Girls basketball season is here: Top teams, players to watch for St. Johns County
The 2023-24 high school girls basketball season begins Monday. See previews for St. Johns County teams.
Bartram Trail
2022-23 record: 12-14
Outlook: This is Team Double Trouble, built around twin sisters Sophia Panico and Victoria Panico. The only seniors on the roster, they lead from the frontcourt on a Bears team that's in transition after graduating last year's top players, Lina Kouchis (Flagler College) and Aja Pollard (Northwest Florida State College). Among the young Bears to watch: Miranda Campos, already a track and field standout coming off a 5.5-point, 5.7-rebound season.
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Beachside
2022-23 record: 17-7
Outlook: An already-promising Barracudas team added two impact transfers. Madi Ray, formerly at Nease, gives the Barracudas a 6-2 post presence who can score (7.8 points, 6.2 rebounds in her freshman year). And junior outside sharpshooter Kendall Kane returns to St. Johns County from DME as an outside threat. Since Beachside already returned four proven scorers in sophomores Anni Ament, Morgan Cremen and Ari Walker and junior Sophia Iskander (10.5 points per game), both the future and the present are bright.
Girls soccer set to soar: St. Johns County 2023-24 high school season preview
Creekside
2022-23 record: 13-14
Outlook: Six regulars graduated from the Knights' 2022-23 roster, including top contributors Kayla Kastor and Melissa Epting, leaving a much-changed roster on Longleaf Pine Parkway. Creekside's strength coming in looks like the backcourt, led by junior point guard Jade Spivey (8.0 points, 1.6 steals per game last year) and sophomore shooting guard Cami Waters (5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds). Roisin Crowley and Chloee Poppinga may also step into larger roles at forward.
Florida Deaf
2022-23 record: 17-6
Outlook: Fear the Dragons and their defense. Florida Deaf limited opponents to 29.6 points per game in low-scoring but effective basketball, a run only ended by eventual state semifinalist St. Johns Country Day. It begins with 6-3 junior center Kayla Debrow, who averaged a double-double (17.3 points, 10.6 rebounds) and blocked 4.2 shots per game. Add 5-8 Mariska Dize, who averaged 9.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.0 steals, and Florida Deaf has a solid foundation for the District 3-2A race. This year's roster is nearly identical to the 2022-23 version.
Menendez
2022-23 record: 15-12
Outlook: The Falcons surpassed .500 for the second consecutive season and return most of last year's roster. Back in blue and black are the three leading Menendez scorers, Kali Harris (10.4 points, 7.9 rebounds), Sophia Scibelli (10.3 points, 7.3 rebounds) and Dasani Newsome (8.4 points, 5.2 rebounds). The interior game should also improve with the return of senior forward Jaiden Smith, limited to one game last year. While Daytona Beach Mainland is the reigning district champion, Menendez looks like a team ready to rise in the standings.
Nease
2022-23 record: 20-7
Outlook: A perennial contender to keep playing well into February, Nease must replace its three top scorers but can never be counted out. Senior forward Maci Robinson (4.0 points, 4.2 rebounds) steps into a leading role among the scorers, along with returning senior Shruthika Kondabrolu (3.2 points, 2.7 rebounds) and junior McKenna Owens (4.9 points, 3.9 rebounds). Last year's Panthers qualified for the Class 6A regionals but lost to Land O' Lakes.
Ponte Vedra
2022-23 record: 15-10
Outlook: It's bombs away from 3-point land for the Sharks, among the most prolific and successful outside shooting teams in Northeast Florida. When their aim is true, Ponte Vedra is a threat to anybody. Seniors Morgan Gavazzi, Kennedy Rosendahl and Taylor Perce lead the bombardment, with all three hitting above 30 percent from beyond the arc and taking aim at every opportunity. Not the tallest team, Ponte Vedra relies on the energy, anticipation and strength of Maya Richards (8.8 points, 7.8 rebounds) to compete on the boards.
St. Augustine
2022-23 record: 18-8
Outlook: Always a contender in the St. Johns County chase. A 10-game winning streak rocketed the Jackets into the thick of the Class 5A playoff race, where they eventually lost in the first round to Pine Forest. Most of last season's lineup returns, too, including scorers Aniyah Fisher and Alayla Terry, as St. Augustine pursues what would be a seventh consecutive winning season.
St. Joseph
2022-23 record: 15-9
Outlook: There's no doubt about the focal point of this team: Senior Kelly Cramer has already hit the 1,200-point mark in three years of basketball, leading St. Joseph on both sides of the court. Last season, she averaged 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.7 steals, including a 37-point night against Trinity Christian. Consistency is a key: The Flashes raced to a 10-1 start before stumbling down the stretch, losing their last five and exiting the regional playoffs in the opening round.
Tocoi Creek
2022-23 record: 17-9
Outlook: Add another one to the impact transfer list. Audrey Beyer moves to Tocoi Creek from Bartram Trail, where she averaged 6.1 points per game in her freshman year. She showed off her skills immediately in her preseason debut, exploding for 27 points, and freshman point guard Gabi Iturralde also stood out with 6 points and 7 steals. The Toros will count on the newcomers to adjust quickly, because senior guard Jasmine Valcin is the only player on the roster to average as many as 4 points per game with Tocoi Creek last year.
2023-24 GIRLS BASKETBALL CLASSIFICATIONS
* Denotes 2022-23 district champion
District 1-7A: Atlantic Coast, Bartram Trail, Creekside, Flagler Palm Coast, Mandarin*, Sandalwood, Tocoi Creek.
District 3-6A: Beachside, First Coast, Fleming Island, Fletcher, Nease, Oakleaf*, Orange Park, Ponte Vedra.
District 4-5A: Deltona, Daytona Beach Mainland*, Menendez, Pine Ridge, Daytona Beach Seabreeze, St. Augustine.
District 3-2A: First Coast Christian, Florida Deaf, Impact Christian, St. Johns Country Day*, St. Joseph, University Christian.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school girls basketball 2023-24: St. Johns County previews
