Hopewell’s Shatori Walker Kimbrough is Gatorade PA Girl’s Basketball Player of the Year

Created on Wednesday, 20 March 2013 09:27 Last Updated on Wednesday, 20 March 2013 09:27 Published on Wednesday, 20 March 2013 09:27 Written by Courier Newsroom Hits: 853

EMOTIONAL FAREWELL—Shatori Walker-Kimbrough gets emotional as she leaves the court in her last high school game against South Park March 13. Walker- Kimbrough finished her outstanding high school career with 2,427 points.  (Courier Photos/William McBride)

CHICAGO—In its 28th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, recently announced Shatori Walker-Kimbrough of Hopewell High School as its 2012-13 Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
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 Walker-Kimbrough as Pennsylvania’s best high school girls basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced this week, Walker-Kimbrough joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi  (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants  (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).
The 5-foot-11 senior guard led the Vikings to a 22-5 record and a second-round clash with South Park in the Class AAA playoffs, on March 13. Walker-Kimbrough scored 20 points for Hopewell but they lost to South Park 50-46. Through 26 games, Walker-Kimbrough was averaging 28.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.8 steals and 4.5 assists. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Player of the Year in 2012, she is a
two-time First Team All-State selection and an Honorable Mention All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Walker-Kimbrough has maintained a 3.90 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of food and toy donation drives, as well as the Special Olympics and youth basketball programs.
“Walker-Kimbrough is the most dominant player I’ve seen in my eight years as a head coach,” said Steve Lodovico, head coach at Blackhawk High. “She’s very athletic and can get to the rim almost at ease. She’s also developed her outside game and has become a threat from 15 feet and out.”
Walker-Kimbrough has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Maryland this fall.
Walker-Kimbrough joins recent Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls Basketball Players of the Year Sierra Moore (2011-12, Delone Catholic High School), Madison Cable (2010-11, Mt. Lebanon High School), Kayla McBride (2009-10, Villa Maria Academy), Stephanie Holzer (2008-09, Cardinal O’Hara), Markel Walker (2007-08, Schenley), and Jence Rhoads (2006–07, Slippery Rock Area) among the state’s list of former award winners.
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 high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, 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.
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 www.gatorade.com/poy.