9 Salem-area girls basketball players to watch in the 2023-24 season
There are a number of talented Salem-area girls basketball players already making moves as the season gets underway.
Here are nine players to watch.
Carly Skogstad, Sprague
Skogstad made waves as the top-scoring freshman in the 6A last season. Averaging 15.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.1 spg, 2.1 apg, she takes charge of the court, according to head coach Kevan Hanson.
“She’s our leader, she’s our scorer – she’s kind of our everything girl,” he said.
Addison Hannant, Sprague
Hanson said he’s looking to bring up the intensity this season, and he expects sophomore Hannant to be a major contributor both in effort and personality.
“She is everywhere, she hustles her butt off,” he said. “She has a really, really great attitude, which rubs off on the girls in a really positive way.”
Emma Zuniga, West Salem
As a freshman on one of the top performing teams in the league last season with 15 ppg, 8 rpg, 1 apg, 1 spg, eyes are on Zuniga as she continues to contribute both offensively and defensively.
“She’s a scorer for us, but she also works really hard on both ends of the floor,” said head coach Katie Steigleman.
Ava Rubio, McNary
Rubio earned first-team all conference last season and averaged 11.5 ppg, 4 rpg and 2.3 spg for the Celtics. Head coach Mike McShane said she’s already outperforming so far this season.
“Right now she’s averaging about 15 points per game,” McShane said. “She's a capable scorer and is really starting to buy in on the defensive and become a complete player.”
Avery Buss, McNary
Buss and Rubio are considered a powerful duo as best friends and teammates, but as a point guard, Buss is expected to really come into her own this season.
“She’s one of the most dynamic players in our league, she’s extremely athletic and a gifted basketball player,” McShane said.
Patricia Mike, McKay
An upperclassmen-heavy team is expected to be among McKay’s strengths this season, with Mike, a junior, taking charge.
“Patricia was our leading scorer last season,” said head coach Ryan Kuboyama. “We have some things we're working on with Patricia this year, and I'm giving her a lot of opportunities to kind of lead our team.”
Kyleigh Brown, Silverton
Named last season’s All-Mid-Valley Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Brown has shown no signs of stopping as she enters her senior year.
She averaged 19 ppg, 8 rpg and 3 spg last season.
Head coach Alyssa Ogle said it's helpful for the Foxes to "have the best player in 5A, in my opinion, and one of the best players in Oregon."
Olivia Boyd, Silverton
Boyd stood out at Gervais with an average 14 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg, 3 spg, 1 bpg last season in Class 2A. She’s now expected to bring some magic to the Foxes as a senior in the 5A.
Maddie Dustin, Cascade
Dustin was player of the year in the 4A last season.
She’s leading the Cougars as a senior, and is a “super competitor,” head coach Nick Randall said. However, she also excels at golf, winning the 4A/3A/2A/1A golf state championship last season, and is already committed to play at the University of Hawaii next year.
Olivia Stevens is the Statesman Journal's sports intern. You can reach out with comments or questions at ostevens@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @byoliviastevens.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem-area girls basketball players to watch in the 2023-24 season
