(March 17, 2011) — In its 26th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Shannon Scott of Milton High School as its 2010-11 Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Scott is the first Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Milton 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 Georgia’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-2, 170-pound senior point guard averaged 13 points, seven assists, five points and 3.5 steals per game this past season, leading the Eagles (29-3) to the Class AAAAA state final. A 2010 First Team All-State selection, he is also a 2011 McDonald’s High School All-American and 2011 Jordan Brand Classic honoree.

Scott has maintained an 83.6 average in the classroom. A devoted parishioner in his church community, he has volunteered locally as a youth basketball coach.

“Shannon Scott is the best pure point guard I’ve seen in 24 years,” said Ty Phillips, head coach of rival Roswell High. “Unlike many other great players, he can dominate the game in multiple ways and doesn’t just rely on scoring.”

Scott has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at The Ohio State University 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 ESPN RISE 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 Georgia Boys Basketball Players of the Year Ryan Harrow (2009-10, Walton) and Derrick Favors (2007-08 & 2008-09, South Atlanta) 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.

Tags: GHSA, Milton, high school basketball, Shannon Scott