From many, there will be one. And while there’s still no guarantee contending athletes will win their own state at this point in the season, a number of elite performers are making a case for Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year consideration. Here’s the scoop on the latest top candidate.
Joel Berry
Junior point guard, Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Greatness Present: The 6-foot-1, 180-pound floor general scored 30 points in his team’s 77-57 blowout against Cocoa (Fla.) in the Class 4A regional quarterfinals. Somehow, Berry missed just nine games after undergoing surgery in early December for a torn meniscus in his left knee, and he now has seven 30-point efforts in only 16 games this season. He has averaged 25.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.3 steals per game for the Highlanders (20-5) this winter.
Greatness Past: The state’s reigning Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, Berry became the first sophomore in state history to be named Florida Mr. Basketball. He was also a member of the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship team this past summer, starting five of eight games and averaging 7.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in fewer than 20 minutes per game.
Greatness Future: North Carolina (verbal)
Make no mistake: The Gatorade State Boys Basketball Player of the Year races aren’t over, and the National POY race is now heating up. Time remains for one standout student-athlete among thousands to rise to the top of our list. Check back for daily updates on the top contenders making their case.
National POY Watch: Florida boys basketball premier guard lights up the court despite recent knee injury
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National Winners
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Baseball POY
Loganville (Ga.) senior outfielder Clint Frazier named Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year.
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Softball POY
Daniel (Central, S.C.) senior right-hander Carley Hoover named Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.
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Boys Basketball POY
Huntington Prep (W.Va.) senior forward Andrew Wiggins named 2012-13 Gatorade National Boys Basketball POY.
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Girls Basketball POY
Mercedes Russell of Springfield (Ore.) named Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
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Football POY
Skyline (Wash.) senior Max Browne named Gatorade National Football Player of the Year.
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Volleyball POY
West Aurora (Ill.) senior Lauren Carlini named Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year.
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Boys XC ROY
St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.) senior Edward Cheserek named Gatorade National Boys XC Runner of the Year.
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Girls XC ROY
Simi Valley (Calif.) junior Sarah Baxter named Gatorade National Girls XC Runner of the Year.
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Boys Soccer POY
El Rancho (Pico Rivera, California) senior forward Cristian Roldan named Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
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Girls Soccer POY
Milford (N.H.) senior forward Morgan Andrews named Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
State Winners
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Baseball Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Baseball Players of the Year.
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Football Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Football Players of the Year.
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Volleyball Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Volleyball Players of the Year.
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Boys XC Runners of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year.
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Girls XC Runners of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year.
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Girls B'Ball Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players of the Year.
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Boys B'Ball Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Boys Basketball Players of the Year.
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Boys Soccer Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Boys Soccer Players of the Year.
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Girls Soccer Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Girls Soccer Players of the Year.
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Softball Players of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade State Softball Players of the Year.
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Track & Field Athletes of the Year
Check out the winners of the Gatorade Girls State Track & Field Athletes of the Year.