By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Basketball season is underway in Missouri. Below are the Class 1 GirlsBasketball Players to Watch along with a breakout player.
NOTE: MSHSAA won’t be releasing new class and district assignments until Friday, Dec. 11. WE ARE USING LAST YEAR’S CLASSIFICATIONS for our watchlists. There will be SIGNIFICANT changes to classes when the new assignements come out, as Missouri is adding a sixth class of basketball this year.
Top 8
• Paris Gilbert, Chadwick Senior
Gilbert helped Chadwick to yet another 20-win season, averaging 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds. The 5-foot-8 wing was named All-Mark Twain Conference and All-District. With All-State guard Stevi Jones gone, Gilbert will see an even bigger role offensively this winter.
• Faith Gilkey, Walnut Grove Senior
We all assumed that Heather Harman was a once in a generation type of player for Walnut Grove… then came Faith Gilkey. It doesn’t look the same, but it’s as equally effective. Gilkey is a 5-foot-6 point guard that plays like a 6-foot-1 disruptive giant. As a junior she averaged 27.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3.3 assists. She’s the reigning Class 1 Player of the Year and has led Grove to back-to-back state championships and 81 wins over the last three seasons. For all the things she does well, the best part is that she always plays hard and wins. SBU is getting a really good player.
• Kennedy Griffin, Wheatland Junior
Griffin was an All-Polk County League and All-District pick and is the team’s returning leader in scoring (13.7 points), rebounding (7 rebounds) and steals (2.9 steals). For as good as she is on a basketball court, she’s even better on a diamond, which is why she signed with SBU Softball earlier this month.
• Lauren Johnson, Walnut Grove Senior
If Johnson played anywhere else, she would average 20 a night and everyone would talk about her. Part of the Walnut Grove way is trading some individual accolades for rings. With that being said, she’s still be extremely productive. As a junior she averaged 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists. She can also defend essentially any position because of her athleticism. She’s also receiving D2 and NAIA offers and interest.
• Makayla McVay, Walnut Grove Senior
The knee injury is in the rear view, which spells trouble for the rest of Missouri. She finished her junior year averaging 13 points and eight rebounds at less than 100 percent. Even still, that didn’t stop her from drilling six 3s and scoring 20 points in the Class 1 state championship game. The 5-foot-11 combo forward can beat you in several ways. D2s and NAIAs love her game and frame.
• Tay Sims, Bradleyville Senior
There isn’t much on a court that Sims doesn’t do. She is Bradleyville’s returning leader in nearly every major statistical category after averaging 15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 3.4 assists as a junior. Naturally, that netted her All-Mark Twain Conference and All-District honors. She’ll look to build on those numbers with the graduation of Emily Williams.
• Autumn Wallace, Climax Springs Senior
The 5-foot-10 forward is a double-double machine. As a junior she averaged 20.2 points and 10.4 rebounds with 16 double-doubles. That includes nine 20-10 games, a 20-20 performance and a 30-20 masterpiece. She’s scored 965 points and grabbed 554 rebounds over the last two seasons alone.
• Kayleigh Teeter, McAuley Catholic Junior
Teeter has been the catalyst for the growth of McAuley Basketball. The 5-foot-3 point guard has guided the Lady Warriors to back-to-back 20-win seasons, including last year’s district championship; their first since 2007. She scored 21 in that game. She’s gritty and aggressive defensively, but she can also make shots and facilitate offense. That’s why she was a First Team All-Ozark 7 and District 5 MVP.
Others to Watch
• Cassidy Hambelton, Dora Junior
• Jayden Butterfield, Climax Springs Junior
• Elavia Sharp & Bailey Black, Halfway Juniors
• Chelsi Horn, Hermitage Junior
• Chloe Cornelison, Dadeville Sophomore
• Paisley Gilbert, Chadwick Sophomore
• Kaytlynn Drake, Norwood Sophomore (will likely miss entire 2020-21 season)
Breakout Player: Freshman Adrien Neill, Lockwood
The Neill Family is absolutely basketball crazy and Adrien got the itch as well. Her sister, Rylee, scored 1,820 points at Lockwood. The younger Neill is athletic, but has a basketball IQ beyond her years. The Tigers didn’t have a program last year and Ethan Baker will coach both the boys and girls team, but expect Neill to be a major piece of Lockwood Basketball moving forward.
