We've officially shifted from the 2021-22 high school sports season to the 2022-23 preseason, so it's time to look back on the stars of the past fall, winter and spring seasons before we start looking ahead to who's next.
We started by highlighting some of the players of the year in volleyball, and next came the top football players,boys soccer players and girls soccer players in the nation.
Vote now: Who was the national high school football player of the year in 2021-22?
Vote now: Who was the national high school boys soccer player of the year in 2021-22?
Vote now: Who was the national high school girls soccer player of the year in 2021-22?
Now it's the top girls basketball players' turn.
Over the next couple of weeks we'll also be featuring the top stars nationally in boys basketball, boys and girls track and field, softball and baseball.
Here are 20 high school girls basketball players who had a season worthy of national recognition.
Arizona: Jennah Isai, G, Valley Vista, sr.
Isai led Valley Vista to a 25-5 record and the Class 6A state championship this past season. She averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 2.7 assists per game and will play for Oregon at the next level.
Arkansas: Chloe Clardy, G, Conway, jr.
Clardy averaged 24.5 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals for Conway, which was upset in the state tournament by Little Rock Central. She remains undecided on where she'll play college basketball after her senior year.
California: Juju Watkins, G, Sierra Canyon, jr.
Watkins led Sierra Canyon to a 30-2 record playing a national schedule, a Southern Section Open Division finals appearance, and a State Open Division championship. She averaged24.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.8 steals and two blocks per game.
Colorado: Lauren Betts, C, Grandview, sr.
The 6-foot-7 Betts earned back-to-back Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year honors and chose Stanford as the No. 1-ranked senior in the nation. She finished her high school career with a bang, leading Grandview to the Class 5A state championship.
Florida: Lena Girardi, G, Westminster Academy, fr.
The top-ranked Class of 2025 recruit in Florida, Girardi made quite the entrance into high school basketball. Shefinished her freshman season averaging 20.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, leading the Lady Lions to their first state title in 31 years.
Georgia: Sydney Bowles, F, Woodward Academy, sr.
Bowlesaveraged 20.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and three steals for 29-2 Woodward Academy, leading the War Eagles to the Class 5A state championship. After originally signing with Georgia, Bowles decided to follow coachJoni Taylor to Texas A&M.
Indiana: Ayanna Patterson, G/F, Homestead, sr.
Patterson led Homestead to a 23-2 record and its fourth straight sectional championship as a senior, averaging 25.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. The versatile 6-3 guard/forward will be playing for UConn in 2022-23.
Iowa: Hannah Stuelke, G/F, Washington, sr.
Stuelke led the state in scoring with 29.1 points per game while also averaging 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.2 blocks. She finished her high school career by making it to theClass 5A regional championship game and will stay in-state for college at Iowa.
Kansas: Zyanna Walker, G, Wichita Heights, sr.
Walkeraveraged 25.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 5.1 steals and led Wichita Heights to an 18-4 record while claiming the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year award. The four-star prospect will be playing for Louisville next season.
Minnesota: Maya Nnaji, F, Hopkins, sr.
A 6-foot-4 forward who can post players up or shoot the 3, Nnaji is a three-time high school state champion. Just like her older brother Zeke (now with the Denver Nuggets), Nnaji will continue her basketball career with the Arizona Wildcats.
Mississippi: Debreasha Powe, F/G, Meridian, sr.
Powe led Meridian (27-3) to its first state title in school history, averaging just under 20 points and just over 10 rebounds per game in her senior season. The Mississippi State signeetook over in the fourth quarter as the Lady Wildcats held on to beat Harrison Central 49-43 in the championship game.
New York: Paris Clark, G, Long Island Lutheran, sr.
A native of the Bronx, Clark was New York's 2021-22 Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 25.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists and four steals per game. She's a part of Arizona'selite 2022 recruiting class, ranked No. 6 in the nation.
Ohio: Imarianah Russell, F, Reynoldsburg, sr.
Russell scored eight of her game-high 28 points in overtime — eclipsing 2,000 career points — to lead Reynoldsburg to its first state title with a 63-56 win over Mason. The West Virginia signee led Reynoldsburgto a 27-2 record.
Oregon: Jazzy Davidson, G/F, Clackamas, fr.
The top-ranked freshman in the nation, Davidson was named Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 22.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 4.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Stanford and Oregon are her early favorites, but she has plenty of time to decide.
Pennsylvania: Kaylene Smikle, G, Westtown, sr.
Smikle led Westtown to a 23-4 record and the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship in 2021-22. She averaged 23 points, 6.3 rebounds and two steals and will be playing for Rutgers next season.
South Carolina: Ashlyn Watkins, F, Cardinal Newman, sr.
The 6-foot-3 Watkins is athletic as they come, showing it off at the McDonald's All-American Game by winning the slam-dunk contest. The South Carolina signee finished her career at Cardinal Newman averaging16 points and 12.3 rebounds in 109 games.
Texas:Sammie Wagner, G, Reagan, jr.
Wagner, a five-star 6-foot-1 guard who has committed to Texas, averaged 26 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 steals in 31 games.Wagner had 24 points and 19 rebounds in a 41-40 loss to Cibolo Steele in the playoffs.
Utah: Timea Gardiner, F, Fremont, sr.
Gardinerled Fremont to region championships in each of her four seasons with the program. The five-starMcDonald's All-American selection and three-time All-State pick will be playing for the Oregon State Beavers in 2022-23.
Washington: Tatum Thompson, F, Woodinville, sr.
The 6-foot-1 Boise State signee led the Falcons to their first Class 4A state championship, and was not only the 4A KingCo player of the year, she was named "Miss Basketball" by the Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Association.
Washington, D.C.: Kiki Rice, G, Sidwell Friends, sr.
One of the best overall athletes in the U.S., the 5-foot-11 Rice was National Gatorade Player of the Year in basketball and D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year in soccer. The point guard will be focusing on basketball at UCLA after leadingSidwell Friends to a 28-0 record and the DCSAA Tournament title this past season.
