When looking back at this class it's surprising how young the talent is in 3A for girls basketball across the board. With only four seniors on our preseason 1st and 2nd all state list it's safe to say 3A will be fun to watch for the next couple of year!
1st Team (Alphabetical Order)
Katlyn Manuel - Senior / Northwest / Austin Peay Signee
Nya Miller - Sophomore / University Lab
Myca Trail - Junior / St. Louis Catholic
Allasia Washington - Junior / Madison Prep
Tyrielle Williams - Senior / Ursuline Academy / South Alabama Signee
Katlyn Manuel and Northwest will have another shot at winning a state championship this year lead by two high level seniors. They have been knocking on the door for several years now and with a great senior campaign from Katlyn they could be the team to beat this year. The Austin Peay signee has a lot of length at 5'11 and this helps her excel on both ends of the floor. She's quick off her feet as an active rebounder and arguably the best shot blocker in the state. Her offensive skill set continues to improve as she is creating off the bounce from 15+ feet.
Nya Miller and U-High have made it to the final four in their division for NINE straight years now and she'll look to make it ten! With the departure of running mate Sahvani Sancho she'll be asked to do even more for her team and I think she'll be up for the challenge. Nya is a great one on one creator with a scorers mindset. She can create off the bounce not only for herself but makes the game easier for her teammates. Although Nya only stands 5'4 she's a crowd favorite and sure is a lot of fun to watch!
Myca Trail is a big reason St. Louis has made it to the state finals the past two years and she'll be a major factor this season if they plan on bringing home a state championship. The number 3 ranked 2022 in the state is crazy athletic and is nearly impossible to stay in front of.... She's been working on her range and this has allowed her to stretch her game making her even harder to guard. When we look back at her high school career she's going to have scored a lot of points and pulled down a ton of rebounds.... oh yeah she's only a junior!
Allasia Washington had a great summer really taking her game to the next level and the newly updated rankings reflect that! She'll lead Madison Prep at the guard position this year along with Kaylen Jack and once you combine those guards with the size of Madison Prep they will be a top team in 3A. Allasia really excels in transition and getting up and down is what Madison loves to do. Her perimeter skills have really been improving and I look for her game to take another step in the right direction this season as she's asked to play a true guard position.
Tyrielle Williams has been to the final four of her classification 4 straight times as a player with one state championship. She'll look to get Ursuline Academy back into championship form this year and they will rely heavily on her to lead the way. The South Alabama signee had a great summer and showcased her true leadership on the court. Tyrielle is arguably the top two guard in the state and has taken her offensive game to the next level improving her 3pt shot/range and overall scoring ability. She has a high basketball IQ and is a true student of the game.
2nd Team (Alphabetical Order)
Myan Barthelemy - Sophomore / Loranger
Paris Guillory - Sophomore / St. Louis
Emmia Johnson - Senior / De La Salle
Mary Leday - Senior / Northwest
Tia Richard - Junior / Donaldsonville
Myan Barthelemy is a major part of Loranger's team last year as a freshman as they made it to the quarterfinals a year ago, and she looks to lead them to Hammond for this year's final four. Myan is one of the biggest guards in 3A. She can play the 1-3. She had a great summer. She was able to play off the ball. She's good at shooting the 3 ball off the bounce, and can bully smaller defenders. For Loranger, she will be asked to play PG and score a lot as well as create for her teammates.
Paris Guillory will look to bring St. Louis back to the state final game (last two years) and get over that hump bringing back a state championship trophy. The Saints will go as she goes this season as she'll be asked to be a leader on both ends of the court. Recognized as one of the top two-way players in the state. She's crafty in transition. Paris sets the tone on both ends. She had a great summer and took her offensive skillset to the next level.
Emmia Johnson, after sitting out last year due to transfer rules, will have De La Salle back in the playoffs as one of the better teams in Division II. Emmia is a vocal leader and really gets the best out of her teammates. She is not afraid to do the dirty work on the defensive side of the ball. She has the ability to create off the bounce for herself and her teammates. Expect her to have a big senior season after sitting out last year.
Mary Leday and Northwest will be in the final four at Southeastern as they look to overcome the hurdle this year since they've been so close in previous years. She has been great for Northwest for her whole career, and she has done a lot for the team. Mary is an unsigned senior guard. She makes a ton of positive plays that don't always show up on the stat sheet, and it is a reason why her and Northwest have won so many games.
Tia Richard and the Donaldsonville Lady Tigers will be one of the top 3A teams in the state as they look to make a lot of noise in the playoffs. Tia had a great summer, and really showcased her ability to create off the bounce with a nice change of pace. Donaldsonville will ask her to shoulder more of the scoring load this season. I expect her offensive skillset in the half court to catch up with her already good ability to score in transition.
Watch List:
Tia Anderson - Sophomore / Brusly
Avery Young - Junior / Iota
Tijana Abbott - Junior / Madison Prep
Jillian Fontenot - Junior / Jennings
Nicole Young - Junior / Ursuline Academy