VOLCANO VISTA’S KENYON AGUINO NAMED GATORADE NEW MEXICO BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
In its 38th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Kenyon Aguino of Volcano Vista High School is the 2022-23 Gatorade New Mexico Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Aguino is the second Gatorade New Mexico Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Volcano Vista 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 court, distinguishes Aguino as New Mexico’s best high school boys basketball player. Aguino joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Chet Holmgren (2020-21, Minnehaha Academy, Minn.), Trae Young (2016-17, Norman North High School, Ok.). Jayson Tatum (2015-16, Chaminade College Preparatory School, Mo.), and Karl-Anthony Towns (2013-14 & 2012-13, St. Joseph High School, N.J.).
At the time of his selection, the 6-foot-7, 200-pound sophomore forward had led the Hawks (28-1) to a berth in the state championship game, averaging 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists per game through 28 contests. Aguino was named First Team All-District 1 and recorded a double-double in each of the first two rounds of the state tournament. He also sank the game-winning basket in the semifinals.
Aguino has volunteered locally with the Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network, assisting with cleanup after the organization’s annual Buddy Walk fundraiser. He also has donated his time as a coach and mentor at the Volcano Vista Youth Basketball Camp. “His [basketball] IQ is off the charts and he can impact the game without scoring,” said Danny Brown, head coach at Sandia High. “He is a two-way player and seems to take pride in that. He’s long and strong, moves very well, just as good on the perimeter as he is on the block. He is a total mismatch for anyone.”
Aguino has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. He will begin his junior year of high school this fall.
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 leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.
Aguino joins recent Gatorade New Mexico Boys Basketball Players of the Year Ja’Kwon Hill (2021-22, Volcano Vista High School), William “Deuce” Benjamin (2020-21, Las Cruces High School), Joziah Ramos (2019-20, Atrisco Heritage Academy High School), and David Patterson (2018-19, Rio Rancho High School), among the state’s list of former award winners.
