March 11, 2010

Andover Central's Tiffany Bias has been named Gatorade Player of the Year in Kansas.

At the time of her selection, the 5-foot-7 senior point guard had led the Jaguars (22-0) to a top-20 regional ranking. Entering Wednesday’s Class 5A state tournament quarterfinals, Bias boasted averages of 20.5 points, 7.4 assists, 5.5 steals and 3.5 rebounds per game.

A two-time returning First Team All-State selection as named by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, Bias shot 42.6 percent from the field and 72.7 from the free-throw line through 22 games. She was a sophomore on the 2007-08 Andover Central High Class 4A state championship team.

Also a standout track and field athlete, Bias has maintained a 3.40 GPA in the classroom. A member of the Future Business Leaders of America and her school’s elite show choir, she has volunteered as part of multiple holiday community-service initiatives to benefit underprivileged children on behalf of the Just About Kids club.

“Tiffany Bias is a heck of an athlete,” said Joel Branstrom, head coach of Olathe Northwest High, which faced Andover Central during the 2009-10 regular season. “She’s so hard to guard. She’s very quick. She scored 22 on us, but she could’ve scored 42 if she wanted to. She has an array of moves; she’s not just taking the ball to the basket. She can shoot the 3-pointer, pull up, take a set shot, or drive the lane and finish with either hand. She does what’s necessary to make her team better.”

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