<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Monroe wins honor as nation's top player Helen Cox star is second from Louisiana to capture award Thursday, March 06, 2008 By Mike Strom Greg Monroe of Helen Cox has been selected the 12th winner of the Morgan Wootten National High School Basketball Player of the Year on the McDonald's All-American team. Monroe, a 6-foot-10 senior and Georgetown signee, is the second Louisiana recipient of the Wootten Award. Salmen's Chris Duhon was selected in 2000. UCLA freshman Kevin Love and Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers are among the past winners. "This is really big," Cougars Coach Cox Tyron Mouzon said. "Greg is being included in some very elite company." Mouzon said he was informed of the selection Monday. Later that night, he scored 19 points, had 10 rebounds, three steals and one block to lead Cox to a 62-59 victory against Carroll in a Class 4A state semifinals game at the Cajundome. Cox (35-7) plays O. Perry Walker (34-7) for the state championship at 8 p.m. Friday in the Cajundome. "I'm grateful for it, being McDonald's All-American Player of the Year," Monroe said. "That's a big award. It's another reward for a lot of hard work. But still and all, there's one other thing I'd like to have, and Friday I get to play for it." The Wootten Award is named for former boys basketball coach at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md. Wootten directs the McDonald's All-American selection committee.</div> http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/....xml&coll=1
