Aaliyah Chavez is a prolific scorer but she also elevated the program at
Monterey (Lubbock, Texas), leading the Plainsmen to their first state championship in 45 years. The
humble hometown girl drew throngs of fans — both at home and on the road — looking to not only watch her play but get a selfie or autograph after
the game.
"Yes, she's a great scorer, but she's also great at everything else," Monterey head coach Jill Schneider said. "She took this average little team to a state championship. She is that girl. Not because of what a great player she is, but because of what a great teammate she is."
For her efforts and accomplishments, Chavez has been named the MaxPreps National Player of the Year. She averaged 34.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals per game.
Chavez scored 50 points or more three times and went for 40 or more in 16 games. Monterey went 37-5, won the Class 5A Division II state championship and finished No. 19 in the final MaxPreps Top 25.
The numbers are eye-popping. Chavez leaves Monterey at No. 14 on the career scoring list with 4,796 points.
"I've coached basketball for 39 years at the high school level and five at the collegiate level and I've never coached a player who works as hard day in, day out on fundamentals as Aaliyah," Schneider said.
Schneider, who retired following the state championship victory, sees similarities in Chavez to stars like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Juju Watkins and Sabrina Ionescu in their ability to draw attention to their game.
"I just personally know Aaliyah is going to do the same thing at collegiate level that she did at high school level," Schneider said. "It makes me happy to sit back and watch the country and fans of women's basketball embrace her and what she's going to contribute. I think she's entering the picture at the perfect time."
Chavez will head to Oklahoma next year as the No. 1 prospect in the country by multiple media outlets. Her fame was evident throughout the season as swarms of fans would wait sometimes an hour or more after a game to get a picture or autograph.
"She's so gracious with her time," Schneider said. "I love my players traveling to and from games, but after her sophomore season we just OK'd her going home with her parents. It was an everyday thing where she'd stay until everyone got a picture or autograph."
And while Schneider sees stardom at Oklahoma and beyond for Chavez, she's quick to point out that she's one of one.
"All those players who bring excitement are important for the game and she is entering the picture at the perfect time," Schneider said. "She is a generational player, but she told me ‘I don't wanna be the next so and so, I wanna be the first Aaliyah Chavez.'"
Past MaxPreps National Players of the Year2006 — Jacki Gemelos, St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)
2007 — Maya Moore, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
2008 — Nneka Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)
2009 — Skylar Diggins, South Bend Washington (South Bend, Ind.)
2010 — Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair
2011 — Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2012 — Breanna Stewart, Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.)
2013 — Diamond DeShields, Norcross (Ga.)
2014 — A'ja Wilson, Heathwood Hall Episcopal (Columbia, S.C.)
2015 — Ali Patberg, Columbus North (Columbus, Ind.)
2016 — Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.)
2017 — Megan Walker, Monacan (Richmond, Va.)
2018 — Christyn Williams, Central Arkansas Christian (North Little Rock, Ark.)
2019 — Azzi Fudd, St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
2020 — Paige Bueckers, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
2021 — Raven Johnson, Westlake (Atlanta)
2022 — Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
2023 — Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon
2024 — Jaloni Cambridge, Montverde Academy
