Meet the Holland Sentinel All-Area Girls Basketball Team
Girls basketball in the area was unprecedented this season. We had Miss Basketball, another on the Miss Basketball watch list and a group of elite teams and players, perhaps the best the area has seen top to bottom.
That is reflected in the Holland Sentinel All-Area Girls Basketball Team as there are a few more spots on the first team than usual. That is because the team is about finding the line of separation, not always the same number of kids.
So instead of leaving off deserving first-team kids, the team is just a little bigger this year because the girls earned it.
Here is who joined Player of the Year Gabby Reynolds and Defensive Player of the Year Brook Simpson on the all-area team:
First Team
Kaitlyn Geurink
SCHOOL: Hamilton
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Forward
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference in OK Blue. Totaled 18.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.9 steals per game. Exploded for two 30-point games against two of the top teams in the region. Named third-team all-state by the Detroit Free Press.
COACH'S VIEW: "Kaitlyn commands most of the attention of the opposing teams' defenses, yet still manages to score through double teams. Kaitlyn can score a variety of ways: from beyond the arc, by posting up on the block, or by attacking the basket off the dribble. She consistently finishes through contact and gets sent to the freethrow line where she shoots 77% (132/172). Kaitlyn's strengths involve more than just scoring. She led our team in rebounds (7.8), assists (2.1), and steals (2.9) this season. Defensively, she can guard a guard or a post, and she always guards the opposing team's best player." - Jacquelyn Malloch
Kennedy Gustafson
SCHOOL: Saugatuck
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Center
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference in SAC. Totaled 15.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Also blocked 32 shots.
COACH'S VIEW: "Her size and athleticism can dominate games in the post most nights. In addition, Kennedy has also really improved her court awareness and recognizing doubleteams She's a smart, high IQ player who can stil continue to improve." - Kevin Tringali
Jordyn Klaasen
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Guard
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference in OK Green. Totaled 13 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 4.1 steals per game. Named honorable mention all-state by Detroit Free Press.
COACH'S VIEW: "Jordyn gets it done on both ends of the floor. She is so quick and relentless on the defensive end. She has great instincts that lead to deflections and steals. Jordyn is also the ultimate selfless team player, so much so going into this season we had to have multiple conversations about asserting herself more on the offensive end. She did everything we asked of her and it showed with some big time performances this season." - Ryan Lane
Georgia Kuyers
SCHOOL: Zeeland West
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Forward
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference in OK Green. Averaged 6.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.5 assists.
COACH'S VIEW: "Georgia’s defense and hustle is unparalleled out on the court. She continued to improve offensively this season with her ability to finish at the rim. The area in which she made the biggest impact was definitely on defense. She led our team in rebounding and deflections again this season. Georgia’s length and quickness made life difficult for whoever she was guarding and she finished defensive possessions with her rebounding ability." - Ryan Lane
Magaly Lemus
SCHOOL: West Ottawa
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Center
COURT PRESENCE: Led OK Red in rebounding for second straight season. Totaled 6.1 points and 9.4 reboudns, 2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
COACH'S VIEW: "Magaly was a strong presence for us inside on defense also. She plays with an edge and toughness that helped us be successful." - Paul Chapman
Adelynn Nyhof
SCHOOL: Holland Christian
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Guard/Forward
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference in OK Blue. Averaged 12 points, 3.8 rebounds a steal, an assist and a block.
COACH'S VIEW: "Adelynn shot 415 from 3-point range this season." - Kyle Phelps
Chelsea Overbeek
SCHOOL: West Ottawa
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Guard
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference in OK Red. Totaled 10 points per game as well as 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.4 steals and 2.9 deflections. Made a school-record 42 3s. Named honorable mention all-state by the BCAM.
COACH'S VIEW: "What an awesome competitor for us. She is a tough player and leader for our team. Second leading scorer and earned school records in season and career 3-point shooting." - Paul Chapman
Brooke Pedersen
SCHOOL: West Ottawa
GRADE: Senior
POSITION: Forward
COURT PRESENCE: Elite defender, mastering the art of going straight up, that rose to scoring occasion when needed. Had double-double in regional final vs Byron Center. Totaled more than six rebounds per game (as teammate averaged 10), as well as two steals and two deflections.
COACH'S VIEW: "Brooke was a versatile and valuable player on our team. She did little bit of everything for us rebounding, defending, scoring and played multiple positions. He had a huge game in the regional final win over Byron Center." - Paul Chapman
Brooklyn Phelps
SCHOOL: Holland Christian
GRADE: Sophomore
POSITION: Guard
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference honorable mention in OK Blue. Averagged 8.0 points, 3.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals.
COACH'S VIEW: "She was first on our team in assists and steals as a sophomore." - Kyle Phelps
Mylah Simpson
SCHOOL: Saugatuck
GRADE: Freshman
POSITION: Guard
COURT PRESENCE: Totaled 10.9 points, 3.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 2.9 steals per game.
COACH'S VIEW: "Her maturity and coachability is off the charts for being so young. Combine this with her athleticism and will to compete are the makings of an elite student athlete. She is an absolute joy to be around and already posseses leadership qualities. She has such a bright future ahead of her." - Kevin Tringali
Camryn VandenBosch
SCHOOL: Holland Christian
GRADE: Junior
POSITION: Guard/Forward
COURT PRESENCE: All-conference in OK Blue. Averaged 11.1 points, 2.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks.
COACH'S VIEW: "Cam can play all five positions. She has 124 made 3s and more than 740 points for her career." - Kyle Phelps
Second Team
Leah Brink, Hamilton
Taylor Catton, West Ottawa
Mirra Fenlon, Zeeland East
Haylie Peterman, Hamilton
Kierea Smits, Holland Christian
Emily Wierenga, Zeeland East
Third Team
Penny Grob, Saugatuck
Hadleigh Hilgert, Holland
Lizzie Risdon, Zeeland East
Lila Rosema, Fennville
Teagan Schoonveld, Holland Christian
Hannah Stroebe, Zeeland West
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Meet the Holland Sentinel All-Area Girls Basketball Team
