Mount St. Joseph’s Hansberry picks up another honor

Mount St. Joseph’s Amani Hansberry has been selected as Gatorade Maryland Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 15.3 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists for the No. 1 Gaels (38-4 overall), who won a second straight Baltimore Catholic League Tournament championship. The University of Illinois recruit was named the BCL Tournament MVP for the second straight year.

“Amani is dominant,” said Josh Davalli, who recently stepped down as Loyola Blakefield basketball coach. “He’s a big body who is tough to move in the post and has the skills to score in there. He’s got long arms and great hands, which make him an excellent rebounder and tough to score on. He is at a different level than the other kids on the floor.”

Hansberry, last year’s VSN Boys Basketball Player of the Year, is the second straight Baltimore area performer to win the honor. Archbishop Spalding’s Cam Whitmore (Villanova) won last year.

Hansberry, who was the BCL Player of the Year for the regular season, is the first Gael player since Jalen Smith to be selected Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Smith, who currently plays for NBA’s Indiana Pacers, won in 2018 and 2017 before starring at Maryland.

Hansberry is the 11th area player to receive the honor, joining Whitmore, Smith, Sean Mosley (St. Frances, 2008), Malcolm Delaney (Towson Catholic, 2007), Dajuan Summers (McDonogh, 2006), Mark Karcher (St. Frances, 1997), Steve Wojociechowski (Cardinal Gibbons, 1994), Keith Booth (Dunbar, 1993), Donta Bright (Dunbar, 1992) and Devin Gray (St. Frances, 1991).