Southeast Lauderdale senior Demondre Graham has been a major contributor for the Tigers’ boys basketball team since he averaged 13.2 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 4.1 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game as a freshman.

The guard put up 15.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.9 SPG as a junior, but he took his production up another notch in his final season with the Tigers.

After averaging 22.2 PPG, 5 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.3 SPG, Graham was named this season’s MHSAA Mr. Basketball for Class 3A. He will be recognized for the accomplishment next week at the Mississippi Coliseum during the state championships.

“It’s a great honor,” Graham said. “I never expected this to happen, but with hard work and my teammates pushing me every day to get better, I was thankfully named Mr. Basketball.”

Graham, who also earned Region 5-3A MVP and a spot in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game, has developed into a dominant scoring guard who can shoot from deep or use his 6-foot-4 frame to attack the basket. He uses his athleticism to contribute on the boards and on defense, and he continues to improve as a distributor.

“He has made his teammates better,” Southeast Lauderdale coach Centel Truman said. “He’s very unselfish. In this day and age, it’s hard to come by a kid that talented who can do so many different things with the basketball that can also facilitate it and have no problem with others getting opportunities to make plays as well.”

Truman said Graham brings the “Three A’s” to the court for the tigers: athleticism, academics and attitude. Graham’s athleticism is hard to miss on the basketball court, but Tigers fans may not know he has earned a 3.8 GPA in the classroom.

His dedication to passing the ball and his tutoring of teammates is proof that Graham has a team-first attitude on and off the court. Truman said whatever team gets Graham next is gaining a great player with a history of success who can impact and change a program in a variety of ways.

“You could say I play very hard. I’m a workaholic. I do whatever it takes to win,” Graham, who has been focusing on improving his passing and his left-handed skills this season, said.

The Tigers have leaned on Graham to produce in big games throughout his high school career. Graham has repaid his team by playing winning basketball on big stages.

Last season, he secured a region title for Southeast Lauderdale when he hit a shot with two seconds remaining in the Region 5-3A title game. The basket gave Graham 24 points, and it gave the Tigers a 61-59 win over Morton.

Graham scored 14 points in the quarterfinal round of last year’s playoffs against defending state champion St. Andrews, including two game-sealing free throws with just over a second remaining.

Most recently, he put up 23 points to lead the Tigers to a 55-35 victory over Northeast Lauderdale in the final of this season’s Sam Dale Tournament.

“He’s been in so many big moments that he has had to make big shots and big plays for us, so the game has started to slow down for him,” Truman said.

Southeast Lauderdale (21-4) faces Magee (17-6) in the third round of the MHSAA Class 3A Boys Basketball Championships at Clinton High on Saturday. Magee is a well-rounded team led by point guard J’Kwon Gregory, but only one Mississippi team has this year’s 3A Mr. Basketball.

“He’s played pretty good so far,” Truman said of Graham with a laugh. “You can’t help but love his personality. It becomes infectious throughout the whole program. … He’s a remarkable kid, and he’s been raised by a great family.”