Lee Stand-Out Named Gatorade Alabama Girls Basketball Player of the Year
In its 33rd year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Zipporah Broughton of Lee High School as its 2017-18 Gatorade Alabama Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Broughton is the first Gatorade Alabama Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Lee 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 field, distinguishes Broughton as Alabama’s best high school girls basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Broughton joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).
The 5-foot-9 senior guard led the Generals to a 23-10 record and a trip to the Class 7A state semifinals this past season. Broughton averaged 23.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 4.9 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Rated as the nation’s No. 24 recruit in the Class of 2018 by espnW, Broughton concluded her high school career with 2,045 points.
Broughton has volunteered locally at the Salvation Army and as an altar server, lecturer and youth group member at Resurrection Catholic Church. She has also donated her time as a youth mentor at Crenshaw Community Park. “She is hands down the best player I’ve seen in many years,” said George Scott, head coach at Enterprise High. “She works hard on both sides of the ball but she really shines offensively. She can make shots with a hand in her face, consistently. She can get to the basket and finish at the rim with contact. Most of all, she makes the right play.”
Broughton has maintained a 4.41 GPA in the classroom and ranks No. 1 in her class academically. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Rutgers University beginning 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 the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, 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.
Broughton joins recent Gatorade Alabama Girls Basketball Players of the Year Bianca Jackson (2016-17, Brewbaker Tech), Jasmine Walker (2015-16, Jeff Davis High School), Shaquera Wade (2014-15, Huntsville High School), Alexis Jennings (2013-14, Sparkman High School), Marqu’es Webb (2012-13, Hoover High School), Jasmine Jones (2011-12, Bob Jones High School), Hayden Hamby (2010-11, West Morgan High School), Kaneisha Horn (2009-10, Ramsay High School), Adrienne Webb (2008-09, Sparkman High School), Courtney Jones (2007-08, Midfield High School), and Alli Smalley (2006–07, Arab High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.
As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Zipporah will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants – one for each sport – will be announced throughout the year.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow the conversation on Twitter #GatoradePOY. 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 http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/.
