Braden River’s O’Mariah Gordon again named the best basketball player in Florida

For the second straight year, the Gatorade company has selected Braden River High School’s O’Mariah Gordon as Florida Player of the Year in girls basketball.

The award, now in its 35th year, recognizes outstanding athletic excellence in combination with academic achievement and exemplary character both on and off the court.

Gatorade announced its winners on Friday and Gordon now becomes a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, which will be announced later this month.

Gordon, who will return as a senior in the fall, first captured the title as a sophomore last season when she led the Pirates to 24 wins and an appearance in the FHSAA Class 8A quarterfinals.

The Pirates made it to the FHSAA 6A semifinals this year, falling just short of capturing the state championship. The quick-handed, straight-shooting guard averaged 23.1 points per game this season, racking up an average of 6.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 4.2 steals and one block per game.

All-star numbers for a 5-foot, 6-inch guard who is the nation’s No. 25 recruit in the Class of 2021 by Prospects Nation. She ended her junior year with 2,076 points thus far, with her senior year still to go to conclude her prep career.

Gordon was not only honored for her athletic prowess, but she volunteers for community beautification projects and serves as a volunteer youth basketball coach. Despite a busy schedule, Gordon excels in the classroom as well, maintaining a 3.77 GPA.

She does all of that while helping to take care of six siblings and works part time.

“I’m always occupied, but in a good way,” Gordon told the Bradenton Herald in late February, prior to Friday’s Gatorade announcement. “I’m not stressed out. A lot of kids, they have too much time on their hands, and they may get into trouble and stuff like that. But I feel like I always have something important to do. I’m always doing something.”

She’s earned the respect of her fellow players and competitors alike. Manatee High School girls basketball coach Travis Persinger said Gordon has a knack for making magic happen on the court.

“When O’Mariah needs the ball and needs to make something happen, she does,” Persinger said in a prepared statement. “That clock in her brain that says, ‘Yes’ and ‘Now’ is what makes her different than others with her speed and athleticism.”