Ontario Christian produces National Freshman of the Year for second straight season.
The 5-foot-11 Griffin played every position on the floor, averaging 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game as the Knights went 30-2 with a No. 5 finish in the MaxPreps Top 25.
Griffin shot 54 percent from the field and posted 13 double-doubles. Ontario Christian's schedule featured six out-of-state opponents and 13 games against teams that were ranked at some point in the season.
In a section final win over Etiwanda that brought Ontario Christian its first section title, Griffin went for 29 points and 11 rebounds.
Selections are based on team success, individual production and local,
regional and state honors from the recently-completed season. Potential
at the college and professional level is not a primary consideration.
Players in post-graduate or non-scholastic programs are not eligible for
inclusion.
Hamiley Arenas, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)Averaged 23.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.8 steals per game.
Makynli Bacon, The Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tenn.)
6-0 | GuardAveraged 11.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals for the Feet, who went 28-7 and won the Division II Class A title.
Love Best, Tualatin (Ore.)
5-6 | GuardPut up 15.1 points, 4.5 assists, 3.9 steals and 2.3 rebounds as the Wolves went 26-2 and won the state Class 6A title.
Strawberry Blankumsee, Winton Woods (Cincinnati, Ohio)
5-9 | Point guardAveraged 12.0 points, 3.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game while shooting 53 percent from the field for the 28-0 Warriors. In the Division 2 title game, she scored a game-high 28 points.
Amel Cook, Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.)
6-0 | ForwardTallied 11.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.9 steals per game for the Wildcats, who reached the Southern California Division 1 regional final.
Lanae Dallas, Lincoln (Dallas, Texas)
5-10 | GuardAveraged 11.7 points per game to help the Tigers go 39-2 with a Class 4A Division 1 title and No. 24 spot in the final MaxPreps Top 25.
Sydney Douglas, Ontario Christian (Ontario, Calif.)
6-7 | ForwardAveraged 14.0 points and 9.0 rebounds on a team that went 30-2 and won the Southern Section Open Division title.
Kennedi Gaines, Bartlett (Anchorage, Alaska)
5-5 | GuardAveraged 28.1 points, 7.2 steals, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Golden Bears (25-3), who won the Class 4A consolation title.
NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Tati Griffin, Ontario Christian
5-11 | PostMade an immediate impact for the No. 5 team in the nation, joining teammate sophomore Kaleena Smith as back-to-back National Freshman of the Year winners.
Syniyah Grigsby, North Mesquite (Mesquite, Texas)
6-2 | GuardProduced 21.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game for the Stallions.
Jhaliana Guy, Bettendorf (Iowa)
5-9 | GuardAlready committed to Stanford, Guy averaged 15.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.
5-9 | Guard
Averaged a team-high 17.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.1 assists for the Division 1 regional semifinalists.
Zaire Hatter, Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)
5-8 | GuardTallied 19.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.0 assists per game.
Maliya Hunter, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
6-2 | ForwardThrust into a bigger role after an injury Mitty star McKenna Woliczko, averaged 10.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Chloe Johnson, Marshall (Duluth, Minn.)
6-0 | GuardAlready over 2,000 points for her career, averaged a team-high 28.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.7 steals per game.
Kaleigh Lucas, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.)
5-5 | Point GuardAveraged 20.8 points, 4.7 steals, 4.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds for the Stallions (29-1) as they reached the Class AAAA semifinals.
Easton McCullough, Farmington (Ark.)
5-9 | GuardAveraged 21.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Ari Peterson, Minnetonka (Minn.)
6-1 | GuardThe daughter of NFL star Adrian Peterson averaged 13.0 points per game. She gained major attention on social media after throwing down a dunk in practice.
Nyajuacni Riak, Madison La Follette (Madison, Wis.)
6-2 | ForwardAveraged 25.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game. A first team All-State pick, she scored 48 in her season debut.
Arianna Robinson, Plano East (Plano, Texas)
5-10 | GuardAveraged 21.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game as the Panthers reached the Class 6A Division 1 state semifinal.
