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The 2022-23 basketball season keeps getting better and better for Wheeling Park's Alexis Bordas.
Fresh off a 34-point outburst in a quarterfinal game at the Class AAAA state tournament on Tuesday in Charleston, the sophomore sharp-shooter was named the state of West Virginia's Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year on Wednesday.
She is the first Patriots' player to win the award, which is entering its 38th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes.
"I'm honored to receive this prestigious award and want to thank everyone who helped me get here," Bordas said.
"A big thank you to Gatorade for choosing me for this award. I want to thank my family, high school coaches, AAU coaches, teammates, friends, and everyone who supports me.
"Winning this award truly means a lot to me and feels like my hard work has paid off. I work hard every day to get better and improve on every aspect of my game and will continue to do this," she added. "Receiving this honor just makes me want to work harder to prove I deserve it and enhance my game.
"My teammates and coaches are a huge part of this and I couldn't have done it without them."
Wheeling Park head coach Ryan Young is happy for Bordas and for the recognition it brings to his program.
"We are so excited for Alexis for winning this award. It is special for her and for our program to have this recognition," he said. "She puts in the work and is very deserving. The numbers she has put up are incredible and it is a testament to the kind of student-athlete she is on and off the court.
"Lex will be the first to give credit to her teammates for helping her receive this prestigious award. The kids have really worked together this year against a tough schedule and Lex winning this is a reflection of the team's success.
" I'm proud of her and all of the girls for the work they have put in."
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 her as the Mountain State's best girls basketball player in 2022-23. She joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, such as Kiki Rice (2021), Paige Bueckers (2019-20), Nneka Ogwumike (2007-08) and Candace Parker (2003-04 and 2002-03).
Bordas has led the Patriots to a 23-2 record and the top seed in the state tournament. The lefty averages 20.2 points, 1.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 4.9 rebounds per game. She also shoots 87 percent from the free throw stripe and became the first Wheeling Park player to surpass the 1,000-point barrier as a sophomore.
In addition to her on-court exploits, she is also busy off the court as she has volunteered to wrap gifts and collect food for the needy during the holiday season. She has also donated her time as the host of a free youth basketball clinic for girls in her community.
In the classroom, Bordas has maintained a 4.57 grade-point-average.
Being a Gatorade Player of the Year means paying it forward for the next generation. Through Gatorade's Play It Forward initiative, every state player of the year receives a grant to give to one of Gatorade's social impact partners, supporting Gatorade's ambition to fuel the future of sport. To date, gatorade Player of the Year winners' grants have totalled more than $3.5 million across more than 1,300 organizations.
Dionna Gray of Huntington High School was the 2021-22 winner.
The last winner from an area school came when Jensen Caretti, who played at River and then Ohio State University, was named Ohio's winner following the 2016 season.
Bordas and the Patriots are in semifinal action Thursday at 7:15 p.m. against Spring Mills (21-0).