Video: Sabrina Ionescu - MaxPreps National Player of the Year
See highlights of the top player from California - and the nation overallSabrina Ionescu of Miramonte (Orinda) has already been named the MaxPreps National Player of the Year, so it only makes sense that she is also the MaxPreps California State Player of the Year.
Ionescu led MIramonte to a 32-1 record, losing only to Chaminade (West Hills) in the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division state championship game. Miramonte easily won the North Coast Section Division III tournament, winning its three playoff games by an average of 33 points.
Ionescu led a high-scoring attack that averaged 80 points per game and scored over 100 points twice. Ionescu averaged 28.5 points per game along with 9.7 assists, 8.3 rebounds and 5.5 steals. In her career, Ionescu scored 2,602 points for an average of 20.3 points per game.
Monica Mertle of Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) is the State Coach of the Year. In only its fifth year of existence, Cardinal Newman won the Division IV state championship (Cardinal Newman was previously an all-boys school but became co-ed when Ursuline folded in 2011). The Cardinals are just the third Sonoma County team to ever win a state championship and the first since 1997. The Cardinals went 31-5 under Mertle, including a 39-37 win over Antelope Valley (Lancaster) in the championship game. Cardinal Newman also did not have a single senior on the roster.
Awards are also announced for each division. Valerie Higgins of Chaminade (West Hills) is the Division I Player of the Year while Kayla Washington of Cajon (San Bernardino) is the Division II POY, Ionescu is the Division III POY, Aarion McDonald of Brookside Christian (Stockton) is the Division IV POY and Kayla Tahaafe of Eastside College Prep (East Palo Alto) is the Division V POY.
A total of three five-player all-state teams were chosen for the overall state, regardless of division, with 15 honorable mention players listed in no particular order. A first and second five-player team for each division was also selected. Teams were placed in a division based on the division they played in during the state tournament. If a team played in the Open Division of the state tournament, but did not play in an Open Division at the section level, the team was placed based on where it played at the section level. All teams that played in the Open Division at the section and state level were considered to be division 1.
MaxPreps California All-State Girls Basketball Team
First Team
Valerie Higgins, Chaminade (West Hills), 6-0, Sr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Player of the Year, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Co-Player of the Year, Southern Section Open Division Player of the Year, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Team.
Stats: 20.2 points, 6.2 assists, 6.1 steals, 2.2 blocks, 10.5 rebounds.
Destiny Littleton, Bishop's (La Jolla), 5-9, Jr
Honors: San Diego Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 35.7 ppg, 9.8 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 2.9 assists, 2,934 career points.
Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda), 6-0, Sr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Player of the Year, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay Player of the Year, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 28.5 ppg, 8.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 5.5 steals.
Leaonna Odom, Chaminade (West Hills), 6-0, Sr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Player of the Year, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Player of the Year, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 21.5 ppg, 9.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.1 blocks.
Kayla Washington, Cajon (San Bernardino), 6-0, Sr
Honors: Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Player of the Year, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, San Bernardino Sun All-County Player of the Year, Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Team.
Stats: 22.4 ppg, 13.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 3.3 steals, 1.3 blocks.
Second Team
Alexis Griggsby, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), 5-9, Jr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 17.4 ppg, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 steals, 2.2 assists.
Jayde Woods, Windward (Los Angeles), 6-1, Sr
Honors: Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team.
Stats: 12.3 ppg, 6 rebounds, 6 assists.
Jasmine Jones, Long Beach Poly, 6-1, Jr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Long Beach Press-Telegram Dream Team Player of the Year, Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Second Team.
Stats: 13.6 ppg, 8.4 rebounds.
IImar'I Thomas, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (San Francisco), 6-1, Jr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro First Team, San Jose Mercury News All-Area Team, Prep2Prep All-Central Coast Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 23.3 ppg, 11.8 rebounds.
Reili Richardson, Brea Olinda (Brea), 5-9, Sr
Honors: Orange County Register All-County Player of the Year, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 21 ppg.
Third Team
Mira Shulman, Elk Grove, 5-8, Jr
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Player of the Year.
Stats: 18.1 ppg, 5.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.1 steals.
Aarion McDonald, Brookside Christian (Stockton), 5-7, Sr
Honors: Stockton Record Player of the Year.
Stats: 22.0 ppg, 8.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 6.0 steals.
Aquira DeCosta, St. Mary's (Stockton), 6-2, Soph
Honors: Stockton Record All-Area Team.
Stats: 15.2 ppg, 9.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 3.2 steals.
Minyon Moore, Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond), 5-9, Sr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro First Team, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay First Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Team.
Stats: 21.0 ppg, 5.2 steals.
Sierra Campisano, Torrey Pines (San Diego), 6-3, Sr
Honors: All-San Diego Section Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California First Team.
Stats: 30.0 ppg, 15.9 rebounds, 5.1 blocks, 2.7 steals.
Honorable Mention
Dalis Jones, Norco, 5-2, Sr
Honors: Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Division 2A Player of the Year.
Stats: 11.5 ppg, 4.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 5.1 steals.
Brittney Reed, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 5-10, Sr
Honors: Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Team, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 18.2 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 2.9 assists.
Chelsey Gipson, Palisades (Pacific Palisades), 5-6, Jr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 17.6 ppg.
Amber Melgoza, Santa Barbara, 5-10, Sr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Team.
Stats: 26.3 ppg, 8.7 rebounds, 3.4 steals.
Nina Bessolo, Castro Valley, 6-1, Sr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro First Team, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Team.
Stats: 17.7 ppg, 9.6 rebounds.
Lauren Craig, St. Francis (Sacramento), 6-2, Sr
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro First Team.
Stats: 16.8 ppg, 13.4 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 2.9 blocks.
Barbara Sitanggan, Troy (Fullerton), 5-6, Sr
Honors: Orange County Register All-County Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 10.6 ppg, 5.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 3.3 steals.
Dijonai Carrington, Horizon Christian Academy (San Diego), 6-0, Sr
Honors: All-San Diego Section Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Team.
Stats: 18.8 ppg, 4.0 assists, 13.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 2.0 blocks.
Mai-Loni Henson, La Jolla Country Day, 6-0, Sr
Honors: All-San Diego Section Team.
Stats: 14.8 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 2.0 steals.
Uriah Howard, Miramonte (Orinda), 5-10, Sr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro First Team, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section First Team.
Stats: 13.8 ppg, 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 steals.
Madeline Holland, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose), 5-10, Jr
Honors: San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year, San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Second Team, Prep2Prep All-Central Coast Section First Team.
Stats: 10.8 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.8 steals.
Danae Marquez, Clovis West (Fresno), 5-4, Jr
Honors: Fresno Bee All-Area Player of the Year.
Stats: 8.6 ppg, 2.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.7 steals.
Ayanna Clark, Long Beach Poly, 6-1, Sr
Honors: Long Beach Press Telegram Dream Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California First Team.
Stats: 13.4 ppg, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 1.8 blocks.
Allyson Rosenblum, Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 6-3, Sr
Honors: Orange County Register All-County First Team.
Stats: 17.7 ppg, 8.2 rebounds.
Katie Campbell, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 5-10, Sr
Honors: Ventura County Coaches Association Player of the Year, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Team, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team.
Stats: 16.6 ppg, 6.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 4.2 steals.
Kat Tudor, St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.), 6-0, Sr
Honors: Stockton Record All-Area Team.
Stats: 12.8 ppg, 3.7 rebounds.
Division I
Reili Richardson, Brea-Olinda
Photo by Greg Jungferman
Valerie Higgins, Chaminade (West Hills), 6-0, Sr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Player of the Year, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Co-Player of the Year, Southern Section Open Division Player of the Year, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Team.
Stats: 20.2 ppg, 6.2 assists, 6.1 steals, 2.2 blocks, 10.5 rebounds.
Destiny Littleton, Bishop's (La Jolla), 5-9, Jr
Honors: San Diego Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 35.7 ppg, 9.8 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 2.9 assists, 2,934 career points.
Leaonna Odom, Chaminade (West Hills), 6-0, Sr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Player of the Year, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Player of the Year, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 21.5 ppg, 9.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.1 blocks.
Jasmine Jones, Long Beach Poly, 6-1, Jr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Long Beach Press-Telegram Dream Team Player of the Year, Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Second Team.
Stats: 13.6 ppg, 8.4 rebounds.
Reili Richardson, Brea Olinda (Brea), 5-9, Sr
Honors: Orange County Register All-County Player of the Year, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 21 ppg.
MVP: Valerie Higgins, Chaminade
Second Team
Alexis Griggsby, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), 5-9, Jr
Honors: Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 17.4 ppg, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 steals, 2.2 assists.
Jayde Woods, Windward (Los Angeles), 6-1, Sr
Honors: Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team.
Stats: 12.3 ppg, 6 rebounds, 6 assists.
Aquira DeCosta, St. Mary's (Stockton), 6-2, Soph
Honors: Stockton Record All-Area Team.
Stats: 15.2 ppg, 9.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 3.2 steals.
Brittney Reed, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 5-10, Sr
Honors: Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Team, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Open Division Team.
Stats: 18.2 ppg, 8.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 2.9 assists.
Sierra Camposino, Torrey Pines (San Diego), 6-3, Sr
Honors: All-San Diego Section Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California First Team.
Stats: 30.0 ppg, 15.9 rebounds, 5.1 blocks, 2.7 steals.
Division II
First Team
Mira Shulman, Elk Grove, 5-8, Jr
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Player of the Year.
Stats: 18.1 ppg, 5.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.1 steals.
Aliceah Hernandez, Sacramento, 5-10, Sr
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro First Team.
Stats: 12.3 ppg, 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists.
Ally Rosenblum, Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 6-3, Sr
Honors: Orange County Register All-County First Team.
Stats: 17.7 ppg, 8.2 rebounds.
Kayla Washington, Cajon (San Bernardino), 6-0, Sr
Honors: Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Player of the Year, Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, San Bernardino Sun All-County Player of the Year, Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Prep2Prep All-Southern California Team.
Stats: 22.4 ppg, 13.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 3.3 steals, 1.3 blocks.
Alisa Shinn, Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta), 6-3, Sr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 1A Player of the Year, Glendale News Press All-Area Player of the Year, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Second Team.
Stats: 18.3 ppg, 12.4 rebounds, 4.1 blocks, 3.8 assists.
MVP: Kayla Washington, Cajon (San Bernardino)
Second Team
Angelica Baylon, Antelope, 5-6, Sr
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Team.
Stats: 14.0 ppg, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.6 steals.
Julia Blackshell-Fair, Vanden (Fairfield), 5-10, Jr
Honors: Solano County Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
Stats: 14.3 ppg, 11.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.9 steals.
Cierra Hall, Fairmont Prep (Anaheim), 5-8, Jr
Honors: Southern Section All-Open Division Team, Orange County Register All-County Second Team.
Stats: 18.0 ppg.
Aubrey Knight, Ventura, 6-1, Jr
Honors: Ventura County Coaches Association All-County Team, Southern Section All-Division 1AA Player of the Year.
Stats: 14.6 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 steals.
Allie Navarette, Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach), 6-0, Jr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 1A Team, Torrance Daily Breeze All-Area Team.
Stats: 16.5 ppg, 7.1 rebounds.
Division III
First Team
Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda), 6-0, Sr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Player of the Year, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay Player of the Year, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 28.5 ppg, 8.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 5.5 steals.
Dalis Jones, Norco, 5-2, Sr
Honors: Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Division 2A Player of the Year.
Stats: 11.5 ppg, 4.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 5.1 steals.
Iimar'I Thomas, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (San Francisco), 6-1, Jr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro First Team, San Jose Mercury News All-Area Team, Prep2Prep All-Central Coast Section Player of the Year.
Stats: 23.3 ppg, 11.8 rebounds.
Gloria Bates, Orange Lutheran, 5-10, Sr
Honors: Orange County Register All-County Third Team, Southern Section All-Division 3AA Player of the Year.
Stats: 14 ppg.
Uriah Howard, Miramonte (Orinda), 5-10, Sr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro First Team, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section First Team.
Stats: 13.8 ppg, 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 steals.
MVP: Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda)
Second Team
Brandy Huffhines, Rio Linda
Photo by Ralph Thompson
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Second Team.
Stats: 14.6 ppg, 3.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.9 steals.
Myah Pace, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), 6-0, Jr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Second Team, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Team.
Stats: 13 ppg, 10 rebounds.
Emma Merriweather, Lakeside (Lake Elsinore), 6-4, Jr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 3AA Team, Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Area Team.
Stats: 10 ppg, 13.6 rebounds, 5.3 blocks.
Haley Van Dyke, Campolindo (Moraga), 6-0, Soph
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Third Team, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay Second Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Team.
Stats: 18.8 ppg, 4.0 assists, 12.9 rebounds, 4.2 steals, 3.1 blocks.
Kayla Overbeck, Newbury Park, 6-1, Sr
Honors: Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Division 2AA Player of the Year.
Stats: 22.3 ppg, 15.4 rebounds, 3.9 steals, 1.7 blocks.
Division IV
First Team
Tylen Price, Antelope Valley (Lancaster), 5-11, Sr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 3A Player of the Year, Los Angeles Daily News All-Area Team.
Stats: 16.4 ppg
Aarion McDonald, Brookside Christian (Stockton), 5-7, Sr
Honors: Stockton Record Player of the Year.
Stats: 22.0 ppg, 8.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 6.0 steals.
Natalia Bruening, Corona del Mar (Newport Beach), 6-4, Sr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 3A Team, Orange County Register All-County Second Team.
Stats: 17.8 ppg.
Hailey Vice-Neat, Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 6-3, Jr
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Second Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Team.
Stats: 16.5 ppg, 10.5 rebounds.
Minyon Moore, Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond), 5-9, Senior
Honors: San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro First Team, Contra Costa Times All-East Bay First Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Team.
Stats: 21.0 ppg, 5.2 steals.
MVP: Aarion McDonald, Brookside Christian (Stockton)
Second Team
Sam Erisman, Menlo School (Atherton), 5-7, Jr
Honors: San Jose Mercury News All-Area Team, San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Second Team, Prep2Prep All-Central Coast Section Team.
Stats: 17.1 ppg, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists. 2.6 steals.
Nikiya Bechtle, Scotts Valley, 5-7, Sr
Honors: Prep2Prep All-Central Coast Section First Team.
Stats: 18.3 ppg, 4.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 3.5 steals.
Tayler Bennett, St. Anthony (Long Beach), 5-9, Sr.
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 4A Player of the Year, Long Beach Press-Telegram Dream Team.
Stats: 16 ppg, 6 rebounds.
Baylee Vanderdoes, Placer (Auburn), 6-1, Sr
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Second Team.
Stats: 21.1 ppg, 11.0 rebounds, 3.6 blocks.
Ny'Dajah Jackson, Piedmont, 5-8, Sr
Honors: Contra Costa Times All-East Bay First Team, San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Second Team, Prep2Prep All-North Coast Section Second Team.
Stats: 24 ppg, 7.5 rebounds.
Division V
Kayla Tahaafe, Eastside College Prep
Photo by Ralph Thompson
Kayla Tahaafe, Eastside College Prep (East Palo Alto), 5-6, Soph
Honors: San Jose Mercury News All-Area Team, Prep2Prep All-Central Coast Section Team, San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro Second Team.
Stats: 15.2 ppg.
Renae Tamura, Flintridge Prep (La Canada), 5-9, Jr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 5AA Player of the Year, Pasadena Star News All-Area Second Team.
Stats: 11.5 ppg
Lillian Olson, Sacramento Waldorf (Fair Oaks), 6-2, Sr
Honors: Sacramento Bee All-Metro Honorable Mention.
Stats: 30.4 ppg, 19.1 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 4.8 blocks.
Dawnyel Lair, Price (Los Angeles), 5-7, Soph
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 6 Player of the Year.
Stats: 25.0 ppg, 15.5 rebounds.
Rebecca Gallis, Kern Valley (Lake Isabella), 5-8, Sr
Honors: Bakersfield Californian All-Area First Team.
Stats: 24.2 ppg, 4.4 assists, 8.8 rebounds, 3.1 steals.
MVP: Kayla Tahaafe, Eastside College Prep (East Palo Alto)
Second Team
Leslie Aguilar, Village Christian (Sun Valley), 5-7, Soph
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 5AA Team.
Stats: 14.4 ppg.
Aleek Terterian, Holy Martyrs Armenian (Encino), Jr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 5A Player of the Year.
Austyn Masuno, Oxford Academy (Cypress), 6-0, Fr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 5AA Team.
Stats: 18.9 ppg, 12.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals, 2.8 blocks.
Gabriela Hauksdottir, Apple Valley Christian, 6-0, Sr
Honors: Southern Section All-Division 6 Team.
Stats: 21.3 ppg, 19.3 rebounds, 6.7 steals, 1.4 blocks.
Makenna Schoenhofer, St. Bernard's (Eureka), 6-0, Jr
Honors: Humboldt Del-Norte Little Four Player of the Year.
Stats: 18.0 ppg.
