State Player of the Year — Favorites for Next Season

George Washington junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153323" first="Kalissa" last="Lacy"]</strong> (2021) narrowly edged a crowded field to claim the Mary Ostrowski Award as West Virginia’s player of the year. It as an unprecedentedly close race with six players receiving major vote totals. With several of those players coming back as well as others on the verge of major breakthroughs, next year’s race for the state’s top girls basketball award is already taking shape. Here’s a look at the top contenders to win the Mary Ostrowski Award next season. <span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153323" first="Kalissa" last="Lacy"] -- George Washington -- 2021 -- Guard</strong></span> To be the champ, you have to beat the champ, and there’s no reason to think that Lacy won’t be right back in the mix next season. Lacy became just the seventh underclassman to win the award since it began in 1977. Six of those previous seven winners won the honor again as seniors and the only exception -- Taryn McCutcheon, now at Michigan State -- transferred for her last prep year. At 5-foot-9 with length and speed to spare, Lacy has plenty of athletic ability and is also one of the deadliest shooters found anywhere in the Mountain State. Her work ethic was put on display this year by her huge jump in terms of ball handling, offensive versatility and defensive efficiency. The safe bet is on Lacy taking yet another leap this offseason. <strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">[player_tooltip player_id="153322" first="Baylee" last="Goins"] -- Nitro -- 2021 -- Guard</span></strong> Goins led the state in scoring at 26 points per game, averaged over seven rebounds and assists per game and guided the Wildcats to their first state tournament appearance in 13 years. One would be hard pressed to find a more offensively polished player anywhere in the state as she’s just as comfortable attacking the rim and finishing through contact as she is knocking down 3-pointers from well beyond the arc. Goins was named the Class AA captain for her efforts this season and in guiding Nitro to the state tournament, she put herself on the map statewide. She also proved to be capable of taking a game over when needed, dropping 44 against Wayne and 45 against Lincoln County, both in postseason elimination games on the road. Goins may have taken some by surprise as a junior this season, but now, the word is out. <strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">[player_tooltip player_id="153370" first="Marley" last="Washenitz"] -- Fairmont Senior -- 2022 -- Guard</span></strong> Washenitz is one of, if not the, most coveted prospects in all of West Virginia having already received offers from West Virginia University and Virginia Tech among others. The sophomore also has championship pedigree, having started as a freshman for a Polar Bears team that took home a Class AA title in 2019. Washenitz’s averages were on the same level as Goins’ as she averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds and over six assists and steals per game. But while the stats are great, Washenitz’s true strength is in her motor, which is nonstop on both ends of the floor. There’s very little not to like about Washenitz’s game -- and even less to critique in her effort -- and that’s apparent from the high-end, power-five, college interest she’s receiving. Yet another year of development should make her even more potent next season. <span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153320" first="Grace" last="Hutson"] -- St. Joseph -- 2021 -- Forward</strong></span> Hutson’s exploits have already been well rewarded as she took home the Gatorade Player of the Year Award for the state as a junior this season. Averaging over 19 points per game, Hutson was the leading scorer for an Irish team that finished ranked in the top 25 according to maxpreps.com. At 5-10, Hutson has plenty of size to score on the inside, but is also comfortable handling the ball, making her a true inside-outside threat. Moreover, no team in the state of West Virginia played a tougher schedule than St. Joseph and her involvement with the West Virginia Thunder, the state’s top AAU program, has helped season her against the best competition possible. Guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153270" first="Bailee" last="Adkins"]</strong>, the top-ranked player in the 2020 class, will be gone next season and the show will be Hutson’s. Here’s betting she handles it well. <span style="color: #0000ff;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153321" first="Kaitlyn" last="Ammons"] -- Morgantown -- 2021 -- Center</strong></span> If neither Washenitz nor Hutson is the state’s most-recruited player, Ammons is. At 6-2 and stocked with a full offensive repertoire on the low post as well as a capable deep-range jump shot, Ammons is one of the toughest matchups to be found anywhere in West Virginia girls basketball. Like Nitro, Morgantown got hot late and upset No. 1 Wheeling Park in a regional co-final to reach the state tournament. The Mohigans were a team that made significant improvements throughout the season and a large part of that was Ammons, who provided Morgantown’s maturing guards with a safe outlet on the inside and also gave the team a rim protector defensively. The Mohigans enter the offseason without a senior and the team is on the short list of Class AAA contenders next season. All of the pieces seem to be in place -- starting with a long, athletic and versatile centerpiece in Ammons to build around.