Trice, Costello named Gatorade Players of the Year

Two Michigan State basketball commitments have been named Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in their respective states. Matt Costello, a junior at Bay City Western High School, was named Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in Michigan, and Travis Trice, a senior at Huber Heights Wayne High School, was named Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in the state of Ohio. The awards were presented late last week.

Trice will enroll at Michigan State this summer and play for the Spartans beginning next fall. Costello will sign a National Letter of Intent with Michigan State in November and enroll in 2012.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character, demonstrated on and off the court.

Costello, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound center/forward, has led Bay City Western to a 23-2 record and a berth in the Class A state quarterfinals. Bay City Western will play Orchard Lake St. Mary's in the quarterfinals, Tuesday at Davison High School.

Costello recorded a triple-double in a 45-37 victory over Clarkston last week, giving Bay City Western its first regional championship in school history. Costello had 14 points, 12 blocks and 11 rebounds in the victory.

Costello has averaged 18.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 5.4 blocks shots per game in the state tournament.

The frist-team All-State selection has 17 double-doubles on the year.

Costello has maintained a 3.7 GPA in the classroom. An accomplished trumpet player in his school's jazz, symphonic and marching bands, he has volunteered locally as an elementary school tutor and as a youth basketball coach and official.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Matt Costello is the No. 1 player in the state of Michigan," Lou Dawkins, head coach of rival Saginaw High, said in a Gatorade press release. "In just three short years, he has clearly shown his initiative and I'm confident he will welcome the challenges he will meet in the near future."

Costello joins recent Gatorade Michigan Boys Basketball Players of the Year Ray McCallum (2008-09 & 2009-10, Detroit Country Day School/University of Detroit) and Brad Redford (2007-08, Frankenmuth High/Xavier), among the state's list of former award winners.

Trice, a 6-foot, 167-pound senior guard, averaged 24.4 points, 7.2 assists, 4.5 steals and 3.3 rebounds per game this past season, leading the Warriors (22-2) to the Division I district final. The 2010-11 Southwest District Player of the Year, he concluded his prep career as Wayne High's record-holder with 1,555 points.

Trice has maintained a 3.48 GPA in the classroom. A devoted parishioner in his church community, he has volunteered locally as a guest-speaker role model at an elementary school and on behalf of food and clothing drives for the needy.

"I have coached against Travis Trice for four years and he can beat you in so many ways," Henry Bias, head coach of rival Kettering Fairmont High, said in a Gatorade press release. "He can shoot long-range three-pointers with tremendous consistency. He hits pull-up jumpers and drives to the net and gets fouled. He is a fierce competitor and one of the best players I have seen in the area in 20 years."

Trice has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at Michigan State University this fall.

Trice joins recent Gatorade Ohio Boys Basketball Players of the Year Jordan Sibert (2009-10, Princeton High/Ohio State), C.J. McCollum (2008-09, GlenOak High/Lehigh), and B.J. Mullens (2007-08, Canal Winchester High/Ohio State) 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 in 12 boys and girls high school sports. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which includes a media advisory board.

It is the 26th year Gatorade has honored the nation's best high school athletes. Trice and Costello are now finalists for the Gatorade National Boys Player of the Year award, which will be announced in march. They join 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).