Many around Covington County know about the Pleasant Home Lady Eagles’ outstanding freshman basketball player River Baldwin, and now people from all across the start are becoming aware of the phenom after she was named one of three finalist for the Alabama Sports Writers Association 2015-16 Class 1A girls’ basketball Player of the Year Award.

“This is very unexpected,” Baldwin said. “I’m just extremely honored to be considered for this award, especially as a freshman.”

Baldwin and her family will go to Montgomery on April 6 for the ASWA Awards Banquet, where the winners of the awards will be announced.

The other two players up for the award are Harriet Winchester from Keith High School and Tykeah Rogers of Spring Garden.

In her second year as a member of the varsity team, dominated the low post and became more comfortable with her ball control.

Baldwin’s impressive season includes a double-double average with 25.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

At 6-foot-5, Baldwin’s mere presence at center kept most teams from trying to shoot from the outside.

When opposing teams did try their luck inside, Baldwin was there to show them why that was a bad idea.

For the season, Baldwin averaged little more than five blocks per game.

Baldwin has helped led the Lady Eagles to a 42-11 record over the past two seasons, and scored her 1,000th career point in the final game this season.

Over her two-year career Baldwin has shot 55 percent from the field and 64 percent from the free-throw line. She is just shy of averaging a career double-double with 18.8 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game.

“It shows that all the hard work that I’ve putting in is starting to pay off,” Baldwin said. “Really, it’s just exciting to be considered for it.”