Tyrone Paul, Larry Williams Win Player of the Year Honors

Senior forwards Tyrone Paul of Morningside High School and Larry Williams of Chadwick have been named CIF-Southern Section basketball Players of the Year in their respective divisions.

Paul, who led Morningside to the Ocean League title and into the Southern Section 3-AA playoffs as the top seed, was chosen Division III Co-Player of the Year with center Chris Gaines of 3-A champion Dos Pueblos High of Goleta after a tie vote by members of the First Interstate Bank-Amateur Athletic Foundation board of sportswriters.

The 6-foot-6 Paul averaged 20.5 points a game for Morningside, which was ranked No. 1 in the state among Division III teams before it was stunned by Lompoc, 83-80, in the quarterfinals of the 3-AA playoffs.

Paul is only the third Morningside boy to be named Southern Section Player of the Year in basketball and the first since 1974, when Michael Santos was chosen 3-A MVP.

Paul heads five South Bay players selected to the All-Division III team.

Also named to the first team were guards Martell Bland of Morningside and Steve Clover of Rolling Hills. Second-team honors went to junior forwards Roger Hendrix of Rolling Hills and Wyking Jones of St. Bernard.

Chadwick’s Williams was selected Division V Player of the Year. The 6-5, 205-pounder led the Dolphins to the semifinals of the Southern Section 1-A playoffs by averaging a team-leading 19.5 points and 12.5 rebounds a game. Williams was also Prep League Most Valuable Player.

Four area players were named All-CIF in Division IV, which includes the Southern Section 2-AA and 2-A divisions.

Guards Kenny Davis of Serra and Scott Panfil of El Segundo were named to the first team, while El Segundo center Kenny Talanoa and Miraleste forward David Terrell were second-team picks.

Forward Shon Tarver of state champion Santa Clara of Oxnard was a repeat choice as Division VI Player of the Year.