VIDEO: John Zhao Interview post E&H
ROCK HILL, S.C. – For the second time this season, junior forward John Zhao (Sevierville, Tenn.) has been named the Tennessee Sportswriters Association State Player of the Week, the organization announced Tuesday evening.
Zhao also earned the award on Dec. 18 following road wins over Tusculum and Anderson. He helped guide C-N a 106-99 overtime win at Emory & Henry Wednesday night before helping C-N roll Coker in a battle for third place in the league standings 120-81.
Zhao represents the third Eagle to win the award for the fifth time this year. Zhao has two honors from the group, as does Nick Brenegan. Jack Browder won the award the opening week of the season.
Zhao averaged 32 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the week. He shot a staggering 83.9 percent from the field and 76.9 percent from three. He made 26-of-31 shots from the field and 10-of-13 from three.
Zhao started his week with a career-high 38 against E&H. The 38 points are the ninth-highest scoring game in school history. He was an astonishing 15-of-17 from the field and 8-of-9 from three against the Wasps. His .888 three-point field goal percentage tied Ray Evans 32-year-old school record for the highest three-point efficiency in a single game with at least six threes made. Evans was 8-for-9 against Elon on Jan. 25, 1992. Zhao's 15 made shots are also tied for the ninth-most in a single game in school history with Jim Shuler (Tusculum 1966) and Bryant Thomas (Wingate 2023).
Zhao followed up his career night at E&H by scoring 26 on Coker. He was 11-of-14 from the field against the Cobras and 2-of-4 from three. He also matched a career high with seven rebounds.
Zhao and the rest of the Eagles will be in action Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against Lincoln Memorial. Tipoff with the Railsplitters is set for 7:15 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/FloMbb.
