Central Section: Top Performers from Season Opening Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024-2025 basketball season has tipped off, and the Central Section athletes wasted no time showcasing their skills. In this article, we highlight the standout performers from the season openers—players who set the tone with impressive scoring, defensive dominance, and all-around game-changing performances. These athletes are already making their mark and are poised for breakout seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["574410"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67475831d3474"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Johnson, a 6'2" junior from Orcutt Academy, has kicked off the season with a dominant start, proving she's a force to be reckoned with on all ends of the court. In her first game, she racked up 18 points, including a three-pointer, alongside an astonishing 18 rebounds, 4 blocks, 6 steals, and 7 assists—an all-around stat line that left fans in awe. Remarkably, she followed it up with even stronger performances: 22 points in game two and 24 in game three, leading her team to victory in each outing. Johnson's height and presence in the paint are no surprise, but her ability to contribute across the board, from draining shots behind the arc to controlling the defensive tempo, sets her apart. As a junior, she's already establishing herself as one of the most versatile and impactful players in the Central Section. Three games, three double-doubles—watch out!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1274670' first='Rizelle' last='Copeland']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Frontier (Bakersfield, CA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67475831d3519"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>Freshman Alert!</strong> Copeland may be new to the high school roster, but she's already making waves on the stat sheet. The 5'8" point guard has more games under her belt than anyone else on this list, with five outings so far, and her numbers speak volumes. Her debut game was a modest start as she got her bearings, finishing with 4 points and a couple of rebounds. However, it didn't take long for her to find her rhythm. By game two, she exploded onto the scene with a 29-point performance, followed by another standout 28-point effort in game three. She has the ability to rack up steals and create fast-break opportunities for her team. Copeland's speed is a nightmare for opponents, leaving them trailing as she capitalizes on transition buckets. If she continues at this pace, she'll not only be a player to watch this season but a standout star for the next three years to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Riley Walden","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12121","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Tehachapi (CA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Militant","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67475831d35a6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Walden, a talented multi-sport senior, kicked off her final basketball season in style with an 18-point game, shooting an efficient 50% from the field. Her impact wasn't limited to scoring, as she also recorded a significant number of steals and a couple of blocks, showcasing her all-around game. She didn't stop there—Walden followed up with an incredible 31-point performance the very next night, shooting a scorching 75% from the field. With three games already under her belt, Walden is proving to be a key contributor to her team's strong start this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jessie Bunting","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12120","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Kern Valley (Lake Isabella, CA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67475831d3625"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bunting, the 6'0" center from Kern Valley, is off to an impressive start in her senior year. She opened the season with a dominant 24-point performance, consistently drawing contact in the lane and making her trips to the free-throw line count. In her second outing, she followed up with a solid 12 points, shooting a sharp 67% from the field and converting everything from inside the arc. With her size, skill, and efficiency, Bunting is making it clear she's a force to watch in her final high school season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Aniyah Venegas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Golden West (Visalia, CA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67466e83a85a4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Venegas is already off to a stellar start in her junior season, delivering standout performances across her first three games. Her debut game was nothing short of spectacular, with a massive 32-point outing, including 13 made field goals inside the arc. The shooting guard didn't just dominate offensively—she also made her presence felt on the boards and defensively with a solid number of rebounds and steals. Venegas is proving to be a scoring machine, following up her debut with two more impressive performances, one surpassing 30 points and another over 20. This season, she's undoubtedly one to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->