Edwardsville's Mark Smith named Illinois' Mr. Basketball

CHICAGO – Edwardsville's Mark Smith has been named the winner of Illinois' highest individual prep basketball award.

Smith, who helped lead the Tigers to a 30-2 record and a berth in the IHSA Class 4A Super-Sectional in Normal, where they were eliminated by eventual state runner-up Chicago Simeon, was voted Illinois' Mr. Basketball in a poll conducted of state basketball coaches and media members.

The award, co-sponsored by the Chicago Tribune and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, has been presented since the 1980-81 season; Smith is the first Metro East-area player to be so honored since Darius Miles of East St. Louis was named the 1999-2000 Mr. Basketball.

The voting is conducted on a 5-3-1 basis by those taking part in the poll (139 ballots were cast); Smith was named on 61 ballots, with Smith receiving 41 first-place votes, 13 second-place votes and seven third-place votes for a total of 251 points. Evanston's Nojel Eastern finished second with 175 points (22-19-8 on 44 ballots), followed by Belleville Althoff's Jordan Goodwin with 136 points (11-24-9 on 44 ballots), East St. Louis' Jeremiah Tilmon with 105 points (13-9-13 on 35 ballots) and Glasford Illini Bluffs' Taylor Bruinga rounding out the top five with 85 points (10-9-8 on 27 ballots). Belleville East's Javon Pickette finished eighth in the balloting with 46 points (2-7-15 on 24 ballots); Okawville's Noah Frederking also received 10 points (two first-place votes on two ballots).

Smith will be honored at the IBCA’s annual banquet May 6 at Illinois State’s Redbird Arena.