5A All-Idaho boys basketball team: The best of the best from Idaho’s toughest class
Note: The All-Idaho teams are chosen by each classification’s coaches. The Idaho Statesman hosts the voting process and publishes the results.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JACK PAYNE, OWYHEE
Why he is player of the year: The only senior who regularly played for the state champs, the 6-foot-5 Payne led by example and moved out of his natural position to play point guard. He could have led the state in scoring but instead did whatever it took to win, finishing with 10.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per game.
Coach’s comment: “Jack plays as hard as possible and with as much energy as anyone in this state since (Borah grad) Austin Bolt,” Owyhee coach Andy Harrington said.
What others are saying: “He has an impact on every possession. … Jack is fun to watch and fun to cheer for, unless you are the opponent,” Rigby coach Justin Jones said.
What’s next: He has verbally committed to Colorado State.
KOLTON MITCHELL, LAKE CITY
Opponents long ago learned they needed to cook up exotic defenses for the 6-1 junior point guard, who holds an offer from Idaho. But few have worked. He led the 5A classification with 17.7 points per game while also distributing 4.2 assists a contest.
BLAKE BUCHANAN, LAKE CITY
A repeat first-team selection, the 6-11 junior center is still improving. He’s developed an outside game that allowed him to rack up 13.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. He holds five Division I scholarship offers entering the offseason.
LIAM CAMPBELL, OWYHEE
Teams threw the kitchen sink at the 6-5 sophomore guard to try to slow him down — to no avail. He led the 5A SIC in scoring (17.3 ppg) while adding 6.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the state champ. A pair of Pac-12 schools, USC and Washington State, have already made him offers.
DONOVAN JONES, EAGLE
The future Stanford football player and 5A SIC Player of the Year led the Mustangs to their first 20-win season since 2009. He served as the top defensive stopper and unquestioned leader while racking up 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.4 steals per game.
COACH OF THE YEAR: JOSH AIPPERSPACH, CENTENNIAL
He led the Patriots on a Cinderella run to the 5A state championship game as the No. 8 seed.
SECOND TEAM
| Player | School | Height | Year | Position | Stats |
| Weston Johnson | Centennial | 6-4 | Senior | Guard | 10.0 ppg, 8.5 reb, 4.3 ast |
| Tyler Shipp | Centennial | 6-6 | Senior | Guard | 12.9 ppg, 2.3 ast, 2.5 blk |
| Logan Crane | Madison | 6-1 | Senior | Guard | 14.1 ppg, 3.8 ast, 2.5 stl |
| Nate Ojukwu | Mountain View | 6-6 | Junior | Wing | 13.0 ppg, 6.5 reb |
| Kaden Christensen | Centennial | 6-0 | Senior | Guard | 9.5 ppg, 33% on 3s |
