Lake City's Buchanan named Gatorade Idaho boys basketball player of the year

CHICAGO — Lake City High senior Blake Buchanan was named 2022-23 Gatorade Idaho Boys Basketball Player of the Year on Tuesday, Gatorade announced.

Buchanan is the first Gatorade Idaho Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Lake City.

The award, in its 38th year, recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court.

The 6-foot-11, 215-pound senior forward/center led the Timberwolves to a 26-0 record and the 5A state championship this past season. Ranked as the nation’s No. 65 recruit in the class of 2023 by ESPN, Buchanan averaged 15.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.9 blocks and 3 assists per game. He was also named to the Nike Hoop Summit Team USA squad.

Buchanan has volunteered locally, working with youth basketball players once a week. He also has donated his time as the coach of a second-grade basketball team.

“Blake is a big, strong, fundamentally sound post player who continues to find ways to score points with interior moves such as drop steps, jump hooks and a short face up game,” said Paul Biancardi, National Recruiting Director for ESPN. “He’s a physical presence on the defensive end, making it hard for opponents to score over him, plus he’s difficult to move off his spot on the blocks. Running the court, rebounding in his area and paint points are where he excels. He has a diligent approach to the game.”

Buchanan has maintained a 3.87 weighted GPA in the classroom. He has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Virginia this fall.

Buchanan joins recent Gatorade Idaho Boys Basketball Players of the Year Titus Yearout (2021-22, Lapwai High), Brody Rowbury (2020-21, Meridian), Austin Bolt (2019-20, Borah), and Michael Ure (2018-19, Ririe), among the state’s list of former award winners.