Calvin Hermanson Named Gatorade Oregon 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 Calvin Hermanson of Lake Oswego (Lake Oswego, Ore.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade Oregon Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Hermanson is the second Gatorade Oregon Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Lake Oswego 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 Hermanson as Oregon'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, Hermanson 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, 190-pound junior wing averaged 23.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game this past season, leading the Lakers (22-6) to the Class 6A state championship game. The Three Rivers League Player of the Year, Hermanson shot 57.8 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from 3-point range and 73.3 percent from the free throw line. In his final three Class 6A state tournament games, he recorded 28.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest, capturing First Team All-Tournament honors.

Hermanson has maintained a 3.47 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a youth basketball instructor to middle school players at the Pride of the Lake Basketball Camp.

"He's one of the best players I've seen in a long time," said Jeff Bair, head coach at Clackamas High. "He is an excellent inside-out threat on the court with an incredible basketball IQ. He makes reads on the court that are simply amazing. He certainly is a class act on the floor—a great competitor who does so with class and sportsmanship. As an opposing coach, I can honestly say he's the best Oregon has right now."

Hermanson 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.

Hermanson joins recent Gatorade Oregon Boys Basketball Players of the Year Kyle Wiltjer (2010-11, Jesuit High School), Garrett Jackson (2009-10, Westview), E. J. Singler (2008-09, South Medford High School), Brad Tinsley (2007-08, Oregon City High School), and Kevin Love (2006-07, Lake Oswego) 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.