Dyersburg’s Crawford named as Class 3A Miss Basketball Finalist


 


Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports


With the regular season over for the Lady Trojans – who clinched the District 13-3A Championship for the second straight season on Tuesday night, Dyersburg High School standout Joya Crawford received news on Thursday of a statewide significance as she has been named as a finalist for the Class 3A Miss Basketball Award.

 “I am real proud for Joya,” Dyersburg Head Coach Tim Strayhorn said. “She’s worked hard.

“She’s been one of our main focuses on offense and defense the last four years.”

The honor comes during a senior season which saw her pass the 2,000-point mark earlier this year.

“She’s put up a lot of points,” Strayhorn added. “She’s helped lead us to a lot of wins. She’s worked hard for this award.”

The team is getting ready to start the postseason and will have over a week between its regular season finale and the first game of the postseason. Crawford, who was close to being a finalist last season, will be a big part of the postseason for the Lady Trojans and Strayhorn added it is good to see her get this accolade during her senior season.

“She’s put in a lot of hard work, especially our first year here,” the Lady Trojans head coach said. “She carried us the whole season.

“Each year, we’ve gotten better. She’s worked hard for this award and I hope she is going to get it.”

Over the course of the next month, Strayhorn hopes Crawford and the Lady Trojans can reach their goal of repeating as TSSAA Class 3A State Champions.

“For the next month, she’s going to still be Joya,” Strayhorn explained. “She’s going to still score, she’s going to play defense and she is going to be a better leader.

“She’s going to lead us to where we’re going to try to go.”

The Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards will be presented to the top girls and boys in six classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association at the Tucker Theater on the campus of MTSU on Tuesday, March 18 at 5:30 p.m. The event will be open to the public.

A statewide committee of sportswriters selected winners based on performance during the 2024-2025 regular season. Academics and character were also taken into consideration. High school head basketball coaches and members of the media nominated the finalists.

This is the 40th year that the Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards have been presented to Tennessee’s best high school basketball players. American General was the sponsor of the event since the inception of the awards in 1985 until 2001. The Memphis Grizzlies were sponsors of the awards from 2002-2004. From 2005-2015 the Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards were presented at the conclusion of each respective championship game as part of the post-game trophy ceremony.


Division II-A Miss Basketball Finalists
Haylen Ayers, University School of Jackson
Dasha Biriuk, The Webb School
Maddie Braden, Christian Academy of Knoxville


Division II-AA Miss Basketball Finalists
Meeyah Green, Webb School of Knoxville
Tyler Jones, Hutchison School
Kamora Moore, Chattanooga Christian School


Class 1A Miss Basketball Finalists
Blair Baugus, Wayne County High School
Laila Downs-Darden, McEwen High School
Elle Graham, Moore County High School


Class 2A Miss Basketball Finalists
Karina Bystry, McMinn Central High School
Maddie Gray, Westview High School
Ally Weathers, Loretto High School


Class 3A Miss Basketball Finalists
Jaidynn Askins, Jackson South Side High School
Joya Crawford, Dyersburg High School
Carsyn Swaney, Heritage High School


Class 4A Miss Basketball Finalists
Kimora Fields, Bradley Central High School
Natalya Hodge, Bearden High School
Ella Ryan, Brentwood High School


Division II-A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Jayden Jones, Goodpasture Christian School
Preston Wade, Providence Christian Academy
Kaleb Williams, Trinity Christian Academy


Division II-AA Mr. Basketball Finalists
Cameron Blivens, Lipscomb Academy
Jonathan Sanderson, Ensworth High School
Fred Smith, Jr., Briarcrest Christian School


Class 1A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Jacob Amonett, Pickett County High School
Auden Slaughter, Santa Fe High School
Derrick Roberson, Chattanooga Preparatory School


Class 2A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Grayson Burleson, Loretto High School
Ty Glasper, Gatlinburg-Pittman High School
Rodney Henderson, Tyner Academy


Class 3A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Cade Capps, Stone Memorial High School
Ty Cobb, Upperman High School
Trey Thompson, Greeneville High School


Class 4A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Christian Brown, Franklin High School
Taquez Butler, Whitehaven High School
Cortez Graham-Howard, Hillsboro High School


This story will be updated


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