West Bladen’s McCall named Southeastern Player of the Year

West Bladen’s Tylik McCall was named Player of the Year and Travis Pait was named Coach of the Year for boys’ basketball by the Southeastern Conference.

West Bladen’s Jamari Adams-Peterson, Damarion Bryant and Jackson Pait were selected to the boys’ all-conference team.

West Bladen’s Kali Allen and Natalee Sykes were named to the All-Southeastern Conference girls’ team.

McCall averaged a team-leading 18.1 points per game last season along with 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. The three-time all-conference performer made 61 3-point field goals and had 51 steals. He started 107 of 109 games in his career, missing two starts to allow seniors to start in their final regular-season home game.

He teamed with Jackson Pait to lead the Knights to a 90-19 record and four regular-season conference championships. West Bladen also won a pair of conference tournament championships and reached the N.C. High School Athletic Association final four in 2025. The Knights were 21-7 last season and made it to the third round of the state 3A playoffs.

Pait averaged 17.3 points per game, made 71 3-pointers, averaged 3.5 assists per game, 3.75 rebounds per game and made 79 steals last season. Adams-Peterson averaged 9.5 points per game and was a key 3-point shooter in the Knights’ high-powered offense. Bryant averaged 4.2 points per game, but was a key contributor defensively.

For the girls’ team, Allen led the Knights in scoring (7.2 points per game) and rebounding (4.9 per game) and made 34 3-pointers. Sykes made 27 3-pointers and averaged 5.8 points per game.

Also on the boys’ team were Fairmont’s Xavion Pittman and Jeremiah Morris, South Brunswick’s Jayden Daniels and Edward Young, South Columbus’ Khalil Morgan, Red Springs’ Khalif Brown and Kylee Thames, and Whiteville’s Corey Faison and Ty’lae Rose.

Also on the girls’ team were Aaliyah Duran, Lyric McNair and Kimiyah Smith from state 4A runners-up Fairmont, South Brunswick’s Aubree Adams, Adyson Bell and Meryn Deutsch, South Columbus’ Addison Faulk and Trinity Strickland, Whiteville’s Jashai Robbs and Asia Smith, and Red Springs’ Allaya Locklear.

Whiteville’s Ceonna Dennis was selected the girls’ Player of the Year and Fairmont’s Marcus Thompson was Coach of the Year.