Awards continue to roll in for McEachern’s Pachiyaanna Roberts, who headlined the list of all-state girls basketball honorees announced by the Georgia Sports Writers Association.

Roberts, a 5-10 senior, received the highest honor a single player can earn, being named Miss Basketball for the 2011-12 season. She also joined teammate Dominique Wilson, Hillgrove’s Celina Rodrigo, Norcross’ Diamond DeShields and North Gwinnett’s Lexie Brown as a first-team all-state selection.

“I’m really happy and excited to get this honor,” Roberts said, “but I couldn’t have had such a great season without my teammates. There’s no ‘I’ in team. I needed them with me all the time.

“I am surprised, though, that I got this. I never expected to be named Miss Basketball for Georgia. It’s a big honor.”

Roberts is the first Miss Basketball from Cobb County since Marietta’s Angel Robinson in 2005.

Also the Marietta Daily Journal/Cobb County Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Roberts was the player of the year in Region 4AAAAA and a nominee to the McDonald’s All-American game.

The Syracuse signee totaled 18 double-doubles and averaged 17.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 3.8 steals and 1.7 blocks in leading McEachern to a 33-0 record and the Class AAAAA state title.

Roberts’ versatility was her biggest strength. The all-around player didn’t fit into the typical mold of either a guard or a forward, and she had the abilities to play any position on the court.

“She’s very deserving of this award,” McEachern coach Phyllis Arthur said. “She did a lot for our team and led us in scoring, rebounding and steals. I would be upset if anybody else had gotten this award.

“She worked hard to get that state title. She’s been with me since her freshman season and has been a starter during her four-year career. She deserves every accolade she gets.”

Roberts’ career numbers at McEachern are just as impressive. She finished with 1,591 points, 942 rebounds, 290 assists and 351 steals.

“I worked really hard to become an all-around threat,” Roberts said. “I always felt like, the more positions I could play, the harder it would be to stop me. I always wanted to be that kind of player, and I was. Shooting and playing from the outside, being able to post up skinnier girls — and going around thicker ones — that’s what I wanted to do.”

Roberts’ all-around ability earned her several scholarship offers, and in the end, she chose Syracuse because of how they planned to use her.

“Syracuse offered me more than any other school,” Roberts said. “They wanted me to do it all, and they didn’t try to limit me to one position. I may not look it, but I’m a lot stronger than you might think. Other schools only wanted me to play at the post, but I think my game has expanded beyond that.”