Inglewood Girl Chosen Naismith Cager of Year

Lisa Leslie of Morningside High School in Inglewood, Calif., and Damon Bailey of North Lawrence High School in Bedford, Ind., have been named Naismith Basketball Players of the Year.

The recipients were named Tuesday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club and Days Inns of America Inc. They will receive their awards at the 22nd Annual Naismith Awards Banquet on April 5 in Atlanta.

With the 6-foot-5 Leslie leading the way, Morningside will seek its second straight California state championship Saturday. Believed to be the first to dunk in a girls’ high school game, Leslie is averaging 27 points, 15 rebounds and 7.5 blocked shots a game. Earlier this year, she scored 100 points in the first half of a Morningside victory.

A 3.5 honors student, Leslie has been class president for three straight years.

Bailey, a 6-foot-3 forward, is the greatest scorer in Indiana high school history. He had scored 3,206 points as North Lawrence, 25-2, headed into this week’s semifinal state action. With Bailey earning all-state honors for four straight years, the Stars have compiled a 95-11 record.

Bailey accepted a scholarship to Indiana before the start of the season.