Who is the 2022-23 North Carolina Girls Basketball Player of the Year?
There have been plenty of stellar performers throughout the girls basketball season in North Carolina, so it’s time to find out who you think has been the best for 2022-23.
With the state tournaments ramping up in the NCHSAA and winding down in the NCISAA, we have put together a list of 11 players from both the public and private ranks who have had exceptional seasons.
These are just the candidates we’ve selected, and we are asking you to vote for who you think is the Player of the Year. Chime in, throw a name at us you think is deserving or just vote away in our poll below.
Editor’s Note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other athlete that may not be mentioned in our poll.
Voting closes March 31, 2023
Reychel Douglas, 5-11 Senior, Raleigh Millbrook
Douglas has signed with Alabama and averaged 17.8 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game for the Wildcats, who bowed out in the second round of the NCHSAA 4A state tournament and finishing with a 20-8 record, including a perfect 10-0 mark during conference play.
Kirsten Lewis-Williams, 5-10 Senior, Lake Norman
Lewis-Williams did a little bit of everything in leading the Wildcats, who finished the regular season 24-0, won the conference tournament and secured the No. 1 overall seed in the West Region of the NCHSAA 4A state tournament. Lewis-Williams averaged 20 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game, 5.6 assists per game and 4.3 steals per game.
Jasmine Felton, 5-10 Junior, Northeastern
Felton can fill up a stat sheet and lead her team 22-1 regular season record, including a 15-0 mark in conference play. She averaged 30 points per game, 13.8 rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game and an astonishing 7.1 steals per game for a team that averaged close to 70 points per game.
Ally Hollifield, 5-8 Senior, Shelby
Hollifield averages 24.3 points, 9 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 5.3 steals per game for the Golden Lions this season. She has signed with Gardner-Webb and has also been named to the North Carolina Roster for the Carolinas Classic All-Star game.
Samyha Suffren, 5-8 Senior, Cannon School
Suffren, who has committed to Virginia Tech, averaged 15.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.1 steals per game this season, leading Cannon (Concord) School to the NCISAA 4A state championship game.
Adelaide Jernigan, 5-10 Sophomore, Bishop McGuinness
Jernigan is a smooth left-hander shooter that takes command of the court for the Villains, the reigning NCHSAA 1A state champions. Jernigan, who was named the Most Outstanding Player in last year’s state championship title game, picked right up where she left off and averaged 17.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game this season. She also spent last summer with TEAM USA U-17 training in Colorado and is on the radar for numerous Power-5 programs.
Miya Giles-Jones, 6-0 Senior, Terry Sanford
Giles-Jones is a double-double machine for the Bulldogs, averaging 18.3 points and 10.1 rebounds a game for the Panthers this season to go along with her 3.7 steals per game and 2.9 assists per game. She tallied a double-double in points and rebounds in 12 games during the season, leading Sanford to a 18-4 record before postseason play began.
Brecken Snotherly, 5-10 Senior, Eastern Randolph
Snotherly, who has signed with East Tennessee State, eclipsed the 2,000-career scoring mark this season during a game in which she poured in 51 points. She averaged a state-best 31.0 points per game, finishing with 801 for the season, and added 9.8 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 3.0 assists per game. She scored at least 30 points in 13 games.
Kate Sears, 5-8 Sophomore, Watauga
Another sophomore making a name for herself, Sears averaged 20.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game for the Pioneers who have won 22 games already and have advanced to the third round of the NCHSAA 4A state tournament, where they are the No. 2 overall seed in the West Region.
Sydney Barker, 5-7 Senior, Durham Jordan
Barker, the reigning Player of the Year in the DAC VII Conference averaged 27.8 points per game this season for Jordan.
Sarah Strong, 6-2 Junior, Grace Christian
Strong, who is one of the top 10 recruits nationally for the Class of 2024, led Grace Christian to its second straight NCISAA 2A state championship this season after averaging 22.7 points and 13.7 rebounds per game.