2024 Rankings: Highlighting #9-16
* Natalie Thornton Natalie Thornton 5'6" | CG Horizon | 2024 State CO pictured above The class of 2024 has completed their freshman season and has now been ranked by Prep Girls Hoops for the first time. If you missed the…
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Continue Reading* Natalie Thornton Natalie Thornton 5'6" | CG Horizon | 2024 State CO pictured above
The class of 2024 has completed their freshman season and has now been ranked by Prep Girls Hoops for the first time. If you missed the beginning of this series, check out:
Let’s take a look at the heavy-hitters at numbers nine through sixteen:
#9 – Julia Leach Julia Leach 6'2" | PF Cherry Creek | 2024 State CO – Cherry Creek
Sometimes rankings are about where the puck is going, not where it’s been. Recruiting is about upside and Leach is proving her 6’1″ frame is brimming with it. She’s a player who has the work ethic to get her skills caught up with her growth. It’s hard to contribute on varsity as a freshman at a school of 1000 kids. Cherry Creek has close to 4000. Leach can face up and shoot or attack and was strong on the boards for a top Bruins team. She scored 3.0 PPG with 4. 2 RPG and a 53% field goal percentage.
#10 – Addicyn Kessinger Addicyn Kessinger 6'0" | SF Akron | 2024 State CO – Akron
One of the state’s most efficient scorers at 1.3 points per shot, Kessinger made a big impact in her freshman year, averaging a double-double (13.6 PPG, 11.9 RPG). She dropped 27 points on 10 of 12 shooting against Burlington and was one of only fourteen players in Colorado to shoot 100 free throws on the year (62-105).
#11 – Allison Schwertner Allison Schwertner 6'3" | SF Mullen | 2024 State CO – Mullen
Earning ANY minutes as a freshman on Mullen’s championship roster is hard to do. The 6’1″ Schwertner made the most of her opportunities. She’s a good scorer inside and already a very disciplined defender. Schwertner tallied 34 points and 39 rebounds for the Mustangs.
#12 – Essynce Contreraz Essynce Contreraz 5'5" | CG Holy Family | 2024 State CO – Holy Family
Contreraz has leapt from role player to highly recruited, dynamic, sharpshooting team leader over the course of the off-season. She’s a big reason why the Tigers will stay in 4A’s top five teams in the coming year. Check her out in this piece from the summer. With an A:T ratio north of five, the ball will be in her hands for Holy Family all season. Contreraz has the skills to triple her 4.7 PPG production.
#13 – Gabriella Cunningham Gabriella Cunningham 5'8" | SG Grandview | 2024 State CO – Grandview
One of the risers for the Wolves this year is this talented 5’8″ guard. As an all-state sprinter, Cunningham has the speed and strength to burst onto everyone’s scouting report in the Centennial League and every college’s prospect list. Grandview coach, Josh Ulitzky has cited her as a sponge who loves being coached with a high-motor for sprinting out in transition.
#14 – Brynn Price Brynn Price 5'8" | CG Roosevelt | 2024 State CO – Roosevelt
The Roughriders jumped from a 7-16 record to 12-4 and Price is a big reason why, second on the team in scoring (9.0 PPG) behind the talented Mackenzie Sailors Mackenzie Sailors 5'7" | PG Roosevelt | 2022 State CO (12.7 PPG). As a versatile guard she can defend four spots and flies around the floor in Roosevelt’s uptempo system. Price has had an active off-season standing out at a number of showcases.
#15 – Natalie Thornton Natalie Thornton 5'6" | CG Horizon | 2024 State CO – Horizon
Thornton is such a playmaker. She’s a catalyst for team energy on both ends of the floor and she does it responsibly, taking care of the ball for a 1.4 A:T ratio. While making everyone else better, she also drained 43% of her three-point attempts. With her game improving so quickly Horizon really is stacked this year. Read more about the rest of Horizon’s firepower here.
#16 – Dominique Valdez Dominique Valdez 5'2" | CG Denver South | 2024 State CO – Kennedy
Valdez is one of the most intriguing prospects as she put up dizzying numbers her freshman year with 23.5 points per game. It could just be her 5’2″ height that’s keeping her from rising higher on this list. Her percentages aren’t updated on MaxPreps but I coached against her once this summer and could not believe the type of shots Valdez gets to fall. We’d have someone right in her face and she’d turn the slightest glimmer of daylight into a basket. Read more about her here!