Saniya Rivers Named 2020-21 Gatorade® National Girls Basketball Player Of The Year

WILMINGTON, N.C., June 2, 2021

WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne virtually surprised Rivers with the news, while her family, coaches and teammates showed up with the trophy at school. Check out a video of the announcement here.

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 Rivers as the nation's best high school girls basketball player. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Rivers from nearly half a million high school girls basketball players nationwide.

Competition for the national award was fierce. Rivers topped the list of state winners in girls basketball who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including 11 repeat Gatorade State Players of the Year, 35 with signed Letters of Intent at Division I colleges and universities, and 17 with GPAs of 4.0 or higher.

"Saniya Rivers is one of the best athletes to come out of high school in years," says Kevin Lynch, senior national talent evaluator for BlueStar Basketball. "Her speed, quickness, size and leaping ability makes her special from a matchup perspective. Her level of intensity is second to none. Smart coaches recognize that a player's position is who they can guard. Saniya is that rare player who can not only play every position, but guard every position. Her ceiling is, well, she has none."

The 6-foot-1 senior guard led the Screaming Eagles to a 15-2 record and the Class 4A semifinals this past season. The state's two-time returning Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Rivers averaged 36.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 5.1 assists per game. The North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association Player of the year, she is a three-time All-State honoree and a McDonald's All-American. Rivers was also selected to the WBCA High School Coaches' All-America team and is ranked as the nation's No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2021 by Prospects Nation.     

Also a high-jumper for the track team, Rivers is a member of the Ashley Leadership Council and a bible study group. She has volunteered locally as an instructor and mentor for young players at the MLK Center and the Brigade Boys and Girls Club. During the pandemic, she regularly performed shopping duties for an elderly, immunocompromised neighbor.