Photos by Andrew Grimm STATEWIDE RECOGNITION — Big Red head coach Mike Haney, left, was named the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association Division III boys basketball Coach of the Year on Thursday, as voted by a statewide panel. Santino Haney, at right, was voted First Team All-Ohio by the OPSMA and was one of three Big Red players recognized on the All-Ohio lists.

STEUBENVILLE — A week after their historic run to the state championship game, more accolades poured in for the Big Red basketball team on Thursday.

Veteran Big Red head coach Mike Haney was recognized as the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association Division III Coach of the Year, and three players from the history-making team were honored on the OPSMA All-Ohio lists.

Coach Haney becomes the first Big Red boys basketball coach to win a state Coach of the Year award.

“I know I am the one getting recognized, but to me, this is a team award,” coach Haney said. “The assistant coaches worked hard all season, breaking down film, doing scouting reports, everything they did to get us prepared for games and the players performed and did everything they needed to do for us to be successful.

“I know it’s my name on the award, but it’s really a team award and about what the whole team did together this year.”

Junior Santino Haney, who was the East District Player of the Year, was voted First Team All-Ohio after finishing as Big Red’s leader in scoring (21.3 points per game), assists (6.3), rebounds (5.0) and steals (3.8).

Senior Cole Bowers, who averaged 14.3 points and 4.3 rebounds, both second not he team, was voted special mention All-Ohio. Bowers was also an All-Ohioan in football and soccer in the fall, making him a three-sport All-Ohio honoree this school year.

Senior Tre’von Wiggins (12.7 points, 2.1 assists, 1.8 steals) was an honorable mention selection.

“Santino gets first team, Cole special mention and Tre’von honorable mention, but the whole team really earned the recognition,” coach Haney said. “Santino had a lot of assists, but he only had those because his teammates made shots. Guys had steals because the whole team was playing good defense. Those three guys get the individual awards, and they earned it, but they’re really team awards, too, because the whole team worked hard for us to be successful.”

The All-Ohio teams are selected through nominations from all seven districts of the OPSMA based on regular season accomplishments. The girls basketball All-Ohio teams were announced Monday and Tuesday, and the boys basketball All-Ohio teams for Divisions IV, V, VI and VII were announced Wednesday. The release of Divisions I, II and III on Thursday wrapped up the postseason award announcements from the OHSAA.

“It’s great for the program to get statewide recognition, the kids deserve that,” coach Haney said. “Being down there (in Dayton), I got a ton of texts from family, friends and opposing coaches that we play against. They liked the way we played basketball, played hard, shared the ball, played unselfish and hustled on defense. For that to be noticed on the state level is something the kids earned and deserve and I am very happy for them.”