Vernon Carey Jr. repeats as Florida Mr. Basketball
University School All-American Vernon Carey Jr. was named Florida’s Mr. Basketball for a second consecutive season Thursday.
The Florida Dairy Farmers honored the 6-foot-10 Duke signee with state Player of the Year honors after Carey led U-School to a second straight Class 5A state championship.
The award is yet another on a long list of achievements for the talented senior. Carey was also named a McDonald’s All-American, earned Gatorade’s Florida Player of the Year award and was named the state Player of the Year by the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches.
Carey, who was in Atlanta on Wednesday night for the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game, tweeted Thursday: “Blessed to be named Mr. Basketball for the state of Florida again! #2x.”
Carey received 15 of the 23 first-place votes and finished with 171 points to best runner-up C.J. Walker (115 points), of Orlando Oak Ridge. Walker is headed to Oregon in the fall. Purdue-Fort Wayne shooting guard signee Chase Johnston, of Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy, placed third.
Carey is the sixth student-athlete to win the honor multiple times in the 37-year history of the award. He averaged 21.7 points and 9 rebounds in 2018-19 for the 27-4 Sharks. Carey missed University School’s two final four games in Lakeland with an ankle injury but hopes to return in time for GEICO Nationals.
University School’s four losses this season have been to Philly Imhotep Charter and Bradenton’s IMG Academy at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers; to California’s Sierra Canyon at the Les Schwab in Oregon; and to Kansas power Sunrise Christian.
The University School standout, who earlier had been named the state’s 5A Player of the Year, was one of nine finalists for the award. The other finalists were: Walker, Orlando Oak Ridge, 9A Player of the Year; Max Fiedler, Melbourne, 8A Player of the Year; Devin Carter, Miami Doral Academy, 7A Player of the Year; Isaiah Adams, Paxon School, 6A Player of the Year; Johnston, Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy, 4A Player of the Year; Michael Gavin, Lake Mary Prep, 3A Player of the Year; Jordan Preaster, Orlando Central Florida Christian Academy, 2A Player of the Year; Marcus Niblack, Wildwood, 1A Player of the Year.
Carter, Adams and Niblack are just juniors.
Crestview High’s Greg Watson was named the Dairy Farmers Coach of the Year. Watson led Crestview over Dillard for the 7A state championship. Blanche Ely’s Melvin Randall and Westminster Academy’s Ehren Wallhoff placed second and third, respectively, in the voting.
Past Florida Mr. Basketball winners
1983 – Frank Ford, Kissimmee Osceola
1984 – Vernon Maxwell, Gainesville Buchholz
1985 – Toney Mack, Brandon
1986 – Chris Corchiani, Hialeah Miami Lakes
1987 – Chris Corchiani, Hialeah Miami Lakes
1988 – Johnny Walker, Quincy Shanks
1989 – Doug Edwards, Miami Senior
1990 – Clifford Rozier, Bradenton Southeast
1991 – Steve Edwards, Miami Senior
1992 – Steve Edwards, Miami Senior
1993 – James Collins, Jacksonville Jackson
1994 – LeRon Williams, Bradenton Southeast
1995 – Vince Carter, Daytona Beach Mainland
1996 – Luke Barnes, South Miami
1997 – Jason Pryor, Fort Walton Beach
1998 – Teddy Dupay, Cape Coral Mariner
1999 – Casey Sanders, Tampa Prep
2000 – Orien Greene, Gainesville
2001 – Adrian McPherson, Bradenton Southeast
2002 – Amare Stoudemire, Orlando Cypress Creek
2003 – Chris Richard, Lakeland Kathleen
2004 – Darius Washington, Orlando Edgewater
2005 – Keith Brumbaugh, DeLand
2006 – Nick Calathes, Winter Park Lake Howell
2007 – Nick Calathes, Winter Park Lake Howell
2008 – Ray Shipman, Miami Mons. Pace
2009 – Brandon Knight, Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest
2010 – Brandon Knight, Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest
2011 – Austin Rivers, Winter Park
2012 – Joel Berry II, Lake Highland Prep
2013 – Joel Berry II, Lake Highland Prep
2014 – Joel Berry II, Lake Highland Prep
2015 – Antonio Blakeney, Orlando Oak Ridge
2016 – Tony Bradley, Bartow
2017 – Kevin Knox, Tampa Catholic
2018 – Vernon Carey Jr., University School
If you have high school basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via text at 954-661-9671.