High school girls basketball: The top teams, players in the South Sound in 2023-24
The 2023-24 high school basketball season is in full swing across Washington, and league title races are taking shape around the South Sound.
Wondering what to watch for in the new year?
We’ve got you covered, breaking down the top teams and players in the 4A NPSL, 4A SPSL, 3A NPSL, 3A PCL, 3A SSC, 2A SPSL, 2A EvCo and more this winter.
LEAGUE PREVIEWS
4A NPSL
Reigning league champion Tahoma, which advanced to the 4A state semifinals last season and ultimately finished third, lost league MVP and TNT All-Area player of the year Hope Hassmann to graduation. The Bears, though, are doing just fine, currently 9-2, undefeated in league play and have a win over 3A NPSL favorite Auburn on their resume. Sophomore Bailey Nettleton (9.9 points per game) and senior Lily Cavanaugh (8.8 ppg) are players to watch for the Bears. Keep an eye on Kentridge and Kentwood, too. Kentwood returns first-team all-league guard Jessica Ajayi, an athletic scorer and high-level defender. Kentridge’s duo of senior point guard Sydney Esperanza (14 ppg) and junior forward Jayla Keowla (12 ppg) will have them in contention.
4A SPSL
Sumner, which advanced to the 4A state first round a season ago, has the pieces to make an even deeper run this winter. The Spartans return reigning 4A SPSL North MVP Lainee Houillon, a TNT All-Area first-team selection after the quick, crafty guard averaged 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and four steals for Sumner last season. She’s averaging 16.3 points this season. Freshman Kawehi Borden (10.3 ppg) and sophomore Olivia Collins (10 ppg) round out a lineup that scores in a hurry. Sumner (12-0) has run through the first half of its schedule unscathed with a showdown against Emerald Ridge looming Wednesday. In the South Division, Emerald Ridge (7-3) is the favorite, despite losing division co-MVP and TNT All-Area selection Monique Carter to graduation. Senior guard Naomi Senato and sophomore forward Jaryah McGriff return for the Jaguars. Bellarmine Prep advanced to the state quarterfinals last year, but will face an uphill climb with senior guard Kiara Stone, last year’s 4A SPSL North defensive MVP and a TNT All-Area selection, sidelined with an injury. Still, senior guard Jada Travis and junior post Stella Wiggins can win games for the Lions.
3A NPSL
Auburn (12-2) is off to a 4-0 start in league play and is the early favorite in the 3A NPSL, averaging 73.8 points per game in league contests while allowing only 16.3. The Trojans also have double-digit victories against six of their 10 nonleague opponents so far. Auburn’s only in-state loss this season is a three-point defeat on the road in early December against a Tahoma program expected to contend again in the 4A NPSL. Senior forward Emmalee Secrest (11.8 ppg) paces a talented group of Auburn seniors and freshmen — that includes returning 3A NPSL first-team senior guard Jayla Brown, freshman guard Avery Hansen, freshman guard Keleesa Howard and senior forward Bella Titialii — in scoring this season. Auburn Mountainview is the defending league champion, and advanced to the 3A state first round last season in the Tacoma Dome as the 3A NPSL’s only state qualifier, but graduated two all-league performers, including leading scorer Maliyah Elliott, who was last season’s 3A NPSL MVP. Auburn Riverside, Todd Beamer and Thomas Jefferson were district qualifiers last season.
3A PCL
There have been seven seasons played since the 3A PCL was created ahead of the 2016-17 school year. Three-time defending league champion Lincoln has won five 3A PCL titles (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) during that stretch. Bethel won two (2019, 2020) before returning to the 4A classification. Could there be a new champion in 2024? Bonney Lake (10-2) entered the week with four double-digit wins over its first four league opponents — Lakes, Spanaway Lake, Lincoln and Mount Tahoma — and an average margin of victory in 3A PCL games of 37.5 points. The Panthers, who advanced to the 3A state first round in the Tacoma Dome last winter, are in good position early to contend for this year’s league crown, led by senior forward Jazmyn Shipp (15.4 ppg). Shipp was the league’s co-MVP last season, as well as the league MVP in 2022, and is a two-time TNT All-Area selection. Bonney Lake has nonleague wins over several tough South Sound programs this winter, and the Panthers’ only losses are to 4A SPSL powers Bellarmine Prep (51-42) in November’s season-opener and Sumner (47-43) in late December. Defending 3A PCL and 3A District 3/4 champion Lincoln (4-4) has also played a tough nonleague schedule early on, and is 3-1 in league contests, the only loss to Bonney Lake midway through December. The Abes earned a sixth-place trophy in the Tacoma Dome last winter, and return several impact players from that team. Lincoln is without five-star forward Oliviyah Edwards — a 3A PCL first-team selection and TNT All-Area pick last season as a freshman — who now plays at Elite Prep, but returns key all-league performers. Senior guard Ciona Wells, the reigning league co-MVP, is back from an injury last season, and senior guard Jaleigha Robinson, a three-time defensive player of the year in the 3A PCL, also returns.
3A SSC
It’s a good year for the Thurston County schools — North Thurston and Timberline should duke it out for the league title this season. The programs meet Wednesday for the first time this season. North Thurston (8-0) has experience on its side, returning four starters from last year’s squad: guards Soraya Ogaldez, Grace Lee, Sadie Tanner and forward Alexis Meyer. Ogaldez is the reigning league MVP. Timberline (12-0) is one of the area’s most exciting young teams — sophomore guard Shayla Cordis was the league’s defensive player of the year in her first high school season. She plays pretty good offense, too, averaging 28.4 points per game this season. Her sister, freshman Sierra Cordis, averages 10 points, while sophomore transfer Brandi Stanford is averaging 20 points. Peninsula, which won the league last year, returns first-team all-league Kaylia Heidelberg, who averages 20.6 points per game.
2A SPSL
Will Enumclaw and White River compete for the 2A SPSL title again? Early on in league play, it seems the two rivals could. Both programs — which split their league meetings last year — entered this week undefeated in league play, and have their first meeting of 2024 set for Wednesday. White River was the top 2A SPSL performer in the postseason in 2023, advancing to the state semifinals in Yakima and eventually bringing home a fifth-place trophy. The Hornets are 8-2 overall so far this season, and averaging 65.3 points through four league contests, while allowing just 16.5. Their only in-state loss this winter is to a Lynden program that has opened the season 12-1. Freshman guard Maggee Schmitz (14 ppg) leads a balanced White River offense that also returns several all-league performers. The Hornets are also looking forward to the return of 2A SPSL first-team selection Vivian Kingston from injury later this season. Enumclaw reached the 2A state first round last winter, and returns 2A SPSL first-team forward Bella Firnkoess. The Hornets are 8-3 and have double-digit victories in five 2A SPSL games so far, averaging 66.8 points per contest while allowing 25.6. Clover Park, Fife, Orting and Steilacoom are also returning district qualifiers from last winter.
2A EvCo
After W.F. West sitting comfortably at the top, there’s a steep dropoff this year in the 2A EvCo. Tumwater graduated a lot of talent from last year’s state tournament quarterfinal team, while W.F. West returns reigning league MVP Julia Dalan. The Bearcats run everything through the 6-foot-3 Dalan, who passed the 1,000 career point mark earlier this month, becoming the fourth player in program history to cross the threshold. W.F. West’s (10-2) two losses this season came to state tournament contenders Ellensburg and Davis. Black Hills (10-2) may be the league’s second-best team this season, evidenced by a convincing 62-46 win over district rival Tumwater last week. Freshman Tyler Venable, junior Kiley McMahon and senior Ashley Harris — a TNT All-Area volleyball selection — all average double digit scoring for the Wolves.
1A/2B/1B
Annie Wright (6-3) entered the week without an in-state loss, and undefeated through five 1A Nisqually League contests — posting double-digit wins over Seattle Christian, Klahowya, Charles Wright, Cascade Christian and Vashon Island — and have a key matchup with defending league champion Bellevue Christian (9-1) ahead Tuesday night. The Gators reached the 1A state first round in Yakima last winter, and return two 1A Nisqually first-team selections in sophomore guard Aaliyeh Martin and junior guard J’Lyn Doodigian from that group. Eatonville (5-3) will look to contend in the 1A Evergreen Conference behind returning first-team guard Bailey Andersen, who averages 20-plus points per game. … In 2B, Rainier (13-0) entered the week undefeated and as the No. 1 team in the WIAA’s early RPI rankings. The Mountaineers travel to play defending 2B Central champion Napavine (13-1) in a key league contest Tuesday night. Junior guard Angelica Askey, a returning 2B Central first-team selection, paces Rainier’s offense with 15.8 points per game.
25 PLAYERS TO WATCH
F Emmalee Secrest, Auburn, sr.
G Jessica Ajayi, Kentwood, jr.
G Angelica Askey, Rainier, jr.
G Lily Cavanaugh, Tahoma, sr.
G Olivia Collins, Sumner, soph.
G Shayla Cordis, Timberline, soph.
G Sydney Esperanza, Kentridge, sr.
F Bella Firnkoess, Enumclaw, sr.
G Kaylia Heidelberg, Peninsula, sr.
G Lainee Houillon, Sumner, sr.
F Azy Jackson, Bonney Lake, fr.
G Aaliyeh Martin, Annie Wright, soph.
F Jaryah McGriff, Emerald Ridge, soph.
G Soraya Ogaldez, North Thurston, jr.
G Jaleigha Robinson, Lincoln, sr.
G Maggee Schmitz, White River, fr.
G Naomi Senato, Emerald Ridge, sr.
G Taylor Schwab, Gig Harbor, sr.
F Jazmyn Shipp, Bonney Lake, sr.
G Annique Smith, Silas, soph.
G Jada Travis, Bellarmine Prep, sr.
G Tyler Venable, Black Hills, fr.
G Ciona Wells, Lincoln, sr.
G Lauren Wolin, Olympia, jr.
F Kate Wooten, Tahoma, sr.
