By Chris Parker

2021 All-O-Zone Girls Basketball Team

The All O-Zone Girls Basketball team as voted on by the KY3 & OzarksSportsZone.com staff is below. There are more than 100 girls basketball teams in the area, which makes this list extremely difficult to narrow down. Below are this year’s team featuring 21 players in a first-team, second-team and honorable mention. Each team is in alphabetical order after the Player of the Year Indya Green.

FIRST 5

Indya Green, Kickapoo Senior – Player of the Year

There was not a more dominant post presence in the area than Indya Green, who is our Player of the Year. Green, the Class 6 Player of the Year, averaged a double-double with 19.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. If she got the ball on the block, it was basically game over as she shot 60% from the field. She was also a defensive force averaging 2.2 steals per game. She finished her career as Kickapoo’s all-time leading scorer with 1,764 career points. She is a three-time all-state selection.
STATS: 19.6 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.2 spg, 1 apg, 60% fg
HONORS: Class 6 Player of the Year, Class 6 All-State, Ozark Conference Player of the Year

Kaemyn Bekemeier, Republic Sophomore

Bekemeier continues to be a rising star in the area and region. She had a really good freshman year, but she established herself as one of the state’s best players this season while averaging 19.1 poing, 7.7 rebounds, 2.1 assist and 1.9 steals per game. She also set the single-game scoring and rebounding record for a Republic program that has seen many good players come through. The sky is the limit for Bekemeier, and she will be fun to watch over the next two years.
STATS: 19.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.9 spg
HONORS: Class 6 All-State, Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year

Bella Fontleroy, Kickapoo Junior

Fontleroy is the area’s most purely talented player, and I don’t think anybody would argue that. She is the No. 12 ranked player in the Class of 2022 by ESPN with a five-star rating. The 6-foot-1 wing saw her first high school game action since her freshman year and did not disappoint averaging 16.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2 steals and 1.6 assists per game. She will be a front-runner for Gatorade Player of the Year and Miss Show-Me Basketball next season.
STATS: 16.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2 spg, 1.6 apg, 49.5% FG
HONORS: Class 6 All-State, First-Team All-Ozark Conference

Ashton Judd, West Plains Junior

Judd and senior teammate MacKenzie Brunson were a dominant force for the Class 5 state runner-up Lady Zizzers. West Plains was able to return to the final four for the first time since 1998 thanks in large part to Judd taking her game to another level this season averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.6 steals per game, which were all team highs. In the state semifinal, Brunson left with a serious knee injury after playing just six minutes. Judd stepped up to score 17 points (on 6-for-10 shooting) and grabbed 11 rebounds with 3 assists to will the Lady Zizzers to the state title game. West Plains fell to Whitfield in the state title game with Judd scoring 14 of West Plains’ 34 points, pulling down 11 of 21 total team rebounds and accounting for five of eight assists. Judd either scored or assisted on 11 of 14 field goals for West Plains in the title game. She will be the unquestioned leader for West Plains next season.
STATS: 18 ppg, 11 rpg, 5.3 apg, 3.6 spg
HONORS: Class 5 All-State, First-Team All-Ozark Conference

Lacy Stokes, Mt. Vernon Senior

There were few players that were more fun to watch than Lacy Stokes. Stokes was one of the best in the area at getting to the basket and getting to the foul line. I still don’t fully comprehend some of the ways she would weave through defenders and get to the basket. Missouri Southern got a steal with her. You won’t find a better stat line than hers either with 25.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.1 steals and 5.2 assists per game. She truly was a force in every phase of the game. She finished her career with more than 100 career wins and 2,000 career points.
STATS: 25.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.2 apg, 6.1 spg
HONORS: Class 4 All-State, Big 8 East Player of the Year

SECOND 5

Bug Bailey, Hollister Senior
STATS: 24.3 ppg, 4 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.8 spg
HONORS: Class 4 All-State, First-Team All-Big 8 East

Makaiya Brooks, Central Senior
STATS: 24.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.7 spg
HONORS: Class 6 All-State, First-Team All-Ozark Conference

MacKenzie Brunson, West Plains Senior
STATS: 14.5 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 3 spg
HONORS: Class 5 All-State, First-Team All-Ozark Conference

Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction Sophomore
STATS: 24.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.6 apg, 4.2 spg
HONORS: Class 5 All-State, First-Team All-Central Ozark Conference, District Player of the Year

Faith Gilkey, Walnut Grove Senior
STATS: 24.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.9 apg
HONORS: Class 1 Player of the Year, Class 1 All-State