Duval County Top Performers of the 2021- 2022 Season

The 2021 - 2022 basketball season on the First Coast felt different this year. There seemed to be more excitement in the air and more exposure to girls’ basketball in the area than in recent years. Media Day on the First Coast was a huge hit and you could just feel the excitement there. The Orange Park Pre Season tournament, the Inside Exposure Thanksgiving tournament, and the Gateway tournament were all action-packed and provided proof of the excellent product of girls’ basketball on the First Coast. The District championships and the high school playoffs provided excitement on the First Coast and proved that girls basketball in the area was as good as any basketball across the State of Florida. In this article, we look at some of the key players from Duval county who were players who were standouts during the 2021 - 2022 season. Moreover, we look at some of the players who are changing the culture and the perception of girls basketball on the First Coast and in Northeast Florida. Duval County Freshman MVP - [player_tooltip player_id="346820" first="Abby" last="Knauff"] SG (Bolles) <img class="size-medium wp-image-404833 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/20211122_112235-scaled-crop-1362x895-1648280419-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" />[player_tooltip player_id="346820" first="Abby" last="Knauff"] caught many by surprise, but not the coaches at Bolles. It was predicted that she would have a great year and would likely lead the young team in scoring. Knauff was ” all of that and even more. Knauff showed that she could put the ball in the basket. She scored from all levels of the court and was really impressive at taking the ball to the basket and playing a physical style of basketball as a Freshman. Knauff’s athleticism and physicality are what stood out all season long. Knauff finished the season with 16.8 points per game, including 53 three-pointers and 71 free throws. She got to the free-throw line 109 times. Knauff’s defense was also solid and she showed a knack for making steals and taking it back for the layup. She averaged three steals per game for the season. Other Freshmen who played well were Lamaya Hogan (Raines). Nina Kami Hill (Sandwood). [player_tooltip player_id="248551" first="Alanna" last="Tatum"] had a solid year and played years above her age. Tatum handled the ball as an 8th grader and was instrumental in University Christian’s success this season. She brought stability to the point guard position and also was a standout on defense. Duval County Sophomore MVP - [player_tooltip player_id="349326" first="Nykeria" last="Thomas"] CG/ F (Mandarin) <img class="size-medium wp-image-404834 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/20211202_193825-crop-1044x685-1648280478-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" />[player_tooltip player_id="349326" first="Nykeria" last="Thomas"] gets the nod as the top Sophomore in Duval county for the 2021-2022 season. Many consider 2024 the deepest and most talented class on the First Coast. In a class that many consider is the deepest class in Duval county and especially on the First Coast, her versatility is what sets her apart. Thomas can play in the paint with the bigs, run the point guard position and also play on the wing. She had impressive numbers on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Thomas averaged 13.8 points per game and could have easily averaged more. Offensively, she was an artist in the paint and scored from all areas inside the paint. Thomas was able to score at all levels of the court, but her ability to run the floor was her forte. What was really impressive about Thomas is that she was not a stat chaser. If a teammate had a better shot she passed the ball for the assist. Defensively, Thomas was a nightmare in the passing lanes and averaged 3.6 steals per game. Other Duval Sophomores who had good seasons: [player_tooltip player_id="248348" first="Riley" last="Talbert"], [player_tooltip player_id="349274" first="Ella" last="Stakem"], [player_tooltip player_id="349325" first="Kennedy" last="Waymer"], [player_tooltip player_id="374464" first="Ansley" last="Hicks"], [player_tooltip player_id="349378" first="Terrielle" last="Clark"], [player_tooltip player_id="248345" first="Clare" last="Coyle"]. Duval County Junior MVP – [player_tooltip player_id="91643" first="Jada" last="Jones"] C (Sandalwood) Jones was the player to stop for the opposing team night in and night out. There were some other juniors who had good seasons, but Jones was the most dominant player in any class on the First Coast. The numbers don’t paint the picture of just how dominant Jones was for the season. She constantly faced double teams and at times she was even triple-teamed. For the season, Jones averaged 13.3 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. Other 2023 players who played well in the 2021 - 2022 season. [player_tooltip player_id="352604" first="Xaniya" last="Jackson"] is also a junior baller worthy of recognition. Jackson was a force this past season on the inside and played very well against [player_tooltip player_id="91643" first="Jada" last="Jones"] in the Gateway Finals. These two players will be the players to watch next year as seniors. Also look for a big senior season from other 2023 players like [player_tooltip player_id="247118" first="Sophia" last="Rueppell"], Yakiyah Milton, and Jasnea Hall-McDowell. Duval County Senior MVP – [player_tooltip player_id="91575" first="Maddie" last="Millar"] SG (Bishop Kenny) [caption id="attachment_279747" align="alignleft" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-279747" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/04/IMG_1370-crop-1639x1076-1619824230-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Photo: Twitter via @maddie_millar10[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="91575" first="Maddie" last="Millar"] gets the top Senior award due to consistency, preparation, and performance. This sharp shooting senior has taken thousands and thousands of practice shots and when it’s game time she knocks down the long-range shots and makes it look routine. Millar was consistent this year and has been consistent throughout her career. This past season, Millar made 125 threes and shot at an amazing clip of 44 percent, which is the same percentage she shot from 2 point range. Millar was special all year and not just in scoring, but in leadership and handling the ball. She was also impressive in handling the expectations and the pressure. As with some of the best players on the First Coast, teams game-planned to stop her and she still was ultra-successful. Millar made it to the State’s Final 4 for the third consecutive season. Other seniors who had great seasons: [player_tooltip player_id="195603" first="Zoriah" last="Mobley"] (San Jose Prep) had an amazing year at San Jose Prep. Mobley finished the season averaging 15.7 points per game and nearly 6 rebounds per game. Mobley was a special player and scored on all on all levels of the court. She plays a physical game and at times this season, her physicality was too much for the opposition to overcome. [player_tooltip player_id="248563" first="Jazmine" last="Jackson"] led her team to the Gateway Championship and she was the difference in the semifinals against Mandarin, scoring 23 points and putting the entire scoring package on display: drives to the goal, three-pointers, and difficult shots that she made look routine. Jackson was one of the most athletic guards on the First Coast. Jackson was poetry in motion and she is D1 bound. Ellie Jackson (Mandarin) also had a great season a great all-around season not just on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end and rebounds. Jackson was nearly a walking double-double (11.2 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game). Night in and night out, she battled against centers that were 3 to 4 inches taller. [player_tooltip player_id="353625" first="Taijshiah" last="Baldwin"] had a special year and averaged 17 points per game over 23 games. Baldwin and University Christian played one of the toughest schedules on the First Coast and that makes her output even more impressive. Baldwin’s first step was lethal and she scored a lot of points in the paint and at the free-throw line. She knocked down 43 threes for the season, but most of her scoring came from inside the painted area. Baldwin is still on the unsigned 2022 list.