Introducing the 2024 News-Press All-Area Girls Basketball Team sponsored by Babcock Ranch
At the end of each season, The News-Press selects All-Area teams honoring the best athletes for every sport. Coaches from area schools are sent nomination forms and are asked to nominate and rank their athletes as well as those from other teams. That data combined with The News-Press' research led to the selection of the All-Area teams.
FIRST TEAM
Zaira Mitchell
School: Evangelical Christian
Year: Senior
Highlights: Mitchell makes First Team All-Area once again after averaging 10.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 45 percent shooting to help the Sentinels finish with a 26-3 record, capped off by a state championship in Class 2A.
Kenyah Moss
School: Gateway
Year: Junior
Highlights: Moss was an integral part of Gateway's success, averaging 15.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game on 45 percent shooting to give Gateway its first district title in program history, along with a regional quarterfinal appearance in Class 4A. The Eagles finished with a record of 18-4.
Maddie O'Berski
School: Evangelical Christian
Year: Junior
Highlights: O'Berski was Evangelical Christian's leading scorer, averaging 11.5 points per game in a well-rounded offense. The junior added 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.7 steals per contest to help win the Class 2A state title over Central Florida Christian Academy.
Cameron O'Halloran
School: Bishop Verot
Year: Junior
Highlights: Outside of rebounding, O'Halloran led the Vikings in every statistical category, averaging 15.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.9 steals. The junior had a big role in helping Verot win 20 or more games for the first time since the 2018-19 season, which included a district championship and a regional semifinal appearance.
Jadah Toombs
School: Evangelical Christian
Year: Senior
Highlights: Toombs fit right in after transferring from Fort Myers to close out her prep career, averaging 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.8 steals. The senior turned it over fewer than twice per game this season, giving the Sentinels a bona fide point guard who was able to facilitate the offense throughout the year.
SECOND TEAM
Marissa Burchard, LaBelle
Kellisia Grant, Evangelical Christian
V'Davrielle Johnson, Gateway
Casey O'Connell, Canterbury
Rianne Smith, Lehigh
THIRD TEAM
Thatiyana Holiday, Gateway
Amiya Lewis, Estero
Areille Marc, Evangelical Christian
Faith Plummer, Lehigh
Caroline Ward, Bishop Verot
HONORABLE MENTION
Bishop Verot: Josee Fry, Brynn Stambaugh
Bonita Springs: Elise Barr, Macy Tumbleson
Cape Coral: Sierra Petros, Mariah Ravelo
Canterbury: Leena Abuoqab, Ellie Miller
Cypress Lake: Bri Madore, Lilly Witz
Dunbar: Tatiana Jean-Simon, Carmen Johnson
Estero: Jaydn Hayes, Rayne Woods
Evangelical Christian: Nalah Smith, Aileen Warchol
Fort Myers: Monica Mercado, Briana Prophete
Gateway: Addison Flom, Miracle Salters
Gateway Charter: Ellie Morin, Jazmyne Trubina
Ida Baker: Maia Berdebes, Alexandra Reuss
LaBelle: Latraevia Belvin, Ariah Johnson
Lehigh: Sanaa Geter, Cordeyja Taylor
Mariner: Charlize O'Leary, Mia Standard
North Fort Myers: Bianca Iten, Gia Molloy
Oasis: Ellye Henkle, Katelynn Jakubowski
Riverdale: Neshliana Mejia, Erica Milone
South Fort Myers: Jkayla Thomas, Mariah Thorne
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dwayne Donnell
School: Evangelical Christian
Highlights: In his three years at ECS, Donnell went from regional semifinal to state semifinal to leading the program to its first state championship. The Sentinels finished with a 26-3 record this season, losing their three games by a combined 11 points while winning by an average of 28.9 points per contest.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: The News-Press 2024 All-Area Girls Basketball Team sponsored by Babcock Ranch
