- Michigan
Edison’s Gabby Elliott named Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball POY for 2020
One award stays on Wilkins Street, begging the question: Will the next one?
Detroit Edison’s Gabby Elliott was named the Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Player of the Year for the 2019-20 season, taking over the mantle from former teammate Rickea Jackson, who won the award the last two seasons (2017-18 and 2018-19).
The honor was announced in a release by the company on Friday, just hours before the final deadline for members of the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan to vote for their organization’s top honor. Voting for the Miss Basketball Award — which Jackson also won a year ago — ends Friday at 9 p.m, and the winner will be announced a week later at the offices of the co-sponsor, the Detroit Free Press. Elliott is one of the three finalists to follow in Jackson’s shoes.
Does winning the Gatorade POY ensure that Elliott will win Miss Basketball? Well, it hasn’t always been predictive. After being perfectly in synch for the first 10 years both awards were given (1986-1997), the two awards have been given to the same player 10 of the next 21 years (no Miss Basketball award was given in 2007, the year of the season switch), matching up six times since 2010. (Jackson was the first two-time winner of the Gatorade honor, and was not eligible for Miss Basketball as a junior in 2018).
Elliott is averaging 22.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, and entered the postseason — where Edison has had two wins by forfeit — with 1,678 career points. The Clemson-bound forward has a 3.33 GPA, and has volunteered both as a tutor, and with Steps in the Right Direction, an organization which provides shoes to underprivileged youth in the Detroit area.
As the state winner of the honors from Gatorade, Elliott will now be eligible to be honored as the Gatorade National Player of the Year, selected from the pool of state winners.
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Previous Gatorade Michigan Girls Basketball Player of the Year winners:
2019 — Rickea Jackson, Detroit Edison*
2018 — Rickea Jackson, Detroit Edison
2017 — Kierra Fletcher, Warren Cousino
2016 — Kysre Gondrezick, Benton Harbor*
2015 — Cierra Rice, Grosse Pointe South
2014 — Lexi Gussert, Crystal Falls Forest Park*
2013 — Tori Jankoska, Freeland*
2012 — Madison Ristovski, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett*
2011 — Jasmine Hines, Central Lake*
2010 — Madison Williams, Detroit Country Day
2009 — Destiny Williams, Benton Harbor
2008 — Kellie Watson, Ionia*
2007 — Keshia Hines, Auburn Hills Avondale
2006 — Allyssa DeHaan, Grandville*
2005 — Tiffanie Shives, Lansing Christian*
2004 — Krista Clement, St. Ignace*
2003 — Elise Morrison, Detroit Country Day
2002 — Sheena Moore, Lansing Everett
2001 — Kristin Haynie, Mason
2000 — Crystal White, Mt. Clemens
1999 — Jennifer Thomas, Detroit Country Day
1998 — Tawana McDonald, Flint Northern
1997 — Deanna Nolan, Flint Northern*
1996 — Stacey Thomas, Flint Southwestern
1995 — Kim Knuth, St. Joseph*
1994 — Sally Sedlar, Manistee*
1993 — Erinn Reed, Saginaw*
1992 — Lisa Negri, Flint Powers*
1991 — Markita Aldridge, Detroit King*
1990 — Peggy Evans, Detroit Country Day*
1989 — Jennifer Shasky, Birmingham Marian*
1988 — Dena Head, Salem*
1987 — Daedra Charles, Detroit dePorres*
1986 — Franthea Price, River Rouge*
* — indicates the award winner matches up with that year’s BCAM Miss Basketball winner.
