JOZIAH RAMOS NAMED GATORADE NEW MEXICO BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
In its 35th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Joziah Ramos of Atrisco Heritage Academy High School as its 2019-20 Gatorade New Mexico Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Ramos is the first Gatorade New Mexico Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Atrisco Heritage Academy High School.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Ramos as New Mexico’s best high school boys basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award, Ramos joins an elite alumni association of past state boys basketball award winners, including Karl-Anthony Towns (2012-13 & 2013-14, St. Joseph High School, N.J.), Dwight Howard (2003-04, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Ga.), Chris Bosh (2001-02, Lincoln High School, Texas), Paul Pierce (1994-95, Inglewood High School, Calif.), Chauncey Billups (1993-94 & 1994-95, George Washington High School, Colo.) and Jason Kidd (1991-92, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, Calif.).
The 5-foot-7, 130-pound senior guard averaged 19.9 points, 3.3 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals, leading the Jaguars to the Class 5A Round of 16. The USA TODAY New Mexico Player of the Year in 2018-19, Ramos is also a two-time District 1-5A Player of the Year selection. The four-year varsity regular helped lead the Jaguars to back-to-back Class 5A state championships in 2018 and 2019.
A participant in the AVID (Advanced Via Individual Determination) college readiness program, Ramos has also donated his time tutoring children in the community. In addition, he’s volunteered on behalf of carnivals hosted by a local community center. “Our district is the hardest in the state, and Joziah brings it every night,” said Wally Salata, head coach at Rio Rancho High. “He’s a small player, but he has a big heart. He makes shots where you wonder how the heck he did that. Joziah carries that team, and has done so for over three years.”
Ramos has maintained a 4.42 weighted GPA in the classroom. He remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.
Ramos joins Gatorade New Mexico Boys Basketball Players of the Year David Patterson (2018-19, Rio Rancho High School), Anthony Chavez (2017-18, Valley High School), Brenden Boatwright (2016-17, Carlsbad High School), Clay Patterson (2015-16, Rio Rancho High School), and Ryan Jones (2014-15, Sue Cleveland High School) 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 Player of the Year Selection Committee, 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.
The 2019-2020 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year announcement has been temporarily postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. To ensure the safety of everyone involved, The Gatorade Company will follow the guidance of experts and health officials as it determines the appropriate time to announce this year’s winner.
As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Ramos also has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of his choosing. He is also eligible to submit an essay to win one of twelve $10,000 spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year.
*release courtesy Gatorade
