2023-24 Preseason MaxPreps All-America Team: Jaloni Cambridge, Joyce Edwards, Kennedy Smith headline high school girls basketball's best

After the release of the MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings as well as the best player and team in each state, we end our preview of the 2023-24 season with a look at the 15 best players in the country.

Each year since 2006, MaxPreps has recognized the top players in America. Past honorees include Tina Charles, Elena Delle Donne, Maya Moore, Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson, who all went on to win the WNBA's Most Valuable Player award.

This year's Preseason MaxPreps All-America Team is headlined by Jaloni Cambridge, Joyce Edwards and Kennedy Smith, who have dreams of one day joining the prestigious list above.

The list includes repeat MaxPreps All-Americans, state champions and players rated at or near the top of their respective classes. First team



Sienna Betts, Grandview (Aurora, Colo.)
6-foot-4 | Junior (Class of 2025) | Forward | UCLA
Five-star prospect is the quintessential post presence who can affect shots in the paint and score with her back to the basket. The MaxPreps Sophomore All-America first team pick averaged 21.4 points, 16.5 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per night. She was named Miss Colorado Basketball while leading the Wolves to a 19-9 mark and 6A title.

Jaloni Cambridge, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
5-6 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Point guard | Uncommitted
The top-ranked player in her class transferred from Tennessee over the summer and has the Eagles starting at No. 4 in the MaxPreps Top 25 after winning the national title last year. Cambridge averaged nearly 27 points along with 7.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists for 27-3 Ensworth (Nashville) last season.

Aaliyah Chavez, Monterey (Lubbock, Texas)
5-9 | Junior (Class of 2025) | Point guard | Uncommitted
Floor general can flat out fill it up. She dropped a school-record 57 already this season after averaging 30.0 points along with 7.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.1 steals last season as Monterey went 32-4 and reached the 5A regional finals. Among her top 10 colleges are USC, Texas, UCLA, LSU, South Carolina and Ohio State.

Joyce Edwards, Camden (S.C.)
6-2 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Forward | South Carolina
Last season's MaxPreps National Junior of the Year recently signed to stay close to home with Dawn Staley's Gamecocks, bringing the athleticism of an all-state performer in not only basketball but volleyball and soccer. The MaxPreps National Female Athlete of the Year averaged 28.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game last year as the Bulldogs won the state title. In volleyball this season, she led Camden in kills as the team reached the title game.

Kennedy Smith, Etiwanda (Calif.)
6-1 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Forward | USC
The catalyst for the CIF Open Division champions, the future Trojan can play and defend all five positions. Last season she averaged 24.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.5 steals and 2.2 blocked shots per game.

6-1 | Junior (Class of 2025) | Wing | Uncommitted
Just the second sophomore to win Miss Ohio Basketball, the Cavaliers standout averaged 25.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Alexander had 28 points (including 24 in the second half), 13 rebounds and six assists in the Division II regional championship win that sent Purcell Marian to the state final four for the third consecutive year.

ZaKiyah Johnson, Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.)
6-0 | Junior (Class of 2025) | Forward | Uncommitted
For the past two seasons, Johnson has been the MaxPreps National Player of the Year in her class. In 2022-23, she averaged 21.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in leading the Valkyries to a Kentucky state championship. She is being courted by the heavyweights of college hoops, including UConn, Louisville, LSU, South Carolina, Notre Dame and USC.

Kayleigh Heckel, Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.)
5-9 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Point guard | USC
A pure point guard who loves to distribute and can also fill it up when needed. She has a non-stop motor and is a handful defensively. Averaged 16.3 points, 6.3 assists and 3.7 steals per game for the Class AA state champions and No. 2 team in the MaxPreps Top 25. She earned MVP honors at the Nike TOC.

Kate Koval, Long Island Lutheran
6-4 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Center | Notre Dame
Like Betts, Koval is virtually unstoppable in the paint. A native of Ukraine, she can finish through traffic and has amazing footwork from being a dancer as a child. Last year she averaged 15.8 points and 11.4 boards for the Crusaders, earning all-tournament honors at the Nike TOC. She set a GEICO Nationals mark of 38 points in a semifinal win over McDonogh.

Allie Ziebell, Neenah (Wis.)
5-10 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Guard | UConn
The Rockets went 27-2 and reached the Division I quarterfinals behind her 25.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per night. Regarded as a top 10 prospect, she helped the USA Basketball U19 team to a title at the FIBA World Cup over the summer.

Mikayla Blakes, Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.)
6-0 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Forward | Uncommitted
Averaged 22.0 points per game as a junior on 53 percent shooting as her squad went 25-5 and reached the Non-Public B final. She had 34 against Paul VI, 31 vs. Morris Catholic and 35 against Gill St. Bernard's. She topped 1,000 career points and was first team all-state for the Star-Ledger and NJ.com.



Jazzy Davidson, Clackamas (Ore.)
6-1 | Junior (Class of 2025) | Guard | Uncommitted
One of three sophomores on last season's MaxPreps All-American Team, she helped the Cavaliers to a 26-4 record and the Class 6A state championship. Davidson averaged 21.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.5 assists per game. She was the Mt. Hood Conference Player of the Year and helped Clackamas go unbeaten against in-state competition en route to the program's first state crown.

Leah Macy, Bethlehem (Bardstown, Ky.)
6-2 | Junior (Class of 2025) | Forward | Uncommitted
Averaged 25.0 points per game for a team that reached the state quarterfinals. Holds offers from Arizona, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Louisville.

Madisen McDaniel, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.)
5-9 | Senior (Class of 2024) | Point guard | South Carolina