Who is Miss Georgia Basketball?
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With another exciting season of GHSA basketball winding down, it’s time to ask who should win Mr. Georgia Basketball?
Front Runners: Essence Cody Essence Cody 6'3" | C Valdosta | 2023 State #19 Nation GA (Alabama) and Courtney Ogden Courtney Ogden 6'1" | SF Westminster School | 2023 State #7 Nation GA (Stanford) headline the voting, the two McDonald’s All-Americans. Ogden’s Westminster team has had more success over her four years, leading the Wildcats to a Class 3A Final Four run a season ago. The 6-foot-1 wing is averaging 21.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.7 steals and 1 block. Over her illustrious career Ogden has compiled 1,775 points, 761 rebounds, 207 assists, 218 steals and 84 blocks. Cody has averaged similarly dominant numbers throughout her four years and is putting up 17 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.3 steals and 4.7 blocks per game her senior campaign, Valdosta in pole position in Region 1-7A entering the region tournament as the one-seed.
Habitual Winners: Ohio State-signee Diana Collins Diana Collins 5'9" | PG Brookwood Highschool | 2023 State #24 Nation GA hasn’t had to put up video game numbers like years past, but she’s still considered to be the best senior point guard in Georgia. She has a knack for making everyone around her better and is a clutch crunch-time performer who has Brookwood ranked No. 1 in Class 7A. The top team in Class 6A and possibly the entire state is Penn-signee Mataya Gayle Mataya Gayle 5'7" | PG River Ridge | 2023 State GA ‘s River Ridge Knights. The homegrown group has yet to drop a game in state with Gayle the catalyst averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3 steals. Next up is Crystal Henderson Crystal Henderson 5'6" | PG Kell | 2023 State GA , the engine of Class 5A’s No. 1 Kell. The prolific bucket getter has already set school records in scoring and has had her jersey retired before leaving for Georgia State. Out of these three names, the only one that has a ring to it is La’Nya Foster La’Nya Foster 5'9" | SF Lovejoy | 2023 State GA , the Austin Peay-signee capturing the Class 6A state title last season. Foster has a heavy burden placed upon her broad shoulders, but manages to deliver every time out averaging 19.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2 steals and 1.1 blocks, winning Region 3 Player of the Year, quite the feat considering it is the toughest group in the state.
Junior Darkhorses: Georgia’s 2024 class is elite at the guard position. Danielle Carnegie Danielle Carnegie 5'9" | PG Grayson | 2024 State GA (19.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.7 spg), Ava Grace Watson Ava Grace Watson 5'8" | PG Buford | 2024 State GA , Chazadi Wright Chazadi Wright 5'5" | PG Wesleyan | 2024 State GA , Tianna Thompson Tianna Thompson 5'10" | PG Galloway | 2024 State GA and Bryanna Preston Bryanna Preston 5'10" | PG Wesleyan | 2024 State GA (18.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.4 apg, 2.2 spg) are all blue-chip Power 5 recruits that are good enough to almost single-handedly carry their respective teams to state titles.