Jordan Loveridge Named Gatorade Utah 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 Jordan Loveridge of West Jordan (West Jordan, Utah) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Utah Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Loveridge is the first Gatorade Utah Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from West Jordan 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 Loveridge as Utah'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, Loveridge 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 senior forward led the Jaguars to a 21-3 record and the Class 5A state semifinals this past season. Loveridge averaged 22.9 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. A three-time First Team All-State selection, he was also named Mr. Basketball by the Deseret News.

Loveridge has maintained a 3.49 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of a basketball program for students with physical and intellectual challenges.

"Loveridge is very long, with a strong body, and he uses that length so well," said Golden Holt, head coach at Orem High. "He keeps getting better and better. His body has developed and he's worked so hard that now there really isn't a weakness in his game."

Loveridge has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Utah 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.

Loveridge joins recent Gatorade Utah Boys Basketball Players of the Year Nick Emery (2010-11, Lone Peak High School), Kyle Collinsworth (2009-10, Provo), Tyler Haws (2007-08 & 2008-09, Lone Peak High School), and Chris Collinsworth (2006–07, Provo) 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.