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Former Walsh Jesuit All-Ohioan Evan Payne would be ineligible to play basketball for Firestone HS, says building principal Larry Petry. Payne had a meeting Wednesday at Firestone.
The SportsInk.com Athlete of the Week for Jan. 2-8 is Walsh Jesuit boys basketball junior guard Evan Payne.
Payne is averaging 25.5 points per game and put up 14 points in a win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Jan. 7. He also poured in 27 points in a victory over a talented Firestone team last Tuesday night in Akron.
“His maturity both on the court and off has helped make this team strong on the court, and as a person I just can’t say enough,” said Walsh coach John Norris.
“I played a lot of AAU basketball in the off-season as I tried to improve any way I could,” Payne said.
Payne was raised in west Akron after moving into the area at the age of 4 from Oklahoma.
“I really loved having that big game against my buddies over at Firestone,” Payne said.
Payne got his start in athletics in soccer but soon fell in love with the game of basketball. His father, former Division II Pomona College basketball player Kent Payne, jumped at the opportunity to teach his boy.
“Dad taught how to handle the ball and how to be court smart,” Payne said.
Payne is looking to major in engineering at college and would certainly love to continue to play basketball.
“He is a terrific leader,” Norris said.
Evan Payne
Walsh Jesuit High School
Junior
Basketball
TV: NBA TV
Movie: “More Than a Game”
Pizza: Bacon
Home cooking: Tacos
IPod: 6’ 7”
Class: U.S. History
Bucket: Travel around the country