Boys basketball all-state picks: Timon’s Jaiden Harrison is AA player of the year

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — After becoming Western New York’s all-time leading scorer in boys basketball and leading Bishop Timon-St. Jude to the Catholic state final, senior guard Jaiden Harrison has been selected as the Class AA player of the year by the New York State Sportswriters Association.

Harrison, who plans to walk on the Arkansas State team coached by Jamestown native Bryan Hodgson, averaged 20.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists during his senior season, leading the Tigers to a 25-3 record and second consecutive Manhattan Cup championship.

Timon had three all-state picks, with senior guard Jacob Humphrey making the second team, and junior swingman Nakyhi Harris picked for the fourth team.

Jakye Rainey, the senior guard who broke Christian Laettner’s all-time scoring record at Nichols, was named to the Class AA first team after averaging 29.7 points to lead the area.

Lucas Brown, the Salamanca senior who has committed to play D’Youville University, was picked for the first team in Class B for leading his team to the state semifinals, averaging 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3.9 steals.

Carson Swanson, a junior who averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 asists, 5.7 rebounds and 5.5 steals for Westfield, was chosen for the Class C first team, along with Randolph’s Drew Hind, who averaged 21.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.6 steals as a junior.

The other WNY boys basketball players selected to the NYSPHSAA all-state teams are:

Class AAA

Jordan Alexander (Lancaster), 4th team; Nick Estell (Niagara Falls), 9th team; Ephraim Strong (Niagara Falls), honorable mention; John Strong (Niagara Falls), honorable mention.

Class AA

Jakye Rainey (Nichols), 1st team; Jacob Humphrey (Timon), 2nd team; Amir Moye (Health Sciences), 3rd team; Nakyhi Harris (Timon), 4th team; Jaydian Johnson (Jamestown), 5th team; Nicholas Purdie (Canisius), 10th team; Jaymeir Goosby (St. Joe’s), 11th; Chris McDonald (Orchard park), 12th team; Luke Walck (Niagara Wheatfield), 13th team; Nate Errington (Frontier), 14th team; Charlie Croff (Lockport), honorable mention; Matt LaRusch (Frontier), honorable mention; David Washington (Hutch Tech), honorable mention; Pat Benzir (Canisius), honorable mention.

Class A

Ahmir Dunn (Amherst), 4th team; Daryl Montgomery (Cheektowaga), 7th team; Carter Lampke (Williamsville South), 8th team; Sam Platt (Pioneer), 14th team; Nate Blenman (Amherst), honorable mention; Justus Kleitz (Iroquois), honorable mention; Jayce Wylke (Grand Island), honorable mention; Christian Szablewski (St. Mary’s), honorable mention.

Class B

Lucas Brown (Salamanca), 1st team; Taesyn Slating (Eden), 2nd team; Davion White (Fredonia), 2nd team; Roger Markham (Falconer), 3rd team; Shamere Davis (MST Seneca), 6th team; Landon Braman (Newfane), 7th team; Ben Dickinson (Newfane), 11th team; Ezekiel Alexander (Olmsted), honorable mention; Patrick Bodecker (East Aurora), honorable mention; Cameron D’Hilly (Cleveland Hill), Mike Hahn (Fredonia), honorable mention; Carson Kwiatowski (Allegany-Limestone), honorable mention; Jacari McCray (Olmsted), honorable mention.

Class C

Carson Swanson (Westfield), 1st team; Drew Hind (Randolph), 1st team; Carter Brink (Panama), 2nd team; Gavin Smith (Frewsburg), 5th team; Quentin Centner (Gowanda), 6th team; Luey Castro (Barker), 9th team; Owen Chudy (Ellicottville), 10th team; Derek Ebersole (North Collins), 10th team; Roan Kelly (Randolph), honorable mention.

Class D

Jon Sheldon (Pine Valley), 5th team; Kaden Beckerink (Clymer), honorable mention; Miles Volk (Pine Valley), honorable mention.

***

Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here .