Each year since 2006, MaxPreps has recognized outstanding performers in high school girls basketball. America's source for high school sports continues the tradition to close out the 2022-23 season by naming the top player in each state. Selections are based on team success and individual excellence in addition to local and state accolades.
Bella Hines of
Eldorado (Albuquerque) is the 2022-23 MaxPreps New Mexico High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year. The 5-foot-10 sophomore guard led the state in scoring.
For the season, Hines averaged 30.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game.In two seasons at Eldorado, she has piled up 1,432 points in addition to over 300 rebounds and 150 steals.
In a 69-63 win over West Mesa in February, Hines scored a career-high 51 points. Performances like that have helped her garner early interest from college programs like Baylor, Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, Ohio State and Virginia.
Juliana Aragon of
Bernalillo was the 2021-22 MaxPreps New Mexico Player
of the Year. Aragon shot 50 percent on 3-pointers and 87 percent from
the line, helping her score 29.7 points a game. Now a freshman at New Mexico-Highlands, Aragon averaged 29.7 points and 8.1 assists per game for the 28-2 Spartans.
Each state's MaxPreps Player of the Year will be considered for inclusion in the MaxPreps All-America Team, which will be released in April. Past selections include 2022 WNBA Most Valuable Player A'ja Wilson (2014) as well as 2022 All-WNBA picks Skylar Diggins-Smith (2009), Sabrina Ionescu (2016), Jonquel Jones (2012), Nneka Ogwumike (2008), Kelsey Plum (2013), Breanna Stewart (2012) and Alyssa Thomas (2010).
