Here are our picks for the best senior girls’ basketball players in the Sacramento area
In order to win games or league titles in the Sacramento area, you need good players. Preferably more than one on your team. Girls’ basketball teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section seem to have more three- and four-year players than their boys’ counterparts. In honor of the start of 2022, The Bee picked the top 22 girls’ basketball players in the class of 2022. Here they are, in alphabetical order.
The Sacramento Bee’s top 22 senior players
Donnelli Allen, Capital Christian: She broke the Capital Christian single-game scoring record earlier this season at West Park High School with a 44-point outburst. Allen averaged over 24 points in her first 13 games this season for a top 20 team.
Mara Bledsoe, Davis: The three-year varsity player has seen her scoring averages improve significantly each season. After averaging only a little over 8 points per game during the spring, Bledsoe has improved to over 12 a game. Her game-high came against Woodcreek, when she scored 26 points.
Teagan Brown, Oak Ridge: Brown is considered by many as the best senior girls’ basketball player in the Sacramento area. She was The Bee’s Large School Player of the Year during the spring and is having a better statistical year this season.
Madison Butcher, Del Oro: Butcher came on to the scene as a sophomore when she had 26 points in the Division-ll Sac-Joaquin Section championship game against top-seeded Antelope. Since then, she has become an anchor on a top 10 Del Oro team. Butcher committed to play basketball at Sacramento State over the summer.
Julianna Chavez, Antelope: Chavez has taken on a larger role with the Titans this season. She is one of the best 3-point shooters in the area and is averaging nearly five made 3s a game. Antelope needs that kind of help if it’s going to defend its league title.
Soquel Childers, Pioneer: Childers has done a little bit of everything for Pioneer this season. She is averaging a team-high 16.2 points to go along with 7.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 5.2 steals. She nearly had a triple-double in her team’s season-opener against Armijo with 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Jiana Creswell, Vanden: The Chico State-bound guard is averaging 12.3 points and 4.2 steals a game this season for The Bee’s sixth-ranked team. Creswell is a four-year varsity player that is hoping to lead her team to another Monticello Empire League title.
Abbey Hadsell, Folsom: Hadsell has yet to play this season due to an injury suffered before the season. Coach Lynn Wolking expected big things from her prior to the injury. Hadsell has received interest from colleges and when she returns she will boost The Bee’s top-ranked team.
Makayla Jackson, Folsom: Jackson has been an anchor on The Bee’s top-ranked team. Jackson had a standout junior season last spring and earned All-Metro honors. Jackson is a four-year varsity player. She is looking to help lead Folsom to its first section title in school history.
Gabby Kime, Del Oro: The 6-foot-3 post player on The Bee’s fourth-ranked team has seen her numbers go up drastically. Kime is averaging a double-double this season (11.2 points and 10.5 rebounds) while also adding 1.8 blocks. Her season-high of 26 points came last month against Burlingame.
Paige Krenecki, Del Campo: After averaging a little over 8 points per game as a junior during the spring, Krenecki has seen her scoring average increase to just under 17 points per game. She is a four-year varsity player that has her team off to a 7-7 start.
Marina Montez, Woodland: Montez, like most players on this list, is a four-year varsity player. Montez in her prep career has averaged 13.4 points in 66 games. She also plays softball and volleyball.
Abby O’Brien, Rio Americano: The shortened spring is when O’Brien had her breakout season. After averaging just over 3 points per game during her first two seasons at the varsity level, she increased her scoring average to 11.9 points during the spring and 14.1 this season.
Ella Ray, Oak Ridge: Ray transferred from Capital Christian to Oak Ridge last school year and made an immediate impact. The 6-foot-3 post player bound for the University of Pennsylvania is a key player on The Bee’s third-ranked team and was an All-Metro selection last spring.
Julia Riley, Granite Bay: Riley is coming off her best performance of the season against Colfax. The CSU Bakersfield-bound guard had 37 points (with six threes) to go along with 13 rebounds. Riley has been a key contributor on the Grizzlies since stepping on campus.
Kira Sadler, Vista del Lago: Sadler was The Bee’s Medium School Player of the Year during the spring after an impressive junior year. Sadler has been better in nearly every statistical category this season and has her team ranked in the top 5. She became the fourth player in her school’s history to reach the 1,000-point mark last month.
Keke Scott, Rocklin: Scott has turned into a double-double machine at Rocklin and has been a key reason for her team’s 9-4 start to the season. The 5-foot-9 guard/post had a stretch of a double-double in 11 consecutive games and is averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Samia Smith, Grant: Smith is averaging 16.9 points and over 3 steals a game for The Bee’s No. 11-ranked team. Smith was an All-Metro selection during the spring and helped lead Grant to a 10-0 record. She is a four-year varsity player and has averaged over 12 points in 80 career games.
Zoe Tillery, Laguna Creek: Tillery made an immediate impact as a freshman on the varsity roster and averaged 14.7 points in 30 games. She has improved every season and is currently averaging 16 points for The Bee’s second-ranked team. She is close to reaching the 1,000-point milestone.
Kyalei Williams, Rio Linda: Williams is one of the area’s leading scorers, averaging a little over 20 points per game. Williams has helped lead her team to an 12-0 record, which includes a spot in The Bee’s top 20. Her season high came against Mira Loma last month when she scored 35.
Saray White, McClatchy: White has been on the varsity roster at McClatchy since she was a freshman and helped deep playoff runs. Now as a senior, it’s her show and she hopes to help lead McClatchy to a Metro League title and more.
Ahrray Young, Laguna Creek: Young was one of the most heavily recruited players in Northern California; she picked the University of Tulsa. Last month, Young reached the 1,000-point milestone. She is considered one of the best players in the state because of her versatility.