Grant Jerrett Named Gatorade California 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 Grant Jerrett of Lutheran (La Verne, Calif.) as its 2011-12 Gatorade California Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Jerrett is the first Gatorade California Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Lutheran 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 Jerrett as California'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, Jerrett 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 power forward averaged 22.3 points, 10 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game this past season, leading the Trojans (25-8) to the CIF Division IV Southern Section quarterfinals. A 2012 McDonald's All-American Game selection and a 2012 Jordan Brand Classic game invitee, Jerrett is the No. 9 ranked recruit in the Class of 2012 as rated by ESPNU.

Jerrett has maintained a 3.30 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of the Salvation Army and as a youth mentor and basketball coach.

"Grant Jerrett is an exceptional high school basketball player," said Russell White, head coach at Crespi Carmelite High. "When we played against him we were very physical and double-teamed him and tried to deny him the ball. He still had a double-double against us. I can't think of anyone I saw this year who was better."

Jerrett has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Arizona 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.

Jerrett joins recent Gatorade California Boys Basketball Players of the Year Ryan Anderson (2010-11, Long Beach Poly), Allen Crabbe (2009-10, Price), Michael Snaer (2008-09, Rancho Verde High School), and Jrue Holiday (2006–07 & 2007-08, Campbell Hall) 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.