Kris Jenkins Named Gatorade D.C. 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 Kris Jenkins of Gonzaga (Washington, District of Columbia) High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade District of Columbia Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Jenkins is the sixth Gatorade District of Columbia Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Gonzaga College 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 Jenkins as District of Columbia'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, Jenkins 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-6, 250-pound junior wing averaged 19.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this past season, leading the Eagles (27-7) to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship game and a fourth-place finish at the national Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament. Also the WCAC Player of the Year and a two-time First Team All-WCAC selection, he captured tournament Most Valuable Player honors at this winter's Cancer Research Classic in West Virginia, Basketball Hall of Fame Spalding Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts and the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic in South Carolina.

Jenkins has maintained a B average in the classroom. In addition to donating his time as a youth basketball instructor, he has volunteered on behalf of a local homeless shelter.

"Kris Jenkins was a dominating player in our league this season," said Marty Keithline, head coach at Bishop McNamara High (Md.). "He is a dual-threat player who can efficiently score in the paint as well as step out and hit the 3-point shot. Jenkins must be kept off of the offensive glass, as he works for position well and has a knack for getting his hands on offensive boards."

Jenkins 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.

Jenkins joins recent Gatorade District of Columbia Boys Basketball Players of the Year Nate Britt (2010-11, Gonzaga College High School), Tyler Thornton (2009-10, Gonzaga College), Ian Hummer (2008-09, Gonzaga College High School), Max Kenyi (2007-08, Gonzaga College High School), and Chris Wright (2006 07, St. John's College) among the state's list of former award winners.

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