FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | February 19, 2023
4A HONORS: PAYMON, HOUSTON RECOGNIZED AS MR & MISS BASKETBALL
CLINTON, Miss. – Eric Paymon from Raymond and Jacilyn Houston from Louisville become the inaugural winners in Class 4A of the Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards, given by the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) alongside the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) and presented by C Spire.
The MHSAA and MAC have teamed up with C Spire to recognize one Mr. Basketball and one Miss Basketball in each of the MHSAA’s six classifications. The winners in each class will be released in consecutive days, continuing with 4A on Sunday (Feb. 19) and concluding with 6A on Tuesday (Feb. 21).
Houston, a senior for the Louisville Wildcats, averages 16 points with nine rebounds and three steals per game. Her squad entered the 2023 playoffs as the top seed in Region 4. With postseason wins over Ripley (first round) and Mooreville (second round), Houston and the Wildcats will face South Pontotoc in the state quarterfinals on Thursday (Feb. 23) at Mississippi Valley State.
The senior big man for the Raymond Rangers, Paymon averages more than 21 points per game to go along with 9.2 boards, 3.5 assists, and two blocks. As the top seed from Region 6, Raymond knocked off Green County in first-round playoff action and Lawrence County in the second round. Paymon will lead the Rangers into state quarterfinal action on Wednesday (Feb. 22) at Pearl River CC against Bay High.
All Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball winners will be recognized during the 2023 MHSAA State Championships in the Mississippi Coliseum (March 2-4). Recipients will also be honored at a special awards luncheon, which will also be live streamed on the NFHS Network, in the MHSAA Conference Center on March 7.
