Video: 13-year-old girl dunks
See teenager Ashlyn Watkins throw it down.Lincoln Christian girls basketball coach Nick Orduna had the space beyond the arc covered offensively a year ago with Taytem Coleman and Chloe Dworak pulling the trigger. Both players return for their senior seasons, and both made our preseason list for Nebraska's Top 10 returning girls basketball sharp shooters.
Unfortunately for Orduna and the defending Class C1 state champion Crusaders, Coleman is transferring to defending Class A state champion Lincoln Southwest for her final prep basketball season in 2017-18.
Between them, Coleman and Dworak were 171 of 446 (38.3%) from deep. As a team, Lincoln Christian knocked down 303 of 766 3-pointers a year ago – good for 39.6%. Coleman ranks second in this week's Top 10 after connecting on 90 of 224 (40.2%) 3-pointers in 2016-17, while Dworak sits seventh after sinking 81 of 222 (36.5%) shots from long range during last season's title run.
Archbishop Bergan's Mackenzie Peitzmeier returns as the top threat statewide, according to the MaxPreps stats database, after canning 42 of 102 (41.2%) attempts from beyond the arc, while leading the Knights to a 15-7 mark last winter. Peitzmeier knocked down four 3-pointers five times a year ago, including in a 67-57 win over Fort Calhoun in early February in which she scored a season-high 33 points.
Lincoln Lutheran's Mackenzie Koepke and Kameron Kissinger of Hastings St. Cecilia both knocked down about 38-percent of their shots from beyond the arc a year ago to grab the Nos. 3 and 4 spots, respectively, while Amherst's Emily Arnold rounds out the Top 5 after connecting on 40 of 107 shots from deep.
In order to be considered for this week's Top 10, a returning player had to make at least 40 3-pointers a year ago. Classes C1, C2, D1 and D2 are all represented in this week's Top 10. Fremont's Sam Shepard did not make the list, but the 5-11 senior does return as Class A's top returning sharp shooter after knocking down 49 of 178 shots from beyond the arc. Lauren Riley of York, meanwhile made 52 of 162 bombs a year ago, and is the top returnee in Class B.
As you browse through the Top 10, listed on the line below each player's name is that player's 3-point field goal, total field goal and free throw shooting numbers as well as her total points scored last year.
Nebraska's Top 10 returning girls basketball sharp shooters1. Mackenzie Peitzmeier, Archbishop Bergan (Fremont) 5-10 Sr. Shooting Guard – 41.2 3P FG%42 3PM-102 3PA | 107 FGM-230 FGA | 39 FTM-57 FTA | 295 Points
2. Taytem Coleman, Lincoln Southwest 6-0 Sr. Guard, Post – 40.2 3P FG%90 3PM-224 3PA | 133 FGM-319 FGA | 40 FTM-56 FTA | 396 Points
3. Mackenzie Koepke, Lincoln Lutheran 6-1 Sr. Point Guard, Shooting Guard – 38.1 3P FG%48 3PM-126 3PA | 95 FGM-226 FGA | 42 FTM-64 FTA | 280 Points
4. Kameron Kissinger, St. Cecilia (Hastings) 5-7 Sr. Guard – 37.8 3P FG%76 3PM-201 3PA | 85 FGM-234 FGA | 25 FTM-38 FTA | 271 Points
5. Emily Arnold, Amherst 5-7 Sr. Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward – 37.4 3P FG%40 3PM-107 3PA | 67 FGM-209 FGA | 26 FTM-45 FTA | 200 Points
6. Carlie Nordhues, Randolph 5-7 Jr. Point Guard – 37.2 3P FG%45 3PM-121 3PA | 94 FGM-243 FGA | 49 FTM-69 FTA | 282 Points
7. Chloe Dworak, Lincoln Christian 5-6 Sr. Guard – 36.5 3P FG%81 3PM-222 3PA | 184 FGM-429 FGA | 71 FTM-92 FTA | 520 Points
8. Paige Kirby, Axtell 5-3 Sr. Shooting Guard – 36.0 3P FG%50 3PM-139 3PA | 87 FGM-229 FGA | 26 FTM-42 FTA | 250 Points
9. Allison Bauer, Elm Creek 5-6 Jr. Guard, Power Forward – 35.6 3P FG%103 3PM-289 3PA | 156 FGM-426 FGA | 43 FTM-65 FTA | 458 Points
10. Taya Skelton, Fort Calhoun Jr. Guard – 34.2 3P FG%64 3PM-187 3PA | 134 FGM-366 FGA | 67 FTM-97 FTA | 399 Points