MOUNT VERNON — East Knox senior Luke Branstool and Utica senior Justin Dassylva are two players with very different skill sets, but each displayed abilities and passion on the hardwood that rival one other. For their efforts this season, they’ve been named the 2010 Mount Vernon News Boys Basketball All-Area Players of the Year. And, after leading his team to a 17-3 mark in the regular season and a Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division title, Mount Vernon coach Kurt Kaufman is the boys basketball Coach of the Year.

Joining Branstool and Dassylva on the All-Area First Team are Centerburg’s Skyler Simpson, Fredericktown’s Thomas Hinkle and Mount Vernon’s Joe Scott. Making up the All-Area Second Team are Centerburg’s Brandt Lambert, Danville’s Weston Severns, Mount Vernon’s Ben Hoar and Charlie Phillips, and Mount Vernon Academy’s Justin Green. Earning Special Mention status were Khai Haralson, East Knox; Drew Osborne, Centerburg; Nick Stover, Danville; Riley Swanson, Mount Vernon; Kyle Walton, Utica; C.J. Ruhl, Fredericktown; Shaun Durbin, Danville; Lyle Lindsey, Centerburg; Ryan Logan, Fredericktown; and Greg Deckling, Highland.