Sometimes selecting a state player of the year is a no-brainer. Case in point:
Juju Watkins of
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth). The returning MaxPreps California Player of the Year, Watkins was the easy repeat choice in 2022-23.
A standout in the McDonald's All-American game, the two-time MaxPreps National Player of the Year and a leader on a team that finished ranked No. 4 in the MaxPreps Top 25 with a 31-1 record, Watkins will take her place beside the likes of Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie among the all-time greats from the state of California. The only missing piece is the Trailblazers didn't win a state title her senior year. And that's where our MaxPreps California Coach of the Year comes in.
Stan Delus and his
Etiwanda team lost by double digits to Sierra Canyon in the Southern Section Open Division championship. But facing a muderer's row of opponents in the Open Division state playoffs, Delus and Etiwanda mowed down three nationally ranked teams to win the state championship. Etiwanda first defeated No. 12 La Jolla Country Day, a team it had lost to earlier in the season. Then came a 55-54 win over No. 4 Sierra Canyon that handed the Trailblazers their only loss of the season. Finally a 69-67 win over No. 7 Archbishop Mitty in the CIF Open Division finals. Delus and Etiwanda finished the year with a 32-3 overall record.
Watkins and Delus top the MaxPreps California All-State Team, which features 30 players on six teams.
Juju Watkins of Sierra Canyon is the repeat winner of the MaxPreps California Player of the Year. The Trailblazers' star is also the two-time MaxPreps National Player of the Year. (Photo: Louis Lopez)
First Team
Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)
6-0 | Guard | Senior
The two-time MaxPreps National Player of
the Year and California Player of the Year is an easy
first team choice. The USC commit averaged 27.3 points, 13.8 rebounds
and 3.6 assists.
Kennedy Smith, Etiwanda
6-1 | Forward | Junior
The
Inland Empire player of the year by the Press-Enterprise, Smith led the Eagles to the CIF Open Division title. She was also a
member of the Los Angeles Times all-area team and the CIF Southern
Section Open Division team. She averaged 24.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and
3.8 assists and 3.5 steals.
Breya Cunningham, La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla)
6-3 | Forward | Senior
The
San Diego Section player of the year and a MaxPreps All-American,
Cunningham averaged 18.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.
McKenna Woliczko,
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
6-2 | Center | Freshman
The MaxPreps Co-Freshman Player of the Year as well as player of the year in the San Francisco Bay Area by the San Francisco
Chronicle and the Bay Area News Group, Woliczko led the Monarchs to a
NorCal Open Division championship. She averaged 20.2 points and 10.3
rebounds per game.
Jordan Lee,
St. Mary's (Stockton)
6-0 | Forward | Junior
The
MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section Co-Player of the Year, Lee led the Rams to
the Division I section championship game. A MaxPreps Junior
All-American as well, Lee averaged 19.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7
assists per game.
Second Team
Jada Williams,
La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla)
5-8 | Guard | Senior
Williams
guided the offense for the San Diego section champions, earning All-San
Diego Section honors while averaging 13.1 points, 4.7 assists and 2.3
steals per game.
Amanda Muse,
Heritage (Brentwood)
6-4 | Center | Senior
A
McDonald's All-American, Muse made the All-Bay Area News Group team and
the San Francisco Chronicle's All-Metro team, Muse averaged 14.5
points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game.
Chloe Briggs,
Ontario Christian (Ontario)
5-11 | Guard | Senior
One
of the most prolific scorers in the Class of 2023, Briggs finished her
career with 3,474 points after averaging 26.4 points, 8.0 assists, 2.5
steals and 7.8 rebounds per game. Named to the Los Angeles Times
All-Area team and the Southern Section All-Open Division team.
MacKenly Randolph, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)
6-1 | Forward | Junior
Named
to the all-area teams by the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles
Daily News and also a CIF Southern Section All-Open Division team,
Randolph averaged 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
Ari Long,
Valley View (Moreno Valley)
6-0 | Forward | Senior
Made the All-Inland Empire team by the Press-Enterprise, the Los
Angeles Times all-area team and the CIF Southern Section All-Open
Division team. She was one of the leading scorers in the nation while
averaging 35.2 points, 3.8 steals, 4.6 assists and 13.7 rebounds per
game. She scored 3,084 points in her career.
Third Team
Kamryn Mafua,
Folsom
6-2 | Center | Junior
Led the Bulldogs to a Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 championship and
was the MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section Player of the Year. She averaged 17
points and seven rebounds per game.
Addison Deal,
Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
6-0 | Guard | Sophomore
Made the MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Team, the CIF Southern Section All-Open Division team and the Orange
County Register's all-county player of the year. A transfer from
Pacifica Christian, Deal averaged 15 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals
per game.
Aliyahna Morris,
Etiwanda
5-5 | Guard | Sophomore
A MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Team pick, "Puff" also was selected
to the CIF Southern Section Open Division team and the
Press-Enterprise's Inland Empire team. Morris averaged 17.3 points, 4.7
assists and 3.8 rebounds for the CIF Open Division champions.
Erin Sellers,
Oakland Tech (Oakland)
5-6 | Guard | Senior
The
Oakland Athletic League MVP and a member of the all-area teams by the
Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle, Sellers led Oakland
Tech to back-to-back state championships including a Division 1 title
this year.
Athena Tomlinson,
Clovis West (Fresno)
5-5 | Guard | Junior
The
player of the year by the Fresno Bee, Tomlinson led the Golden Eagles
to a Central Section Division 1 championship. She averaged 14.6 points,
2.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Fourth Team
Morgan Cheli,
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
6-2 | Guard | Junior
Had an outstanding postseason after missing much of the regular season
with an injury. The UConn commit earned all-area honors by the Bay Area News Group
and the San Francisco Chronicle after averaging 15.6 points, 5.2
rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Harper Peterson,
Whitney (Rocklin)
6-3 | Forward | Junior
The
MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section Junior of the Year, Peterson led Whitney
to a section championship and averaged 13.3 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Ashley Chea,
Flintridge Prep (La Canada)
5-8 | Guard | Senior
The
Class 3AA player of the year in the Southern Section, Chea led
Flintridge Prep to a 30-3 record and averaged 24.0 points, 6.3 assists,
7.6 rebounds and 4.4 steals per game.
Skye Belker,
Windward (Los Angeles)
5-8 | Guard | Senior
Named
to the CIF Southern Section All-Open Division team, Belker is headed to
play at Princeton next year. She averaged 22.7 points and 6.1 rebounds
on the year. She was also a standout in tennis with a 29-0 record.
Talia Maxwell,
Central (Fresno)
6-1 | Forward | Senior
Led Central to a CIF Division 2 state championship over Bonita Vista.
She made the Fresno Bee's all-area team and averaged 24.1 points, 8.8
rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
Fifth Team
Emily Eadie,
Sage Hill (Newport Beach)
6-0 | Guard | Junior
A
member of the CIF Section All-Open Division team and the Orange County
Register all-county team, Eadie averaged 15.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and
3.0 assists per game.
Jackie Polk,
Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga)
5-5 | Guard | Freshman
Named
to the CIF All-Division 3AA team and the Los Angeles Times all-area
team, Polk led Los Osos to a Division III state championship and scored
30 points in the finals. She averaged 15 points for the season.
Shea Joko,
Orange Lutheran (Orange)
5-4 | Guard | Junior
Named
the Southern Section Division 1 player of the year and a member of the
Orange County Register's all-county team, Joko averaged 8.4 points per
game and led the Lancers to a Southern Section championship.
Audrey Chen,
La Salle (Pasadena)
5-5 | Guard | Junior
The
Class 2AA player of the year in the Southern Section, Chen also made
the Pasadena Star News' all-area team. She averaged 14.8 points per game
with 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals.
Ava Uhrich,
Pinewood (Los Altos Hills)
5-11 | Forward | Senior
Named
to the all-area teams by the San Francisco Chronicle and the Bay Area
News Group, Uhrich averaged 17.6 points, 4.2 assists, 2.0 steals and
13.2 rebounds per game.
Sixth TeamGracyn Lovette,
Marin Catholic (Kentfield)
5-11 | Guard | Senior
Named
the North Bay Player of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle,
Lovette was a two-time league MVP and led Marin Catholic to the NorCal
Division II final. She averaged 15.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists
and 3.4 steals.
Natalia Martinez,
Piedmont
5-7 | Guard | Junior
Martinez
led Piedmont to a 24-0 regular season and the NorCal Open Division
semifinals. She earned all-Bay Area honors by the S.F. Chronicle and the
Bay Area News Group and was also the league MVP. She averaged 20
points, four assists and four steals.
Makiah Asidanya,
Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond)
5-7 | Guard | Senior
An
all-area pick by the S.F. Chronicle and the Bay Area News Group,
Asidanya led Salesian to the NorCal Open Division finals and averaged
14.2 points and 2.3 steals per game.
Mary Carter, Antelope (Calif.)
6-3 | Forward | Senior
Carter earned All-Sac-Joaquin honors by MaxPreps and averaged 20.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
Morgan Trigueiro, Caruthers
5-9 | Guard | Senior
The
Fresno Bee's medium school player of the year, Trigueiro averaged 25.2
points, 2.6 assists, 2.4 steals and 4.1 rebounds per game.
