Josh Scott Named Gatorade Colorado 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 Josh Scott of Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Colorado Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Scott is the first Gatorade Colorado Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Lewis-Palmer 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 Scott as Colorado'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, Scott 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-10, 220-pound senior center led the Rangers to a 27-1 record and the Class 4A state championship this past season. Scott amassed 23 points and five rebounds in a 44-43, title-clinching victory against Sierra High, capturing tournament Most Valuable Player honors. A returning Class 4A First Team All-State selection as named by The Denver Post, Scott has averaged 28.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.4 steals and 1.2 assists per game. He shot 72.3 percent from the field and 75.8 percent from the free throw line.

Scott has maintained a B average in the classroom. In addition to signing in his school's chorale group, he has donated his time as a youth basketball instructor and as a mentor to elementary school children.

"He is physically and athletically in a different realm than any other player around," said Barry Clark, head coach at Air Academy. "We tried to double team him, and he shared the ball with an open shooter. We played behind him to push him out, and he could still get to the basket with ease. He is a fierce competitor who does everything within the rules to win. He loves to compete and takes it seriously and does not showboat. He is a very humble player who does not draw extra attention to himself."

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

Scott joins recent Gatorade Colorado Boys Basketball Players of the Year Brett Olson (2010-11, Highlands Ranch High School), Bud Thomas (2008-09 & 2009-10, Regis Jesuit), Reggie Jackson (2007-08, Palmer High School), and Levi Knutson (2006–07, Arapahoe) 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.