Campbell Hall’s Holiday named Gatorade National Player of the Year

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Jrue Holiday, a 6-foot-4 senior guard at Campbell Hall, has been selected the Gatorade national boys’ basketball player of the year.

It’s the second consecutive year a high school player who signed with UCLA has received the award. Last season’s honoree was freshman center Kevin Love. Two-time NBA all-star Baron Davis, a UCLA recruit out of Santa Monica Crossroads, received the award in 1997.

‘It’s a terrific honor, a very special honor to be recognzied as national player of the year,’ UCLA Coach Ben Howland said. ‘I’m excited for Jrue and his family because it’s a great accomplishment. He led his team to another state championship, so he had a great year.’

Holiday, who earned Gatorade State player of the year honors in 2007, led Campbell Hall to its third state Division IV championship in four years on Friday with an 83-61 victory over Albany St. Mary’s.

He averaged 25.4 points, 11.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season. The McDonald’s All-American finished 11th in all-time state scoring (2,666 points) and was the second-highest scorer in San Fernando Valley history.

Holiday will receive his award during a ceremony today on campus.

“I’ve been telling people all year long that he’s the most complete player in high school basketball,” Coach Terry Kelly said.

The award is based not only on outstanding athletic performance but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the court.

Holiday leaves next week to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game in Milwaukee. Another Southland player, Jasmine Dixon from Long Beach Poly, was named last week as the Gatorade girls’ state player of the year.

-- Eric Sondheimer and Austin Knoblauch

--