Aaliyah Chavez vs. Aaliyah Crump headlines 5 McDonald's All-American matchups to watch

Nation's top girls basketball All-Star game is less than a week away at Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets

Monterey's Aaliyah Chavez shoots against Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's only 24 of them. The best of the best senior girls basketball players in the country. So no one-on-one matchup between any in next week's McDonald's All-American game will be uninteresting. Whether planned or in transition.

But here are five particular matchups I'm looking forward to watching the 23rd annual game for girls which will be played April 1 at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn (New York).

Make sure to follow Myckena Guerrero, High School On SI social media director and on-air reporter, live from Brooklyn throughout the prestigious three-day event, starting Saturday with the players' visit to the Ronald McDonald House Charities at Hyde Park.

1. Guards: Aaliyah Chavez (West) vs. Aaliyah Crump (East)

Monterey's Aaliyah Chavez dribbles against Frisco Memorial in a Class 5A Division II state semifinal girls basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Mabee Athletic Complex in Abilene. / Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We didn't line them up by first names, but this a truly an elite matchup of dynamic, high-scoring guards.

Chavez, the 5-foot-11 high-volume shooting and scoring standout from Lubbock Monterey (Texas), averaged better than 32 points per game during her career while piling up nearly 5,000 career points, grabbing 1,279 rebounds and adding 771 assists in four seasons. She announced her college choice (Oklahoma) on Tuesday.

The 6-1 Texas-bound Crump, who played her senior year at Montverde Academy (Fla.) after three seasons at Minnetonka (Minn.), is an elite defender who as a junior in Minnesota averaged 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. For Montverde (25-1), ranked No. 1 in the country by High School On SI, she hasn't had to do nearly as much. She'll no doubt like to show off all her skills against the likely National Player of the Year who led her team to a state title.

2. Guards: Aliyahna 'Puff' Morris (West) vs. Mia Pauldo (East)

Aliyahna Morris of Etiwanda dribbles during California (CIF) State Open Division championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. / Photo by Ralph Thompson

A pair of savvy 5-5 dynamos, both were considered "the heart" of their teams.

Pauldo, a Tennessee comit, has led Morris Catholic (New Jersey) to a 28-0 record entering this week's third annual The Throne tournament in New Jersey at the The American Dream mall in East Rutherford. Pauldo already led the Crusaders to a state title with a 54-44 win over Paul VI in the Non-Public A title game. Pauldo had 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Morris led her Etiwanda squad (28-5) to a third straight California (CIF) Open Division title with a 75-59 win over Mitty. She had 12 points, seven assists and four steals in the title game. Morris, who won a remarkable 121 games in her career, is headed to Cal.

3. Posts: Sienna Betts (West) vs. Lara Somfai (East)

Grandview (Aurora, Colo) senior Sienna Betts girls basketball player and McDonald's All-American. / Photo courtesy USA Basketball

Not your typical power posts players, these two are skilled, agile and remarkably versatile. Both are 6-4 and headed to major West Coast programs, Betts to UCLA and Somfai to Stanford.

Somfail's numbers aren't close to that of Betts because she plays on IMG Academy, ranked sixth nationally. The Australian national team member has superb footwork, sees the floor, makes excellent outlet and interior passes and can shoot the 3.

Betts, the No. 2 ranked senior in the nation according to ESPN, is probably the only contender to Chavez for national POY. She's averaged 23.0 points, 16.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 60% from the floor. Her Grandview (Aurora) Wolves finished 25-3 and won a Colorado 6A state title.

4. Wings: Jazzy Davidson (West) vs. Agot Makeer (East)

Jazzy Davidson and Clackamas take on Tualatin in the Oregon high school girls basketball 6A state final. / Naji Saker

A pair of 6-1 standouts, Davidson is ranked the No. 3 player in her class and Makeer No. 4. This is really tight.

The only McDonald's All-American without a college commitment, Makeer of Montverde Academy, is best suited at the wing but has lead the point if asked to. A high-level defender, Makeer is a Candian national player who is part of the nation's No. 1 team. Her numbers aren't big but when asked to do just about anything, including to guard Davidson, which is a tall task.

That's because the USC-bound Davidson can do it all starting from the point. But she can play just about any position as she did for Clackamas (Ore.), which went 32-3 on the season losing in the state finals. With eight games left in the season, she averaged 29.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 steals, 2.6 assists and 1.9 blocks.

5. Guards: Dee Alexander (West) vs. Jaida Civil (East)

Purcell Marian's Dee Alexander drives to the basket against Notre Dame Academy's Kallie Thames (1) during their OHSAA Division III state semifinal game Sunday, March 9, 2025. / Tony Tribble for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A pair of 6-1 guards who often go end-to-end with rebounds, breaks and buckets.

Alexander, a Cincinnati signee from nearlyby Purcell Marian (Ohio), is highly competitive, a strong rebounder for a guard and she defends just about any position. For her career she averaged better than 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals per game.

Civil, a Tennessee signee from Palm Bay (Fla.), is one of the most athletic players in the game, known for her transition game, finished off with acrobatic shots near the rim. She also is a tremendous distributor. She finished the season averaging 18.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.3 steals per game for the 25-7 Pirates.

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