Here are some of the top metro area girls’ basketball players from the Class of 2014. I am sure there are more out there, but as a writer I am willing to take that chance.
CHASE COLEY, a 6’-3” forward from Minneapolis Washburn, quietly led the Millers to a fourth-place finish in the Class 2A state tournament. Fellow City Conference players are ALEXANDRA WASHINGTON, post from Edison, North’s KIEAR HUNTER, and NAJA WOODS of Minneapolis Southwest.
Across the river in St. Paul, 6’-2” forward RAYNA SHAROW and guards JADA JONES (5’-6”) and LYRIC WILLIAMS (5’-5”) keep St. Paul Central among the metro’s elite teams, while conference foe Highland Park will prosper behind post player BRIANA VIRNIG.
Park Center forward CAYLA MCMORRIS is among the state’s top players with her aggressive play inside and out.
KENISHA BELL can score from anywhere and can distribute as well. The 5’-9” point guard from Bloomington Kennedy led them to the Class 3A championship game last March. Bell’s teammates, TONIA WADE (6’-2”) and ISIEOMA ODOR (6’-1”), contributed a strong inside presence during the tournament run.
ALEXIS ALEXANDER, a 5’-8” guard from Champlin Park, has quietly moved into conversation as one of the metro area’s best. Teammate GENEVAE ADKINS, a 5’-9” guard, is another player to watch.
DAIJZAH MORRIS and DESTINEE MORRIS give Centennial two wings who can score.
AYO PORTE, a 5’-10” forward from Osseo, is one of the state’s strongest at that position.
JAS’BRAIL BROWN is a 5’-9” guard who played for Community of Peace last season.
Hopkins player KATRINA REEVES, a 5’-10” forward, helped the Royals capture the Class 4A crown last spring.
TIA ELBERT, a 5’-7” combo guard from Tartan, was the state’s top scorer (36 ppg) who has been a Division I recruit since her sophomore year. While playing a game against St. Paul Highland Park as a 10th grader, a Division II coach was there to watch her. After Elbert calmly pulled up for a jumper that hit nothing but net after tip off, the coach turned to me and said, “I have no chance of recruiting her.”
There you have it, some of the best the Class of 2014 has to offer. I know that I missed a few.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-record er.com.
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