Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Brendon Manning is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Manning, a 6-foot-4 forward, is one of the most improved basketball players in the Metro area this season. He averaged just 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 11 games last year and missed the second half of the campaign with a broken ankle, but he has become one of the leaders for the Cougars this year.

Manning enjoyed three big games for Kennedy this past week as the Cougars raised their record to 5-1 with three straight victories.

Manning began the week with 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals in a 63-57 win over Washington on Tuesday. He followed that performance with a career-best 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists in an 83-76 verdict at eighth-ranked Dubuque Hempstead on Friday. He finished the week with 18 points and 14 rebounds in a 63-49 win over Solon on Saturday, highlighted by a slam dunk with an offensive rebound.

Manning averaged 18.7 points and 10 rebounds in those three games, lifting his averages to 14 points and 6.7 rebounds for the season heading into the holidays.