PONCHATOULA, La. (WGNO) — Months ago, Allen Graves made a list of goals for his senior season.
He wanted to help Ponchatoula repeat as Division I Non-Select state champions, score 1,000 points, win district 6-5A MVP, and win Gatorade Player of the Year.
March 21st, he officially checked off every box on that list.
“I woke up that morning and went sttraight to the Gatorade website and I had found out. As soon as I found out, I ran into my mom’s room, told her and my sister. My dad was on the bus and my brother was at work, so I just called them in a group call and told the whole family. So, it was definitely exciting,” said Ponchatoula senior Allen Graves.
Allen Graves averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds in Ponchatoula’s 30-4 run to a second straight state title.
The Gatorade Player of the Year honor solidified his spot as Louisiana’s top basketball talent in the class of 2024.
It also gives Allen bragging rights in the Graves’ household for achieving something his siblings, Marshall and Amoura, did not.
“I’m rubbing it in as much as I can because I told my brother, he won two state championships with U-High and I told him I was coming for him after we won our first one. I was like, ‘next year I’m getting my second one.’ I was like, ‘I’ve got two most outstanding players.’ So, I was like, ‘I’ve already got you,’ but Gatorade Player of the Year just added on top of that, it was definitely great. My sister was supposed to get Gatorade Player of the Year but she got snubbed. So, it’s definitely a great accomplishment for the family, to be the first in the family to do it,”said Graves.
The next chapter in Allen Graves’ basketball career starts in July when he joins the Santa Clara basketball program.
The Broncos played eight teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament field and the 6’10 Ponchatoula product relishes the opportunity to compete against the best that college basketball has to offer.
“They’re definitely getting a high-IQ player I feel like and just a player that’s going to go in and work hard and try to prove to everybody that I can do what I say I can do,” said Graves.
Here is the full interview with Allen Graves:
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