King’s Roby claims Gatorade basketball honor
Sydnee Roby owns the paint. That has been obvious to anyone who has faced the Milwaukee King junior the past three seasons. A 6-foot-4 center, Roby has been a dominant player in multiple facets of the game.
A first-team all-City Conference pick as a freshman, she was a first-team allstate selection as a sophomore. This year Gatorade felt she took a back seat to no one.
The sports drink company announced Roby as its Wisconsin girls basketball player of the year Monday.
Roby averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game for the Generals, who finished 20-5 and reached a Division 1 sectional final. She shot a careerbest 61.2% from the field and posted 14 double-doubles in scoring and rebounding.
The honor came after a season in which Roby scored her 1,000th point and was named the City Conference Gold Division player of the year for the second straight year. She also was a first-team all-state pick by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association for the second straight year.
The Associated Press, which named Roby first-team all-state last season, will release its all-state team later this week.
The Gatorade award not only recognizes an individual for her play but also for her work in the classroom and the community. Roby carried a 3.09 grade point average and has volunteered at a homeless shelter.
Roby is the second Gatorade winner from King. Danielle Ward won the honor in 2004.
“Roby’s size and strength in the post is unreal,” Oak Creek coach Steve Hluchnik told Gatorade. “If she gets the ball in the paint, it’s all over, and she is a beast on the offensive boards. Almost everything we game plan involves how to stop her.”
Gatorade announced Oshkosh North's Tyrese Haliburton as its boys basketball state player of the year earlier this month.