Senior center Cameron Cooper of the Yokota Panthers has been named most valuable player of the first Department of Defense Dependents Schools All-Japan basketball team in voting by league coaches.

Cooper helped lead the Panthers to a share of the Japan League and Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools titles and second place in the Far East Class AA Tournament last month on Okinawa. Yokota (24-4) was 9-2 in Japan and 12-1 in Kanto.

Cooper is joined on the 10-player All-Star team by senior guard and teammate Shawn Novak.

Representing Nile C. Kinnick (8-1 Japan, 12-1 Kanto, 24-4 overall) are juniors Travis Ekmark and Paul Ergus.

Selected from Zama American (3-6, 2-10, 10-22) were senior Will Badillo and sophomore Aaron Tabor. Juniors Woody Carter and Shamar Riddick were named from Robert D. Edgren (7-6 Japan, 12-11 overall).

Japan’s two small schools were represented by one player apiece. E.J. King (5-7 Japan, 14-12 overall) placed senior guard Draonne Johnson on the team, while sophomore Kris Lazarou was picked to represent Matthew C. Perry (2-12, 11-18).

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