Bee’s Best: Schools big and small represented in Top 20 girls basketball players

From section champions to breakout talents, from record setters to bar raisers, the greater Sacramento region has plenty to offer in the high school girls basketball landscape.

Could one of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section’s smallest schools have the best player in the area? Anyone from Faith Christian in Yuba City will likely give a resounding yes.

Despite attending a school with a high school enrollment of just 52, senior Lauren Harris is The Bee’s reigning two-time Smallest School Player of the Year and with another big season could have a legitimate argument for overall Player of the Year honors when this year comes to a close in March.

Last season, the 5-foot-10 Harris led the section in scoring with nearly 30 a game and set the California record for 3-pointers made in her career. With eight triples in a CIF Northern California championship win, Harris ended her junior campaign with a record 191 for the season and as the state’s career leader with an even 500.

Through her first six games of the 2025-26 season, Harris is averaging 31.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.3 steals and has 43 threes. The Lions entered Tuesday with a 9-1 record, having extended their winning streak from last year to 28 games.

A guard who faces double- and triple-teams in games, Harris is committed to Long Beach State, proving that you don’t have to play for a big school to get recognized by Division I college programs. Faith Christian senior teammate Presley Berry, who is committed to Division II Concordia University in Irvine, is also a talent to watch after averaging 19.3 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Lions a year ago.

Top 20 players to watch

(Players are listed in alphabetical order)

Presley Berry, Faith Christian, Sr.

Averaged 19.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.9 blocks for the 29-2 Norcal Division VI champions.

Aniya Bruhn, Inderkum, So.

The cousin of reigning Bee Smallest School Player of the Year, Romello Bruhn, Aniya is the Tigers’ top returning scorer after a standout freshman year.

Kaitlyn Fayter, Oakmont, Sr.

As Fayter goes, so does Oakmont. The Vikings’ 19 wins last season were the most since 2013 as Fayter averaged 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.7 steals.

Lauren Harris, Faith Christian, Sr.

The Bee’s 2024-25 Smallest School Player of the Year led the Lions to a NorCal championship while leading the section at 29.9 points per game and setting the state record for career 3-pointers with 500 entering her final prep campaign.

Mackenzie McEntee, Elk Grove, Fr.

If we are to have a freshman on this list, we might as well go with someone who at 5 feet, 6 inches had 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and 13 steals in her varsity debut on Nov. 21.

Kate Myers, Pleasant Grove, Sr.

This is one of the top multisport athletes in the area with flag football and swimming on her resume. Last year, Myers averaged 20.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals while eclipsing 1,000 career points.

Lorelei Nachman, Davis, So.

Don’t be fooled by the 5-foot-5 frame. Nachman can ball. She scored 22 points in her first career varsity game as a freshman last year and averaged 14.1 for the season.

Olivia Novi, Christian Brothers, Jr.

A sharpshooter who led the Falcons to their first outright league title since 2020, Novia racked up 14.5 points per game and 96 3-pointers as a sophomore.

Londyn Odom, Antelope, So.

She burst onto the scene as a freshman last year and led the 20-9 Titans with 16.1 points per game, with the ability to score from anywhere on the floor.

Joy Omishakin, Christian Brothers, Sr.

One of the most balanced players on a CB squad that went 25-8 in 2024-25, Omishakin averaged 13.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.7 steals.

Tayli Paeu-Lindgren, St. Francis, Jr.

A double-double machine for the Troubadours a year ago with 12.3 points and 12.9 rebounds while shooting 44% from the field.

Abigail Pietz, Marysville, Sr.

A statsheet stuffer for the Indians, Pietz recorded three triple-doubles and helped Marysville win a NorCal playoff game.

Gwen Rosich, Sacramento Adventist, Sr.

A Swiss army knife for the Capitals, Rosich averaged 9.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 4.3 steals for the D-VI section runner-up. On Dec. 8, she recorded a quadruple-double vs. Pine Hills Academy with 14 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists and 12 steals.

Sophia Ross, Oak Ridge, Sr.

A new face that brings championship pedigree to the Trojans, Ross transferred to Oak Ridge after helping Carondelet of Concord win the CIF Division I state title.

Elliott Schwartz, John Adams Academy, Sr.

She put up huge numbers during her freshman and sophomore seasons before missing a large chunk of her junior year to injury for the small school in El Dorado Hills. Schwartz is ready for a big senior year, already averaging a triple-double through her first two games.

Madalyn Sigrist, Colfax, Sr.

After Colfax graduated one of the program’s greatest trios in Juliette James, Kaia Diederichs and Laurlyn Massick, Sigrist steps into a leadership role after going for 11.6 points per game last year.

Haley Smith, Liberty Ranch, Sr.

Smith is a big-time player with an even bigger personality for the Hawks of Galt, who went 30-3 en route to their first section banner last year. She is the program’s all-time leading scorer and could end up with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for her career.

Caitlyn Subejano, Cosumnes Oaks, Sr.

She set career highs in points (21.8), rebounds (5.4), assists (3.5), steals (4.7) and 3-pointers (87) as a junior and is capable of putting up 35-40 points on a given night.

Daisy Throckmorton, McClatchy, Sr.

Fresh off of quarterbacking the Lions’ flag football team to a section crown, Throckmorton looks to help McClatchy to back-to-back section championship blue banners on the hardwood. She went for 10.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per night last year.

Asia Washington, Grant, Jr.

One of the best post players throughout the section averaged a double-double with 16.7 points and 12.9 rebounds while providing some clutch defense in the playoffs for the Pacers.