Garet Beal Named Gatorade Maine Boys Basketball Player of the Year

CHICAGO (March 22, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Garet Beal of Jonesport-Beals (Jonesport, Maine) High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade Maine Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Beal is the first Gatorade Maine Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Jonesport-Beals High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Beal as Maine's best high school boys basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced in March, Beal joins an elite alumni association of past state boys basketball award winners, including Dwight Howard (2003-04, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, Ga.), Chauncey Billups (1993-94 & 1994-95, George Washington HS, Colo.), Jason Kidd (1991-92, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS, Calif.), Paul Pierce (1994-95, Inglewood HS, Calif.) and Chris Bosh (2001-02, Lincoln HS, Texas).

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound junior wing led the Royals to a 19-2 record and the Class D state championship this past season. Beal recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-62, title-clinching victory against Forest Hills High, capturing First Team All-Tournament honors for the second consecutive season. The returning Third Team All-State selection as named by the Bangor Daily News averaged 22.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.8 steals, 3.6 assists and 1.6 blocks. He shot 61.5 percent from the field, 46.7 percent from 3-point range and 81.2 percent from free throw line.

Beal has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom and serves as a member of his school's student council. In addition to donating his time on behalf of the National Honor Society, he has volunteered as a positive mentor to elementary school students and as part of both community fundraisers and cleanup efforts.

"Garet is a dream to coach," said Jonesport-Beals High Head Coach Gordon Faulkingham. "He's a coach on the floor, the first to practice and the last to leave. He's too unselfish at times and a great teammate."

Beal will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Beal joins recent Gatorade Maine Boys Basketball Players of the Year Tyler McFarland (2010-11, Camden Hills Regional High School), Stefano Mancini (2009-10, Falmouth), Thomas Knight (2008-09, Dirigo High School), Ryan Martin (2007-08, Maranacook Community High School), and Troy Barnies (2006-07, Edward Little) among the state's list of former award winners.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.