PHOTO GALLERIES -- DAILY NEWS ALL-AREA BASKETBALL TEAMS
  • Daily News All-Area Girls Basketball Team

  • Daily News All-Area Boys Basketball Team

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

RISHONDA NAPIER, Bell-Jeff, Sr.
After beginning her career with a Div. V state title in 2009, the only thing missing to bookend Napier's impressive run was another championship.
The four-year starter contributed to 106 career victories and four Santa Cruz League titles, securing MVP this season.
Napier helped the Guards overcome a 5-6 start to produce 13 consecutive victories on their way to reaching the Southern Section Div. IV-AA semifinals and the Southern California Div. IV regional quarterfinals.
The 5-foot-6 guard was also a Div. IV-AA first-team selection and McDonald's All-America nominee, averaging better than 24 points per game during the Guards' final 10 contests and scoring in double figures in all 33 games.
Napier, a Southern Illinois signee, finished averaging 21.7 points, to go along with 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals, shooting 42 percent from 3-point range.
She had a career-high 34 points in a 65-54 quarterfinal win at Chaminade.

COACH OF THE YEAR

ANDREW BENCZE, Providence
While most of the buzz on the Providence campus during the season surrounded freshman Marcus LoVett, Jr. and the boys' basketball team reaching the Southern Section Div. V-A final, Bencze quietly led the Pioneers girls' basketball team to 27 victories and its most successful season. Despite senior Catherine Saint being injured for the majority of the postseason, Providence relied on its depth and defense to reach the Div. V-AA semifinals. Providence also secured its first two state wins, advancing to the Div. V regional semifinals.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

KENNEDY BURKE, Sierra Canyon, Fr.
When Sierra Canyon and Alemany met Dec. 26, two of the elite freshman guards in California were showcased with Burke and the Warriors' Breanna Calhoun. Unfortunately for Calhoun, a left knee injury suffered Jan. 20 forced her to miss the final 14 games of the season. But Burke, the younger sister of North Carolina State's Kody, continued to lead a young lineup to an 18-win season and the second round of the Div. IV-AA playoffs, averaging 14.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks, securing Alpha League first-team honors.

FIRST TEAM

AYISAT AFOLABI, Monroe, Jr.
The East Valley League MVP and All-City first-team selection averaged 20 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.5 steals, leading the Vikings to a third straight City Section final.
BRIANNA BARRETT, Oaks Christian, Sr.
The USC-bound guard averaged 12.5 points, 6.0 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 steals to lead the Lions to the Div.IV-AA quarterfinals. Barrett was selected Tri-Valley League MVP and received Div. IV-AA first-team honors.
KYLIE CUNNINGHAM, Agoura, Sr.
Concluded her four-year career with more than 1,800 points, securing Marmonte League MVP and Div. III-AAA first-team honors. Cunningham averaged 19.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 4.0 steals for the Chargers.
MEGAN DAWE, Saugus, Sr.
The Foothill League MVP, the NYU-bound Dawe became the Centurions' career scoring leader with 1,273 points — 568 this season — along with 732 career rebounds, which ranks third. Dawe averaged 19.6 points and 9.4 rebounds, earning Div. II-A first-team recognition.
LAUREN HOLIDAY, Campbell Hall, Sr.
The Southern Section Div. IV-A player of the year averaged better than 20 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Vikings to their first division title and Div. IV state victory. The UCLA signee was an Alpha League first-teamer.
HANNAH JOHNSON, Alemany, Soph.
An All-Mission League and Div. III-AA first-team selection, Johnson helped the Warriors reach the division final and Southern California Div. III regional semifinals. She helped Alemany share the league title with Chaminade.
LESLIE LOPEZ-WOOD, Alemany, Jr.
Following her transfer from Bell-Jeff, Lopez-Wood made a big impact, helping the Warriors capture titles at the Nike Tournament of Champions and West Coast Holiday Festival. An All-Mission League and Div. III-AA first-team pick, the San Francisco commit had 23 points in the final.
KEIONA MATHEWS, Antelope Valley, Sr.
Mathews averaged 22.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.5 assists, securing Golden League MVP honors after helping the Antelopes win a third consecutive title.
MONET McNALLY, L.A. Baptist, Sr.
McNally set the Knights' season scoring record with 729 points and finished with 1,817 career points. The Olympic League MVP and Div. IV-A first-team selection averaged 26 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.3 assists.
DESTINI PRICE, Antelope Valley, Sr.
The Fresno State-bound Price knocked down 52 3-pointers to go along with 18 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2 steals per game, earning All-Golden League and Div. III-AA first-team honors.
TIFFINI STONE, Canyon, Sr.
Stone elevated her level of play in the Foothill League and playoffs, helping the Cowboys reach the Div. II-AA quarterfinals. An all-league and Div. II-AA first-team pick, she averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds.
JASMINE SMITH, Bell-Jeff, Sr.
Smith averaged 15.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals. The San Jose State signee secured All-Santa Cruz League first-team honors, helping Bell-Jeff reach the Div. IV-AA semifinals and the Div. IV regional quarterfinals.
ANNIE TARAKCHIAN, Chaminade, Sr.
The Eagles' all-time leading rebounder with 1,296, to go along with 1,408 career points, 329 assists and 252 blocks, Tarakchian was the Mission League MVP and Div. IV-AA first-team selection, Tarakchian averaged 14.8 points and 14.7 rebounds for the league co-champs.

SECOND TEAM

Nicholle Aston, Louisville, Jr.
Breanna Calhoun, Alemany, Fr.
Natalie Florescu, Harvard-Westlake, Jr.
Kendall Frisoli, Thousand Oaks, Jr.
Kelsey Haines, Oak Park, Sr.
Shannon Kingery, El Camino Real, Sr.
Alia McCoy, Canyon, Sr.
Aubree Mittel, Royal, Sr.
Geraldynn Leaupepe, Camarillo, Soph.
Geralynn Leaupepe, Camarillo, Soph.
Meghan McIntyre, Oaks Christian, Jr.
Jaya Schultz, Canyon, Jr.
Leslie Schuman, Harvard-Westlake, Sr.
Kailee Severt, Oaks Christian, Soph.
Aysia Shellmire, Burroughs, Jr.
Nicole Tolbert, Campbell Hall, Sr.
Heather Tomaszewski, Royal, Sr.
Katherine Wright, Notre Dame, Jr.
Mi'Chael Wright, Chaminade, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Whitney Branham, West Ranch, Soph.
Robyn Brown, Chaminade, Jr.
Sarah Bucknovitz, Oak Park, Jr.
Cora Chan, El Camino Real, Jr.
Courtney Chen, La Canada, Soph.
Judith Espinoza, Eagle Rock, Soph.
Jennifer Franco, Kennedy, Sr.
Breanne Gascon, Camarillo, Sr.
Damarie Gonzalez, Burbank, Sr.
Hannah Green, West Ranch, Jr.
Arianna Halamandaris, Moorpark, Sr.
Ahlisha Henderson, Reseda, Jr.
Mariah Howard, Cleveland, Sr.
Ashley Kelsick, Highland, Soph.
Shawn Kolani, Taft, Sr.
Clarissa Larios, Alemany, Jr.
Beth Mounier, Oaks Christian, Jr.
Toni Oni, Sierra Canyon, Sr.
Katie Ortiz, L.A. Baptist, Sr.
Jordan Oster, Saugus, Sr.
Catherine Saint, Providence, Sr.
Ella Stepanian, Crescenta Valley, Soph.
Kalia Summerlin, Valencia, Sr.
Jecenia Trinidad, Monroe, Sr.
Cheyanne Wallace, Sierra Canyon, Fr.
Danielle Ward, Granada Hills, Jr.

TOP TEN RANKINGS

1. Alemany
2. Bell-Jeff
3. Oaks Christian
4. Chaminade
5. Canyon
6. Monroe
7. Camarillo
8. Antelope Valley
9. Sierra Canyon
10. Saugus

LEAGUE CHAMPS

Desert Mountain: Desert Christian
East Valley: Monroe
Foothill: Canyon/Saugus
Frontier: La Reina/Villanova Prep
Golden: Antelope Valley
Heritage: Milken Community
Liberty: Providence
Marmonte: Thousand Oaks
Mission: Alemany/Chaminade
Northern: Eagle Rock
Olympic: L.A. Baptist
Pacific: Muir
Pacific View: Camarillo/Rio Mesa
Santa Cruz: Bell-Jeff
Tri-Valley: Oaks Christian
Valley: SOCES
Valley Mission: Kennedy
Westside: AGBU
West Valley: El Camino Real

GAME OF THE YEAR

ALEMANY VS. LAGUNA HILLS, Feb. 29
The conclusion of regulation at the Southern Section Div. III-AA final couldn't have been more dramatic. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the ending wasn't as memorable. After Alemany's Hannah Johnson was credited for scoring as time expired in regulation when the basket had initially been waved off, the Warriors relied on 23 points from Leslie Lopez-Wood to extend Laguna Hills to double overtime, before falling 59-55. The teams squared off in a rematch in the Southern California Div. III regional semifinals, with the Hawks again prevailing 58-49.