Washington's Kira Reynolds leads 2024 South Bend Tribune All-Area Girls Basketball Team

Kira Reynolds is one of the most skilled high school girls basketball players in the country. Her size and athleticism make her a threat at multiple positions — and a nightmare for opposing coaches trying to come up with a gameplan to stop her.

After another fantastic season, the South Bend Washington junior has been named the 2023-24 South Bend Tribune Girls Basketball Player of the Year. She helped the Panthers to a 19-5 record this season, helping them win a third consecutive Northern Indiana Conference title and fourth-straight sectional championship. Reynolds is yet to lose a conference game in high school.

"It means a lot," said Reynolds of the Player of the Year selection. "Me, my dad (Steven) and my mom (Marcy) put in a lot of work in the gym, along with all my siblings. It feels good to know it's all paying off throughout the years."

In her junior campaign, Reynolds averaged 16.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.3 steals and an eye-popping 6.5 blocks per game. She led the state in blocks and triple-doubles, including a 24-point, 18-rebound, 16-block performance in the sectional championship game against South Bend Adams.

Reynolds has averaged a double-double in points and rebounds each of her three high school seasons, but saw the assist and steal numbers increase this year. Part of that had to do with the graduation of her older sister, Amiyah, and Rashunda Jones, who both finished in the top three of the Miss Basketball voting for the 2022-23 season.

"With my sister and Rashunda being gone, stepping into more of a leader role was important for me," said Reynolds on her biggest transition from sophomore to junior year. "That's typically what a point guard does, but I thought having no seniors this year would be a good time to step up and lead."

More: Washington-to-Purdue pipeline continues as Kira Reynolds commits to Boilermakers

The Purdue commit is not the only Washington Panther to make the Tribune’s all-area team. Two of her classmates, Monique Mitchell and Ryiah Wilson, join her on the first team after dynamic seasons as well. Both Mitchell and Wilson have received interest from Division-I schools as well, giving Washington three high-level players returning next year.

As freshmen, the trio won the Class 3A state title. They've suffered setbacks in Class 4A the last two seasons, though, losing in the semistate semifinals and regional championship game to Lake Central on both occasions.

"I think (the losses) are going to motivate us a lot, especially because it's our senior year," Reynolds said. "There's nothing after this, so we've got to give it our all. We've been so close, and we've been all the way, too, so we've seen both point of views to know what we need to do to get there."

The all-area first team is rounded out by Penn senior Lauren Walsh, who was selected to be an Indiana All-Star, and Argos senior Samantha Redinger, who finished as the state’s leader in scoring with a 29.8 points per game average.

More: Wait, the state's leading scorer plays where? Meet Argos star Samantha Redinger

As a whole, the 2023-24 season saw plenty of success for both the Indiana and Michigan teams in the Tribune coverage area. Seven Indiana schools won sectional titles: Washington, Northridge, Bremen, NorthWood, LaVille, Marquette Catholic and Bethany Christian. Of those, Bremen, NorthWood and Marquette added regional championships, while the Blazers also won a semistate title to reach the Class 1A state championship game.

In Michigan, Brandywine went on a historic run, reaching the Division 3 state championship game. It finished with a program record 26 wins and just two losses, claiming district and regional titles along the way.

Analysis: Brandywine is no longer a 'hidden gem' in Michigan. 'It's just a gem.'

Below is the full list of players to make the Tribune All-Area team, as well as their stats from the 2023-24 season.

2024 South Bend Tribune All-Area Girls Basketball Team

Listed in alphabetical order by school

1ST TEAM

Samantha Redinger, senior, Argos: 29.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 3.5 spg

Lauren Walsh, senior, Penn: 12.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 3.2 spg

Monique Mitchell, junior, Washington: 13.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.5 bpg

Kira Reynolds, junior, Washington: 16.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.3 spg, 6.5 bpg (Player of the Year)

Ryiah Wilson, junior, Washington: 14.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 5.2 spg

2ND TEAM

Zoe Willems, senior, Bethany Christian: 20.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 4.3 apg, 4.8 spg

Kila Foster, junior, Bremen: 17.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.2 spg

Laniah Davis, sophomore, Marquette Catholic: 19.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 3.2 spg

Jayden Flagg, senior, New Prairie: 13.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.2 spg

Rielyn Goodwin, junior, Northridge: 10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 3.1 spg

3RD TEAM

Ellie Knapp, senior, Brandywine (Mich): 13.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5 apg, 3.9 spg

Asiah Shaffer, senior, Mishawaka: 14.4 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.4 spg

Jolie Johns, senior, New Prairie: 12.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2 apg, 2.3 spg

Claire Payne, junior, NorthWood: 10.3 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.3 bpg

Maliya Freeman, junior, South Bend Clay: 11.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.8 bpg

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Reynolds leads 2024 South Bend Tribune All-Area Girls Basketball Team