FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashley Ginascol (312-729-3622)
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
Jada Brown of
Centennial (Las Vegas, Nev.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Nevada Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Brown is the fourth Gatorade Nevada Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Centennial 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 Brown as Nevada'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, Brown 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 junior forward averaged 13.5 points, nine rebounds and 1.5 assists this past season, leading the Bulldogs (29-3) to the Class 4A semifinals. The 2012 Northwest League MVP, Brown was a 2011 First Team All-State selection and the 2011 and 2012 Las Vegas Holiday Classic MVP.
Brown has maintained a 3.82 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics, the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation and multiple fundraising campaigns to benefit cancer research.
"Jada Brown is by far the best player that we faced this year," said Phil Clarke, head coach at Palo Verde High. "On the court, she can do it all. There aren't too many in our area like her."
Brown will begin her 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.
Brown joins recent Gatorade Nevada Girls Basketball Players of the Year Amanda Delgado (2010-11, Liberty High School), Alexis Byrd (2009-10, Centennial), Mia Bell (2008-09, Durango), Ashley Gayle (2007-08, Bishop Gorman), Italee Lucas (2006 – 07, Centennial), Tuliah Gaines (2003-04, Cheyenne), and Brianne McGowan (2002-03, Wooster) 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.
