The News Tribune’s 2026 all-state girls basketball team
Every year, the state of Washington produces exceptional basketball talent at the high school level.
Here is The News Tribune’s 2026 all-state girls basketball team, as selected by our high school sports staff.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Oliviyah Edwards
Lincoln
Forward, 6-4, sr.
Edwards threw down her first dunk and picked up her first Division-I offer in seventh grade — and it wasn’t long before the 6-foot-4 forward cemented herself as one of the nation’s premier talents. The five-star Tennessee commit spent two years with Issaquah’s Elite Sports Academy before returning home to Lincoln for her senior season, averaging 30 points, 22 rebounds, five blocks and four assists per game. McDonald’s All-American is a two-time TNT All-Area selection. 3A PSL Narrows MVP and Defensive MVP.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Darnellia Russell
Eastside Catholic
First known as the star player of Roosevelt’s 2004 state-title run, Russell took over the Eastside Catholic program in 2023 and guided the Crusaders to their first-ever championship at the Tacoma Dome this winter. Eastside Catholic finished 20-8 and upset No. 1 Bellevue in the title game, 55-43. “In the beginning of the season, we had a lot of girls that (wanted) to prove themselves,” Russell said. “I just kept telling them — you guys have to play together in order for us to win. We cannot be just one person out here, you know? Once they just really started loving on each other, it’s really that. … I’ll say this over and over. Girls basketball, it’s really that. They have to really love and like each other on the floor, and you can get a lot accomplished.”
FIRST TEAM
G Brooklynn Haywood, Union, sr. — One of the most-accomplished scorers the state has ever seen, Haywood finished her high school career with 2,952 points, second only to Cashmere’s Hailey Van Lith (2016-2020). The four-star Oregon commit is considered the No. 26 player in the nation’s 2026 class, averaging 32.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and four assists per game. 4A Greater St. Helens Player of the Year.
G Cheyenne Hull, Davis, jr. — When the state’s top player in the 2027 class powered the Pirates to the 4A state title last winter, Hull knew they’d be back. Davis did just that, overpowering Sumner in a championship rematch — and the Columbia Basin Big-9 MVP was front and center. Hull averaged 20.7 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals per game for the back-to-back state champs, shooting 66 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. Two-time MaxPreps Washington Player of the Year.
G Kaleo Anderson, King’s, sr. — The Virginia Tech commit rewrote record books at King’s High, topping all-time program leaderboards in points (2,406), rebounds (1,017), assists (368) and steals (303). A scoring threat from all three levels, Anderson powered the Knights to a 1A championship appearance, named the tournament’s MVP in Yakima. The WSGBCA’s (Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Association) ‘Ms. Basketball’ and PNBOA Ambassador of the Year is considered the No. 70 recruit in the nation, per ESPN.
F Amy Nduka, Eastside Catholic, soph. — The Crusaders have their hero: Nduka’s 23 points and nine rebounds lifted Eastside Catholic to its first state title in program history, knocking off No. 1 Bellevue in the 3A championship game at the Tacoma Dome. Offers have poured in for the four-star sophomore, whose blend of size and touch at the rim made her one of the state’s most-dominant players this winter. Metro Mountain first-team selection averaged 23 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and three assists per game.
F Finley Parcher, Lynden, jr. — Three years, three state titles for Lynden’s star. Parcher hasn’t lost a game with the Lions since 2023, orchestrating an active 74-game win streak with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game this winter. 2A Northwest Conference MVP holds offers from Gonzaga, Oregon and others.
SECOND TEAM
G Kawehi Borden, Sumner, jr. — The smooth scorer with offers from the likes of Oregon and Kansas delivered a 4A state tournament-high 87 points in four games, guiding Sumner to consecutive championship-game appearances and runner-up finishes at the Tacoma Dome. 4A SPSL North MVP and two-time TNT All-Area selection averaged 16.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists per game.
G Ashley Uusitalo, Lake Washington, sr. — Lake Washington’s sharpshooter shattered the program’s all-time record in three-pointers made, piling more than 1,600 points throughout her high school career. Oregon State commit averaged 16.5 points per game with three assists this season, lifting the Kangs to the 4A semifinals at the Tacoma Dome.
G Isa Garcia, Davis, jr. — After joining the 1,000-point club in January, Garcia rose to the occasion in March — dropping a game-high 20 points to beat Sumner in the 4A championship. Garcia shot 47 percent from three-point range this winter, averaging 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.6 steals per game.
G Jazlyn Wilkerson, Woodinville, sr. — A dangerous three-point shooter with post moves to match, “Jazzy” was the focal point of Woodinville’s fourth-place 4A state run at the Tacoma Dome. Idaho State commit averaged 21.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
G Zia-Daye Anderson, Nathan Hale, sr. — The state’s leading per-game scorer was at her best when the lights were brightest, guiding Nathan Hale to the 2A District 2 title and dropping a state tournament-record 52 points in a Round of 12 win over W.F. West in Yakima. Raiders coaches trusted the Boise State commit at every turn — and she answered with 44 points in back-to-back playoff wins over Cedarcrest and Renton. In 15 games, Anderson averaged 35.4 points, 7.2 steals, 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per night.
This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
