Here is a look at some of the top girls basketball players to watch this season.
Jordyn Brooks 5’8” (MICDS): Senior forward who averaged 13.7 points in leading the Rams to a 24-3 record as a junior.
Tyra Brown 5’6” (Pattonville): Senior guard who averaged 16.1 points a game as a junior.
Madison Buford 5’9” (Lutheran North): Junior guard who averaged 11 points and five rebounds to lead the Crusaders to the Class 3 Final Four.
Aijha Blackwell 6’0” (Whitfield): Talented junior forward who led the Warriors to a berth in the Class 3 state championship game. Averaged 20 points a game as a sophomore.
Jayla Everett 5’10” (Kirkwood): New Mexico signee who averaged 17 points a game to help the Pioneers to the Class 5 state championship.
Brooke Flowers 6’5” (Metro): Saint Louis U. signee who averaged 21 points a game and led the area in blocked shots as a junior.
Myriah Noodel-Haywood 5’11” (Edwardsville): Kansas State recruit who helped the Tigers to a berth in the Illinois Class 4A state championship game.
Sonya Morris 5’9” (Incarnate Word): DePaul recruit who averaged 15 points in leading the Red Knights to the Class 4 state championship.
Kaylah Rainey 5’8” (Belleville East): Talented guard who averaged 15 points in leading the Lancers to a 20-10 record.
K.K. Rodriguez 5’7” (Webster Groves): Tulsa recruit who averaged 16.6 points a game while leading Webster Groves in assists.
Jaidah Stewart 5’9” (Kirkwood): Webster Groves transfer who averaged nearly 19 points a game as a junior. She has already signed with Minnesota.
Amaya Stovall 5’7” (Parkway North): DePaul recruit who averaged 12.7 points and 3.6 assists as a junior.
Kelsie Williams 5’9” (Hazelwood Central): SIUE recruit who averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds as a junior.
DeAnna Wilson 6’0” (Cardinal Ritter): A junior who averaged 10 points and seven rebounds a game as a sophomore.
Top Girls Teams to Watch:
Incarnate Word: The Red Knights reclaimed their spot at the top by winning the Class 4 state championship. IWA returns a strong group, led by senior guard Sonya Morris, who has signed with DePaul.
Kirkwood: The defending Class 5 state champions return an excellent guard in New Mexico signee Jayla Everett, along with point guard Mikayla Wallace. Webster Groves transfer Jaidah Stewart, a Minnesota signee, makes Kirkwood a strong threat to repeat.
Edwardsville: Tigers return 6’0” forward Kate Martin and 5’10” forward Myriah Noodel-Haywood from a team that played for the IHSA Class 4 state championship a year ago.
Parkway North: The Vikings will field another strong squad, which will be lead by DePaul recruit Amaya Stovall, a four-year starter at guard.
Lutheran North: The Crusaders return a strong nucleus from last year’s Class 3 Final Four team, led by 5’9” junior guards Madison Buford and Jordyn White and junior point guard Raevyn Ferguson.
Whitfield: The Warriors were Class 3 state runners-up last year. They return talented 6’0” junior Aijha Blackwell, 5’10” senior Taylor Lawson-Hicks and adds 6’0” transfer Tajah Foster-Walker.
Civic Memorial: The Eagles return another strong group of players from last year’s successful squad, led by senior Kaylee Eaton.
MICDS: The Rams won 24 games a year ago and return a balanced team, led by seniors Jordyn Brooks, Lindsay Park, Landys Hughes, Kayla Work and sophomore Jessica Brooks.
Cardinal Ritter: The Lions should continue their winning ways with the return of 6’0” junior DeAnna Wilson and 5’3” junior point guard Kori Tomlin.
