WOAY – Wyoming East senior Emily Saunders was named the Gatorade West Virginia Girls Basketball Player of the Year on Friday.
She is the second area student-athlete to receive an honor this school year from Gatorade, as Woodrow Wilson’s Bryce Knapp was the West Virginia Volleyball Player of the Year.
Saunders has scored an average of almost 14 points per game as she has helped lead the Lady Warriors to the Class AA state championship game for the second straight season. In Friday’s semifinal win over Wayne, she came close to a triple-double with nine points, eight rebounds, and seven blocks.
Saunders, who signed to play basketball at Tennessee in November, is now a finalist for Gatorade’s National Player of the Year Award, with the winner being announced later in March.
She says she is honored by the accomplishment, but her main focus remains on Saturday’s state championship game.
