By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills junior Archie Goodwin has been named Gatorade Arkansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Goodwin is the first Sylvan Hills High School player to earn the honor and joins recent Arkansas selections Preston Purifoy, of Conway (2009-10), and Fayetteville’s Fred Gulley who won consecutive awards in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
The award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court.
Goodwin, a 6-5 guard, averaged 28.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game this past season, leading the Bears (25-4) to the Class 5A state final where they lost to Alma.
Goodwin is a first-team All-Leader choice, a two-time All-State selection and is rated the nation’s No. 17 junior class recruit by ESPNU.
Goodwin has maintained a B average in the classroom.
