Anjaleace White Named Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year

CHICAGO (March 8, 2012) — In its 27th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Anjaleace White of Sanford (Hockessin, Del.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year. White is the third Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Sanford 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 White as Delaware's best high school girls basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, White joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Candace Parker (2003-04, 2002-03, & 2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).

The 6-foot-2 senior center led the Warriors to an 18-4 record and a berth in the state semifinals against St. Elizabeth, scheduled for March 7. White averaged 14.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks entering the state final four. She helped lead Sanford to state titles each of the last two seasons and earned All-State Third Team honors as a junior.

White has maintained a B average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

"White is extremely smart and skilled," said James Kiger, head coach at Smyrna High. "She's got really good post moves and she can also step out, catch a pass and take it to the basket. She's very intense, never stops hustling and plays with great sportsmanship."

White has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at George Washington University 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.

White joins recent Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Players of the Year Betnijah Laney (2010-11 & 2009-10, Smyrna High School), Dara Taylor (2008-09, Caravel Academy), Elena Delle Donne (2007-08, Ursuline Academy), Khadijah Rushdan (2006 – 07, St. Elizabeth), Kate Mills (2003-04, Ursuline Academy), and Toni Jones (2002-03, Sussex Tech) among the state's list of former award winners.

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