By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
Long known as a football state, girls basketball might be the new power sport in Texas. Led by 6-foot-7 Brittney Griner of Nimitz High School in Houston, the Lone Star State features four of the top seniors in the 2009 class, and there is more talent on the way.
Peyton Adamson of Rockwall is one of five Texans that earned mention on our list of 25 star underclassmen, joining fellow juniors Chiney Ogwumike (Cy-Fair), Meighan Simmons (Cibolo Steele) and Odyssey Sims (Irving MacArthur) and freshman Alexis Jones (Irving MacArthur).
Top 10 Seniors
1. Brittney Griner, 6-7, C – Nimitz (Houston, Texas): The Baylor-bound forward/center is best known for her SportsCenter/YouTube dunks, but she can also handle the rock, shoot it and best of all, block it. Many believe her defensive prowess alone will change the face of girls/women’s basketball.
2. Kelsey Bone, 6-4, C – Dulles (Sugar Land, Texas): Bone is a physical jewel with size, strength and soft hands. Everyone drools over her upside. Connecticut and Tennessee are among six finalists.
3. Skylar Diggins, 5-8, PG – Washington (South Bend, Ind.): The Notre Dame-bound standout is a blur and the best point guard in the class. A scorer extraordinaire, Diggins poured in 29.5 points per game for Class 4A runner-up Washington. The Panthers’ three-year record with Diggins on the floor is 76-6.
4. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, 5-10, SG – Williams (Alexandria, Va.): The North Carolina signee averaged 23 points per game last year, but what sets her apart is her defensive prowess. She can hold her own against any of the quickest points guards or most prolific scorers.
5. Tayler Hill, 5-11, SG - Minneapolis South (Minneapolis, Minn.): An All-Metro star as an eighth-grader, “Lady Lebron,” is ready to take her game to another level after averaging better than 22 points per game last year. She added Associated Press state player of the year honors to her resume while also adding 7.5 rebounds, 4.4 steals and 2.6 assists per game. Unsigned, Hill is considering, among others, Duke, Texas and Rutgers.
6. Monique Oliver, 6-3, C - Long Beach Poly (Calif.): Following her transfer from Cheyenne (Las Vegas, Nev.), the USC-bound standout toughened up plenty practicing against McDonald’s All-American Jasmine Dixon every day. A fantastic rebounder and jumper, Oliver had a superb summer. With Dixon gone, she should lead the way for one of the country’s top teams.
7. Shenneika Smith, 6-1, G - St. Michael (Brooklyn, N.Y.): Some school is going to get a prime time scorer and athlete. The undeclared standout is dynamic in the open court and she has a fantastic mid-range jumper. Among her college finalist are Kentucky, Ohio State and St. John’s.
8. Markel Walker, 6-1, F – Schenley (Pittsburgh, Pa.): Walker looked to follow in the footsteps of her older sister Marcedes, but recommitted to Pittsburg in the spring. She’s now signed on at UCLA. Walker averaged better than 16 points per game last season but earnestly loves dishing assists as much as scoring.
9. Cokie Reed, 6-4, C – Midway (Waco, Texas): Another strong post from Texas, she will remain in the Lone Star State after signing with the Longhorns. She averaged 16.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and four blocks as a junior.
10. Taber Spani, 6-1, G – Metro Academy (Oalthe, Kan..): Spani averaged 29.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.0 blocks and 2.4 steals a game last season, helping her land a full ride at Tennessee. One of the most versatile players in the country.
Next 15 Seniors (Alphabetical)
Anne Marie Armstrong, 6-3, G – Wesleyan (Norcross, Ga.): Georgia’s Miss Basketball has emerged as one of the more successful all-around athletes in the country, compiling five state titles already in basketball and volleyball, and adding an individual title in the high jump as a sophomore. Armstrong averaged 19 points and eight rebounds for the 30-3, state champion Wolves. She’s staying in state to attend Georgia.
Gennifer Brandon, 6-3, C – Chatsworth (Calif.): A fantastic athlete, great shot blocker and rebounder, Brandon averaged 13.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 steals per game last season. She’s a huge addition to Cal’s absolutely loaded 2009 recruiting class.
Maria Chandler, 6-2, F – Atlanta Christian Academy (Ga.): Playing in a pickup game against boys in Jan. she pinned a shot against the backboard, came down awkwardly and tore her ACL. The gifted 6-2 junior forward should be 100 percent this season. She’s set to join Griner at Baylor. There’s a one-two punch.
Layshia Clarendon, 5-9, G - Cajon (San Bernardino, Calif.): Another Cal recruit, the versatile guard averaged 20.7 points, 6.7 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game last season. She’s also got 3-point shooting range.
China Crosby, 5-6, G - Manhattan Center (New York, N.Y.): Crosby picked Virginia over Louisville and is big-game player. She averaged 17.9 points and 5.3 assists last season.
Nikki Green, 6-5, C – Diboll (Texas): Get used to this. Another post player from Texas. The Penn State-bound standout has risen up the recruiting ranks due largely to her size, mobility and polished skills.
Jasmine Hassell, 6-2, C – Wilson Central (Lebanon, Tenn.): Yet another strong post player, the Georgia-bound standout is a fantastic presence on the defensive end. She hustles, rebounds, blocks shots and picks up every loose ball. She averaged 21.9 points and 9.0 rebounds while leading her team to the Class AAA state title and earning AAA Miss Basketball honors.
Christina Marinacci, 6-2, F – Foothill (Santa Ana, Calif.): A super shooter, Marinacci is long and lean and can use either hand. She should score close to 30 a game her senior season and after that will join Jacki Gemelos at USC to form a formidable offensive duo. Marinacci was named the Sea View League MVP and earned All-Southern Section honors as well as All-Southland honors from the Los Angeles Times. She averaged 21.5 points and 11.7 rebounds and has already scored 1,839 career points.
Sam Ostarello, 6-2, G – Stanley County (Fort Pierre, S.D.): The Purdue-bound wing is extremely versatile and had a tremendous summer. There’s not much she can’t do on the court but her strength is a nice mid-range game.
Tierra Rogers, 5-10, G – Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco, Calif.): Yet another Cal recruit, Rogers has led the Irish to three consecutive CIF state championships. She’s extremely versatile with her strengths on defense, slashing to the bucket and clutch play.
DeNesha Stallworth, 6-2, F – Pinole Valley (Pinole, Calif.): Add another to Cal’s list as the four-year starter will make the short trek down Highway 80 for college. Stallworth dominated East Bay competition by averaging 22 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while also blocking 2.3 shots per game. She was named the Alameda Contra Costa League MVP and also earned All-Bay Area honors.
Erinn Thompson, 6-3, C – Bishop McGuinness (Winston Salem, N.C.): The Virginia-bound standout is yet another top post player from the Class of 2009. Not only is Thompson an obvious inside threat, she can hit the mid-range jumper and beyond that plays with great intensity.
Joslyn Tinkle, 6-3, C – Big Sky (Missoula, Mont.): One of the country’s most versatile posts, Tinkle did it all for the Eagles last year averaging 20.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and 2.1 steals per game. She has a nice touch around the hoop after shooting 54 percent from the field. She’s headed to Stanford.
Morgan Toles, 5-9, G – Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.): The Auburn-bound point guard is almost impossible to stop in the open court and off the dribble. She’s a blur and she’s tough, a fantastic combination. She picked Auburn over Georgia, Florida and Baylor, among others.
Destiny Williams, 6-3, F – Benton Harbor (Mich.): The Illinois-bound pure scorer averaged 25.3 points and nearly 15 rebounds a game as a sophomore and is a two-time All-State performer. Despite her height, she can also handle the ball and has a nice touch from the free throw line in.
25 Underclassmen to Watch (Listed alphabetically)
Peyton Adamson, 5-7, Jr., G – Rockwall (Rockwall, Texas): After averaging 19.1 points per game as a sophomore for a Yellowjackets squad that went 30-7, Adamson is off to a monster start as a junior. She rocketed out of the gates with 37 points against Parish Episcopal and followed with 29 against Sachse.
Lauren Avant, 5-9, Jr., G – Lausanne Collegiate (Memphis, Tenn.): Already committed to Tennessee, Avant began her high school career at Lausanne Collegiate as an eighth grader. The point guard averaged 15.7 points and 5.4 assists per game last winter to lead her school to a state title.
Erica Barnes, 6-2, Jr., F – Sacramento (Sacramento, Calif.): Barnes helped lead Sacramento to a 26-3 season as a sophomore by averaging 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Sheila Boykin, 6-0, So., F – Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.): Boykin burst on the scene in a big way as a freshman for Lynwood but has transferred to join a talented cast at Long Beach Poly. Boykin averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game as a rookie.
Kaneisha Dawson, 6-1, Jr., G/F – Ramsay (Birmingham, Ala.): Dawson and Ramsay are already well into their season with the junior star averaging 18.8 points and 7.5 rebounds through seven games.
Katelyn Edwards, 5-11, Jr., G/F – Crete (Crete, Neb.): Edwards’ versatility and ability to do a little bit of everything helped Crete to an 18-4 record a year ago. She averaged 18.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4 steals and 3.4 assists per game.
Aaryn Ellenberg, 5-6, Jr., G – Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.): On a team loaded with talent, Ellenberg took over at times as a sophomore for a 32-4 state championship team. Despite sharing the scoring load with at least three other future Division I players, the roadrunner guard averaged nearly 14 points per game.
Chelsea Gray, 5-11, Jr., G – St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.): Gray is a big reason why some are pegging St. Mary’s as the No. 1 girls team in the country. Along with Afure Jemerigbe (see below), Gray led the Rams to a 33-1 record a year ago, averaging 18 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
Justine Hartman, 6-2, So., F – Brea Olinda (Brea, Calif.): Hartman was the Golden State’s top freshman a year ago, averaging 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. The Wildcats were 25-4 last winter and should be among the state’s elite once again.
Richa Jackson, 6-0, Jr., G/F – Midwest City (Midwest City, Okla.): With Sapulpa’s Alyssa Brewer now at Tennessee, Jackson should take over as the star attraction in Oklahoma. The Midwest City standout averaged 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
Afure Jemerigbe, 5-11, Jr., G/F – St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.): The other half of the Rams’ dynamic duo, Jemerigbe earned All-State honorable mention from MaxPreps as a sophomore.
Michala Johnson, 6-3, Jr., F – Montini (Lombard, Ill.): One of two super sophs to earn first team All-State honors a year ago in Illinois. Being recruited by major powers like Connecticut, Duke and Maryland after posting 18.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game.
Alexis Jones, 5-9, Fr., G/F – MacArthur (Irving, Texas): This could be a reach to put Jones in this type of company already, but the hype regarding this first-year player has been considerable. She has already competed on a high level on the summer circuit and will join Odyssey Sims to form an impressive tandem at Irving’s MacArthur High School.
Brittany Knighton, 6-0, Jr., F – Oregon City (Oregon City, Ore.): Big shock here, another great player from the Oregon City program. Knighton averaged 14.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game for the Class 6A runner-up Pioneers. She will have plenty of opportunities to show her skills as Oregon City plays tournaments in Delaware and Hawaii.
Tricia Liston, 6-1, Jr., F – Fenwick (Oak Park, Ill.): Liston made a big splash for one of Illinois’ top teams two years ago as a freshman. The versatile wing/post followed with a great sophomore campaign, averaging 21 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Along with Michala Johnson, earned first team All-State honors.
Chiney Ogwumike, 6-2, Jr., F – Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas): Ogwumike can get a little greedy this year with sister – and MaxPreps National Player of the Year – Nneka at Stanford now. Despite playing Robin to Batman Nneka as a sophomore, Chiney still put up 12.8 points and a team-leading 8.3 rebounds per game.
Laurin Mincy, 6-0, Jr., G/F – University (Newark, N.J.): Big things are expected of Mincy this winter after leading University to a 55-6 record over the past two years. She was the New Jersey Player of the Year by the Newark Star-Ledger after averaging 19.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
Shoni Schimmel, 5-9, Jr., G – Franklin (Portland, Ore.): It has been a wild offseason for Schimmel after leading Hermiston to the 5A state title game and earning player of the year honors in that classification. First, Schimmel enrolled at Pendleton and was expected to play her junior year there. Then, her mother was hired as the head coach at Franklin of Portland, where Schimmel is now expected to compete.
Odyssey Sims, 5-8, Jr., G – MacArthur (Irving, Texas): One of the more proven scorers in the country, Sims is looking around again after originally committing to Baylor prior to her sophomore season. She dropped in over 20 a game as a freshman and improved that to over 25 per game a year ago.
Bria Smith, 5-10, So., G – Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.): Smith is being pegged as the next big thing in the girls game after carrying storied Christ the King to a state title. Despite being the first freshman to play varsity at the school since 1998, Smith poured in 22.4 points per game.
Meighan Simmons, 5-9, Jr., G – Cibolo (Steele, Texas): Like Odyssey Sims, Simmons is a Texas guard that knows how to fill it up. As a sophomore, Simmons averaged 22.3 points per game and earned All-State honors.
Alyssa Thomas, 6-0, Jr., G/F – Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, Pa.): Committed to Maryland, Thomas is coming off a great sophomore season where she averaged 18 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for a 28-7 Central Dauphin program.
Chloe Wells, 5-7, Jr., G – Apex (Apex, N.C.): Wells will ply her trade in North Carolina this year after a great sophomore season at A.B. Miller in Fontana, Calif. The Rebels went 30-3 while Wells averaged 17.5 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Samarie Walker, 6-1, Jr., F – Chaminade-Julienne (Dayton, Ohio): It wouldn’t be a list of top players without a future Connecticut Husky somewhere on it, right? Walker averaged 14.1 points and 9.3 rebounds as a sophomore while leading Chaminade-Julienne to a 19-5 record.
Madison Williams, 6-6, Jr., F – Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.): Williams is already a huge defensive presence with the offensive skills coming along. She blocked eight shots in the Class B state championship game last March, helping the Yellowjackets cap a 26-1 campaign successfully.
* Jason Hickman contributed to this report
