Gendron Named NH Basketball Player of Year

Congratulations to Merrimack High School basketball player Eric Gendron who was named Gatorade's Player of the Year for New Hampshire in 2012-13.

Gendron, a junior at MHS, averaged 19.7 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks this past season, leading the Tomahawks (13-6) to the Division I state tournament, according to a press release on the Player of the Year website.

Gendron also scored 14 points in a game against Trinity High School, the eventual Div. I state champion team, serving up Trinity's only loss of the year, 60-56.

Gendron is the second Merrimack High School student in a row to win this honor, following closely in the footsteps of his older brother Tyler, who was the winner for the 2011-12 season.

He is the third Merrimack High School student to earn the honor in the program's 28 years. Matt Ripaldi was the first Merrimack student named by Gatorade, in 1992.

Earlier this month, Gendron was named Mr. New Hampshire Basketball by the New Hampshire Basketball Coaches Association on Sunday, March 17, and recognized as 1st team guard. His coach, Tim Goodridge, was named Coach of the Year by the same association.

Gendron has maintained a 3.86 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of the Leo Club and as a basketball coach with the Merrimack Youth Association.

“Eric Gendron has been such a huge part of all the success we had this season,” said head coach Goodridge in the press release. “He has become a true leader on and off the court and he also happens to be one of the nicest kids I have ever coached.”

Gendron will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

This is Gatorade's 28th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes. The honor is awarded in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports. 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 Gendron as New Hampshire’s best high school boys basketball player.

As the New Hampshire winner, Gendron is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced in March,

Gendron joins an elite alumni association of past state boys basketball award winners, including Dwight Howard (2003-04, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, Ga.), Chauncey Billups (1993-94 & 1994-95, George Washington HS, Colo.), Jason Kidd (1991-92, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS, Calif.), Paul Pierce (1994-95, Inglewood HS, Calif.) and Chris Bosh (2001-02, Lincoln HS, Texas).

Concord's Matt Bonner, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs, was named the New Hampshire Player of the Year for three years in a row in 1997-99.

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.

Congratulations to Eric and to Merrimack High School for carrying on a tradition of excellence in high school sports and academics.