Seven chosen CIF-SS players of the year

Donovan Dent and Jared Mccain have been inseparable on the court, so it’s fitting Centennial’s backcourt duo shared the Open Division player of the year honors as the CIF Southern Section released its basketball awards Monday afternoon.

Dent, a senior point guard, and Mccain, a junior shooting guard, helped the Huskies claim a second consecutive Open Division title. Centennial dominated the Open Division playoffs, winning each game by at least 20 points.

For Dent, it marks the second straight year he has received the player of the year honor in the Open Division. He shared the award with Sierra Canyon’s Amari Bailey last season. Dent is the first boys basketball player to be chosen a player of the year in the section’s highest division in backto-back seasons since Mater Dei’s Stanley Johnson (2013-14).

The Inland area swept the player of the year honors in the Open Divisions, as Etiwanda’s Kennedy Smith took home the award on the girls side. Smith, a sophomore forward, helped the Eagles claim the program’s first section championship. Santiago’s Rhylee Ghent and Ontario Christian’s Chloe Briggs were selected the co-players of the year for the Division 2A girls playoff division. Ghent, a sophomore guard, helped

Santiago capture its third section title. Briggs, a junior guard, helped Ontario Christian advance to the section finals for the third straight season. This is Briggs’ second player of the year honor, after being chosen the top player in Division 3AA last season.

Rancho Cucamonga’s Shadale Knight was chosen the Division 3AA boys player of the year. Knight, a junior point guard, helped the Cougars win the program’s first title by hitting two free throws with no time on the clock in the championship game.

Fontana’s Joshua Okolugbo was selected as the Division 5A boys player of the year. Okolugbo, a senior forward, helped the Steelers win the program’s first section championship in 27 seasons.

Centennial boys coach Josh Giles and Rancho Cucamonga boys coach Bill Burke were chosen the coach of the year in their school’s playoff division after guiding their teams to section championships. Chaffey’s Erik Crull was chosen the Division 5AA boys coach of the year after leading the Tigers to the program’s first section final in 60 years. Etiwanda girls coach Stan Delus and Santiago girls coach Michael Mitchell also received coach of the year honors for guiding their teams to section titles.

An additional 35 players from Inland schools — 20 boys and 15 girls — were selected to the first team in their respective playoff divisions.

KEITH BIRMINGHAM — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Centennial’s Donovan Dent, left, was chosen as the CIF-SS Open Division co-player of the year for a second straight time.