State Tournament All-Defensive Team

The WIAA does not have an official state tournament All-Defensive team. Most newspaper publications and media focus solely on points scored and scoring averages in their articles and voting for the All-State teams. While scoring and putting up numbers is a big part of the game, so is defense! Below is the unofficial Prep Girls Hoops WIAA State Tournament All-Defensive Team: 2020 6'4 P Dalayah Daniels (Garfield HS) - The best shot blocker in the state tournament, hands down. Dalayah put fear into many opponents and made them second guess driving into the paint. Her long reach and quick jump helped her get 8 blocks, to go along with 8 steals in a single game. Her shot blocking presence was impressive, as expected from the 6'4 super athlete. 2019 6'0 SF Mae Bryant (Eastlake HS) - The Grand Canyon commit had the assignment of guarding the opposing team's best scorer oftentimes and she did exceptionally well. In the 4A state championship, Mae swatted 5 shots using her superior athleticism around the basket. She was a consistent rebounding and shot blocking threat for the 4A state champs! 2021 5'11 SF Niveya Henley (Mt. Spokane HS) - The sophomore wing had the challenge of guarding opposing team's point guards and scoring guards for most of the season and the same challenge presented itself at the 3A state tournament. In game one she held West Seattle's leading scorer, who was coming off 23 points, to just 4 points. In game two she held Garfield's 18 point per game scorer to 1 point. In the state final she squared off with Prairie's leading scorer and forced her into 1-10 shooting for 4 points. 2019 5'7 PG Ashlee Maldonado (Sunnyside HS) - Ashlee led an undersized Sunnyside team with her toughness, basketball IQ and heart. At maybe 5'7, the Santa Clara signee defended opponents' posts, point guards and wings depending on the need for her team. She did a great job blocking out much taller players and picked off guards her size for easy steals. It was an all-around great showing for the senior guard. 2020 5'11 G Jayda Noble (Mt. Spokane HS) - The junior guard showed why she might be the best defensive guard in the state. Jayda did a little bit of everything defensively, guarding point guards, wings and posts. In a potential mismatch with Garfield's 6'4 5-star recruit, Jayda locked in defensively and held the 22 point per game scorer to 10 points and just one offensive rebound. The star junior would cap off a great defensive tourney in the 3A championship, grabbing 20 rebounds! Honorable Mention: 2020 6'0 SF Kendyl Carson (Prairie HS) 2019 6'0 PF Symone Brown (Kamiakin HS) 2021 6'2 C Katie Thiers (Roosevelt HS) 2019 5'10 SF Tomekia Whitman (Central Valley HS) 2019 6'0 SF Jacinta Buckley (Lewis and Clark HS) 2021 5'5 G Aaliyah Collins (Glacier Peak HS)