By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Basketball season is underway in Missouri. Below are the area’s Class 5 Girls Basketball Players to Watch this year.
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Kate Brownfield, Webb City Senior
Brownfield is one of the most unique pieces in the COC, with her ability as a tall guard to score inside-out. She’s a two-way player that can truly play any position offensively and defend 1-5. Her versatility is her greatest weapon and she’s just scratching the surface of her game.
Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction Senior
It’s no secret that she’s one of the top scorers in the Ozarks. She’s put up nearly 1,500 points in the last two seasons alone, with 11 30-point games and a school-record 48-point explosion two years ago. The Pitt State signee turned down D1 offers to become a Gorilla and stay close to home.
Taylor Foster, Branson Junior
Last year she averaged 9.3 points and 6.7 rebounds off the bench for a senior-dominated roster. Now Foster steps into a primary role where she’ll be the focal point offensively, in addition to her high-level defensive abilities.
Reilly Heman, Glendale Senior
The D1 soccer signee (Missouri State) has used that footwork to become an elite defender. The 5-foot-11 senior can defend whoever she pleases with her size and athleticism. As a junior she averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds. Playing for the defensive-minded Matt Powell will only make her that much more impactful.
Alyssa Joyner, West Plains Junior
Several schools made the mistake of waiting to recruit Ashton Judd, hopefully they don’t do the same with Joyner. She’s a 6-foot forward that is a rebounding machine and can also step out and shoot the 3. Joyner was an All-Stater as a sophomore, averaging 12 points and six rebounds.
Lauren Luebbert, Marshfield Junior
Luebbert doesn’t have the name that Bekemeier, McCowan and some of the other top players do, but she’s cut from that cloth. She’s a 5-foot-11 matchup nightmare. She was named the Big 8 East POY after averaging 16 points, six rebounds and 3.5 assists. She also plays for a coach in Katie Pritchard that gives her the freedom to explore her game, which is why locking Luebbert into a position is impossible. She’s just a hooper.
Sami Mancini, Webb City Sophomore
Just a sophomore, Mancini is one of the most-recruited players in the Ozarks behind her 6-foot-5 frame. As a freshman, she averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds, with the ability to make play from the post. Several D1s have been in contact and that won’t change any time soon.
Tara Masten, Parkview Junior
She stepped in as a freshman and immediately elevated Parkview Basketball. As a sophomore she averaged 18.7 points, 4.7 steals, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Few guards are better at getting to the paint than Masten. She opened the season with a 23-point, 10-assists double-double vs. Joplin. She could make a run at OC Player of the Year honors.
Cora Roweton, Bolivar Senior
Many have gotten used to watching her dominate the net during the fall as one of the area’s top hitters on the volleyball court, but Roweton is also a beast on the hardwood. The 6-foot forward averaged 18.5 points, which earned her All-Ozark Conference and All-District honors. One on one, she’s a nearly impossible cover on the block. She and Dailynn VanDeren form one of the top frontcourts in the area.
Kylie Scott, Carl Junction Junior
She’s the third Scott to rock the red, black and white and the 6-foot-3 junior has a chance to be the best of the bunch. She averaged 13 points and 11 rebounds as a sophomore and is already picking up D1 offers after a monster summer. Her length and athleticism might be the best combination in the area.
Others to Watch
Kailyn Washington, Willard Senior
Carolina Crawford, Willard Senior
Leah Reichert, Parkview Senior
Jestiny Worley, Parkview Senior
Dailynn VanDeren, Bolivar Senior
Sidney Batten, Bolivar Senior
Willow Gideon, Rolla Junior
Zoey Williams, West Plains Senior
Olivia Lawson, West Plains Junior
Abby McBride, Marshfield Junior
Hali Shorter, Carl Junction Junior
Klohe Burk, Carl Junction Junior
Avery Givens, Glendale Junior
Oakleigh Hill, Camdenton Sophomore
