The rest of the state has recognized what Northwest Indiana already knew.

Zack Novak is one of the best basketball players in the state.

The Chesterton star has been named to the Associated Press' all-state first team, the first Trojan to be chosen since Brett Buscher in 2000.

"It's a nice honor," Novak said. "Personally, it was kind of a goal. It's pretty big, especially in Indiana, with how big basketball is here."

The University of Michigan-bound guard/forward is joined on the team by three seniors also going to Division I schools -- Washington's Tyler Zeller (North Carolina), Edgewood's Garrett Butcher (Butler) and Marion's Julius Mays (North Carolina State) -- and Fort Wayne Luers sophomore DeShaun Thomas.

"If we don't win 19 games, I probably don't even make as much noise around the state," Novak said. "It was all about winning games. I knew that if we were winning and I was playing well, the individual stuff would come."

Novak, who averaged 26.9 points, was the only boy or girl from the Region to make any of the three teams. E.C. Central's Angel Garcia, Kawann Short and Derrell Conner, and Portage's Lisa Samplawski received high honorable mention.

"I'd like to see as many people from around here make it," Novak said. "I guess I'm glad I at least represent us a little bit there."

He hopes the honor is a precursor to making the Indiana All-Star team.

"I'm really looking forward to that," Novak said. "Since I was little, I've wanted to play in those games."