Watchlist: Who are the top high school girls basketball players in Tulare County?
The Central Section high school girls basketball season is in full swing.
Here's a list of some of the top players to watch in Tulare County in the New Year (player stats are as of Jan. 12):
Central Valley Christian
Avery Hiemstra: A three-year varsity player, Hiemstra is one of the Cavaliers' top scorers. The senior dropped 20 points in a victory against Summit Charter Academy in November.
Ally Lane: Lane leads the Cavaliers in scoring. She had 27 points in a December win over Riverdale.
Kamryn Westra: Westra had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in a November victory against Fresno Christian.
Kate Verhoeven: Verhoeven grabbed 17 rebounds and added eight points in the Fresno Christian victory.
Dinuba
Jalissa Espirito: Espirito was named the tournament's most valuable player after helping the Emperors win the Dinuba Holiday Classic in December. She had a game-high 21 points in a tournament win over Washington Union and currently leads Dinuba with 12 points and three steals per game.
Kitty Forbes: Forbes was named to the all-tournament team at the Dinuba Holiday Classic. The sophomore has been a starter since her freshman year and has posted four double-doubles this season.
Sydnee Sandoval: Sandoval was an all-tournament selection at the Dinuba Holiday Classic.
More: 2024 WYL Basketball Preview: 26 impact players to know, team capsules
El Diamante
Reyna Soto: Soto leads the Miners in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game. The 2023 All-East Yosemite League first-team pick posted a double-double, dropping 11 points with 11 rebounds in a win versus Tulare Union in November.
Neveah Creason: Creason canned 19 points with six rebounds, five assists and six steals to lead the Miners to a win over Lemoore in November.
Olivia Torres: Torres is one of three El Diamante players along with Soto and Creason who is averaging double-digit points per game this season. She racked up 21 points in the Lemoore victory.
Rian Jones-Dillihunt: The junior guard turned in an all-around performance in a December win over Sanger, registering 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and seven steals.
Mia Olson: Olson scored 15 points in a November win over Tulare Union.
Exeter
Kylie Dias: The Monarchs' leading scorer with a points-per-game average of 12.2. She netted a season-high 23 points in a win over Orange Cove in early December.
Natasha Anguiano: The senior is averaging nearly 11 points per game. One of her best performances of the season came in the Monarchs' season opener, where she had a double-double with 26 points and 10 steals.
Ashlyn Venegas: Venegas is third on the team in scoring. She dropped 15 points in a win over Avenal in December.
Georgia Lockett: Lockett leads Exeter in rebounds. She grabbed a season-high 14 boards in a November win over Woodlake.
Farmersville
Jazmaine Stewart: One of Tulare County's elite scorers, Stewart is averaging nearly 22 points per game. The sophomore erupted for a season-high 34 points twice in a win and loss to Corcoran. She also leads the team in rebounds with 108.
Janessa Garza: Garza was named the tournament's most valuable player at the Orange Belt Classic in December. She is averaging 15.2 points per game.
Estrella Valencia: Valencia pulled through with a double-double, notching 18 points and 10 steals in a 49-30 victory over Parlier in December at the Orange Belt Classic. She was selected to the all-tournament team.
Golden West
Danae Banuelos: Banuelos joined the career 1,000-point club in December when she scored a single-game, school-record 43 points in a 63-33 win over Chavez. A senior guard, she is averaging nearly 23 points per game and also leads the Trailblazers in rebounds.
Aniyah Venegas: The sophomore is averaging nearly 10 points per game. She had 19 points in a November game against Frontier.
Tie’Tiana Morgan: Morgan is third on the team in scoring. She had eight points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals in a win over Fowler in December.
Liliana Delgado: Delgado leads the Trailblazers in assists and is second in steals.
Lindsay
Melanie Navarro: Navarro is the Cardinals' leading scorer, dropping 28 points in a victory over Golden West in November. She was a member of last season's Central Section Division VI championship team.
Melanie Millan: Millan, also a member of the 2023 Central Section title squad, scored 19 points on Jan. 10 in a win over Farmersville.
Brianna Jara: Jara leads the Cardinals in rebounds, averaging about eight per game, and is third in scoring with over 100 points.
Mission Oak
Isabella Zepeda: Zepeda is one of eight returning players from last season's West Yosemite League championship team. She had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 64-26 win over CVC in the Hawks' season opener.
Sierra Calantas: Calantas is Mission Oak's leading scorer who is averaging nearly 13 points and nine rebounds per game. The senior racked up a double-double with 23 points and 13 boards in a 62-42 victory over Lindsay in November.
Braelyn Serpa: A sophomore, Serpa is one of the Hawk's primary scorers who is averaging 9.2 points per game. She had 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and five steals in a 57-41 December victory against Redwood.
Phoenix Ryan: Another sophomore, Ryan had 13 points, two rebounds, an assist and two steals in a 62-23 domination of Hanford West in November.
Aiyana Murray: The freshman is fourth on the team in scoring with a per-game average of 7.5 points. Murray dropped 14 points in a 70-43 rout of Justin Garza on Jan. 3 and is among team leader in steals with 58.
Monache
Shelley Andrade: Andrade is averaging 11.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game − the best marks on the team. One of her best performances came in a 49-48 win over Bakersfield Christian, where she scored 18 points and hauled in nine rebounds with three steals and a block.
Milly Rojas: Rojas is averaging nearly 11 points per game and is second on the team in rebounds with 115. She registered a double-double in a 54-22 win over Chavez with 23 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, seven steals and three blocks.
London Haynes: Haynes is averaging 10.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game. She is the daughter of Fresno City College men's basketball coach Rob Haynes.
Kyah Bartlett: She is averaging nine points per game and had one of the best scoring performances of the season when she tallied 15 points in a 56-27 rout of Pioneer Valley in late December.
Alisha Verdejo: Verdejo is the reigning EYL most valuable player. She had a starring role in the Marauders' 56-50 win over Buchanan in late December, drilling 17 points with three rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Mt. Whitney
Laneyha Thomas: Thomas has helped Mt. Whitney post its first double-digit win season in more than a decade.
Rashelle Versteeg: Versteeg is one of the Pioneers' top players this season.
Delores Carter: Carter has already played a key role as a sophomore.
Porterville
Ryleigh Schoonover: Schoonover is one of the top all-around players in Tulare County. The 6-foot sophomore is averaging 18.6 points and 16 rebounds per game. She had one of her best performances of the season, amassing 32 points and 19 rebounds in a November win over El Diamante.
Amaya Cortez: Cortez is second on the team in scoring, averaging 8.2 rebounds per contest. She had 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a steal in a December victory against West.
Rylee Gibson: The sophomore guard dropped 11 points as the Panthers beat McFarland in November.
Sare Ortiz: Ortiz leads Porterville in assists. She had five assists in the West victory.
Redwood
Sydney Calderon, Redwood: Calderon recorded 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and seven steals to help the Rangers beat Tulare Western 47-28.
Brooklyn Tayo, Redwood: Tayo added 10 points, two rebounds, an assist and four steals in the Tulare Western win.
Ariel Chavez, Redwood: Chavez had eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and two pass deflections as the Rangers topped Tulare Western.
Jordan Powell: The freshman recorded 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals in a December victory over Orange Cove.
Strathmore
Alexis Ibarra: The senior captain averages nine points and five steals per game. Ibarra was tabbed as the most valuable player at the Orosi Tournaments and also received all-tournament honors at the Strathmore Tournament.
Alyssa Gonzalez: Gonzalez leads the Spartans in scoring, averaging 11 points and six boards per outing. She was named the most valuable player at the Strathmore Tournament and was an all-tourney selection at the Orosi Tournament.
Jennifer Gonzalez: Gonzalez is a key contributor, averaging nine points and 13 rebounds per contest. She was an all-tournament pick at both the Strathmore and Orosi tournaments and also garnered most valuable player honors in the gold bracket at the Arvin Tournament.
Summit Charter Academy
Evonie Mendoza: The sophomore had 30 points, seven steals and three assists in a 44-26 win over Granite Hills in December.
Tulare Union
Jocelynn Melendez: Melendez is averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game. She turned in a double-double in a November win over Dinuba, racking up 22 points with 10 rebounds and six steals.
Kailee Gilbert: Gilbert is one of the team's top players with 89 rebounds and 38 steals. She also had a season-high 16 points against Shafter.
Mason Hatton: The Tulare Union homecoming queen had 21 points, five rebounds and three blocks to lead the Tribe to a victory over Golden West in December. She is also the team's top shot blocker with 23.
Savannah Tenhet: One of the team's senior leaders, Tenhet came through with 15 points, three bounds, five assists and four steals in a win against Sunnyside in November.
Kaiden Valdez: The sophomore leads Tulare Union in rebounds with 111.
Tulare Western
Olivia Machado: Machado registered a double-double in a win over Golden West in December, sinking 11 points with 13 rebounds and five blocks.
Adison Lee: Lee was named the team tournament's most valuable player of the Golden West Tournament.
Annette Lopez Gonzalez: The junior shooting guard had 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in a win over Porterville. That victory helped break a 10-game losing streak against Porterville.
Alexa Bello: The junior point guard scored 18 points with nine steals, seven rebounds and four assists in a November victory against Mt Whitney.
Regina Toscano: Toscano had a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards in a win over Lemoore in December.
Woodlake
Mia Navarro: Navarro is among the team's leading scorers. She had 20 points on Jan. 5 in a loss to Orosi.
Abagail Kelly: Kelly dropped 11 points in a 37-21 victory against Del Oro.
Editor's note: No information was made available for Granite Hills and Orosi.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Watchlist: Who are the top high school girls hoopers in Tulare County?
