Brendan Howard of Great Falls High School was named the 2015-16 Gatorade Montana Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
The 6-foot-6, 205-pound junior forward led the Bison to a 13-9 record and the quarterfinals of the Class AA state tournament this past season. Howard averaged 25.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He is a two-time First Team All-State honoree and was selected to the USA TODAY American Family Insurance ALL-USA Montana First Team as a freshman and sophomore.
Howard has maintained a 3.85 GPA in the classroom. A mentor for younger students, he has volunteered locally on behalf of a food pantry, the Salvation Army and youth sports programs. Howard is the third Gatorade Montana Boys Basketball Player of the Year from Great Falls High School.
“Howard is a player you have to double team or he’ll kill you,” said John Hollow, head coach at Helena High. “He just plays hard and he’s a great rebounder. It’s almost impossible to keep him off the glass.”
Howard will begin his senior year of high school this fall.
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 Howard as Montana’s best high school boys basketball player.
Howard joins recent Gatorade Montana Boys Basketball Players of the Year Tres Tinkle (2014-15 & 2013-14, Hellgate High School), Daine Muller (2012-13, Skyview High School), Danny Robison (2011-12, Billings West High School), Tanner Roderick (2010-11, Bozeman High School), Josh Huestis (2009-10 & 2008-09, C.M. Russell High School), Andy Garland (2007-08, Sentinel High School), and Derek Selvig (2006–07, Dawson County High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.