 2006.
“It’s great to have the respect from the other coaches. There were plenty of other guys who probably deserved it more than me, but to be recognized by your peers for our accomplishments is special,” Coach Manis said regarding the award. “None of it is possible if not for the players. As soon as I found out, I thanked my parents. They have been such a positive influence in my life and taught me the ropes about coaching. They deserve a lot of credit for this."
Both Clarke and Manis will be honored with awards during Avery's athletics banquet this spring.
