Br. Rice Defeats Bloom a Decade After Original Game as Part of Gatorade REPLAY

CHICAGO, Sept. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The alumni from Brother Rice's 2000 boys' basketball team have finally settled the score once and for all by defeating Bloom by a score of 99-93.  As part of Gatorade REPLAY (www.replaytheseries.com) the teams were reunited for a rematch of their playoff game that ended in a 42-40 Bloom victory despite controversy regarding a last-second tip-in and the official game clock.  

The journey to game day began eight-weeks ago when both teams started their training and nutrition program designed by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) and implemented by Velocity Sports Performance.  Bloom and Brother Rice's dedication to the program proved that once an athlete, always an athlete as both teams played hard in front of a sold-out, standing room only crowd at Chicago's St. Xavier University.  The teams were joined by NBA all-stars Dwyane Wade who served as Bloom's honorary coach, Dwight Howard who filled the same role for Brother Rice and Carlos Boozer, the Gatorade REPLAY game day commissioner.  

"To think that eight weeks ago we were wondering what we actually got ourselves into and now we get to celebrate one last win as a team in front of our family and friends," said Gatorade REPLAY MVP, Sidney Holmes III, of Brother Rice.  "Only a company like Gatorade could make this happen and I can probably speak for all of my teammates in saying that this is a once in a lifetime experience that won't be forgotten. "  

The game carried extra meaning for Dwyane Wade since his high school team was eliminated from the 2000 state playoffs by Howard's Brother Rice squad.  "When I heard about REPLAY I thought it was a cool concept because of how the opportunity positively impacts the players, "said Dwyane Wade.  "I'm a competitor, so once I found out that I'd be coaching against Brother Rice and Dwight Howard I started thinking about game day."  

Keeping in mind that most of the players hadn't played organized basketball since high school, Gatorade enlisted the help of the scientists from GSSI.  Prior to participation, each player underwent a comprehensive athletic assessment to gauge their current physical condition and clear them to participate.  "Collectively, there were guys on both teams that weren't in the best shape.  But, we were confident that with sound sports nutrition and proper athletic training they would be ready for game day," said GSSI Principal Scientist, Dr. Kim White.  "We had to make them remember there was an athlete in each of them and after eight weeks we saw a healthy decrease in body weight and body fat, gains in lean muscle mass and an increase in anaerobic capacity."  

The Gatorade REPLAY: Bloom vs. Brother Rice game will air on Comcast Sports Net Chicago by live tape delay on Saturday, September 11 at 3:00 p.m. CDT and Sunday, September 12 at 7:00 p.m. CDT.  In November, the one-hour documentary Gatorade REPLAY: Bloom vs. Brother Rice will air nationally on FOX Sports Net.  

Gatorade REPLAY stages re-matches of classic games between some of the nation's best high school sports teams and gives former teammates the chance to prove once you're an athlete, you're always an athlete.  To check out the first two seasons of Gatorade REPLAY that featured a football rivalry between the Easton Area High School (PA) Red Rovers and the Phillipsburg High School (NJ) and a hockey rivalry between two Michigan high schools, the Trenton Trojans and Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks, visit REPLAYtheseries.com.  

About Gatorade

The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), provides sports performance innovations designed to meet the needs of athletes at all competitive levels and across a broad range of sports. Gatorade Thirst Quencher® is backed by more than 40 years of research and is scientifically formulated and athletically proven to quench thirst, replace fluids and electrolytes, and provide carbohydrate energy to enhance athletic performance. The company's product portfolio is built around the G Series™, a 1-2-3 approach to athlete nutrition and hydration before (Gatorade Prime 01™), during (Gatorade® Perform 02 and G2® Perform 02), and after (Gatorade Recover 03™) training or competition. For more information, please visit www.gatorade.com.

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.  Our main businesses – Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade – also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries.  With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose.  By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide.  For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

About Comcast SportsNet

Comcast Sports Group operates 10 sports networks that cover more than 2,400 live sporting events annually and deliver comprehensive sports news and analysis to 50 million cable and satellite homes.  Comcast Sports Group's networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, SNY, The Mtn. – Mountain West Sports Network, and CSS.  Comcast Sports Group also manages New England Cable News (NECN), the nation's largest regional news network, and The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming.  For more information, see www.ComcastSportsNet.com.  

SOURCE Gatorade