Staff report

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — JJ Andrews, a 6-foot-6 junior from Little Rock, has been named the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year for Arkansas.

Andrews is the son of Janetta Heggins Andrews, a Salisbury-Rowan Hall of Famer and a South Rowan graduate who played college basketball at Western Carolina. Andrews’ father is Shawn Andrews, a former Arkansas and NFL lineman who played in two Pro Bowls.

Andrews averaged 28.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists this season and is ranked 22nd nationally by ESPN for players in the Class of 2026.

He already has scored 2,201 points.

Andrews was state tournament MVP as a sophomore.

He has been offered by a host of SEC schools.

Six schools at the top of his list, in no particular order, are Oklahoma, LSU, Missouri, Arkansas, Marquette and NC State.