Honor Roll: Alabama to Colorado

HoopGurlz introduces its 2007 Honor Roll, marking achievement in high-school and club basketball, academics and community involvement in each state and District of Columbia. The two-week presentation begins with Alabama through Colorado.

This country is too big, and girl's basketball is growing too rapidly, for just a top 100 list of prospects.

So HoopGurlz.com is launching the National Honor Roll, naming players in every state and the District of Columbia who have achieved on the court, in high-school or club basketball, or off the court, in the classroom or community.

You will see that, in many cases, there are girls who have achieved in every category.

We are launching the National Honor Roll in alphabetical order, starting with six today, then five every weekday over the next two weeks.

Please join us in applauding those who have worked so hard and given so much.

---

(Click on State to Navigate Directly)
* Alabama * Alaska * Arkansas *
* Arizona * California * Colorado *

---

ALABAMA

Courtney Jones
Midfield HS, Midfield, Ala.
6-1 forward, Class of 2008
The state's top prospect in her class, Jones already has earned honors as Miss Basketball, Player of the Year, first-team all-state and all-tournament for Alabama's 3A classification. She has a nose for the ball around the glass and competes with bigger players with a physical approach, combined with explosion off the floor. Jones also has solid moves on the blocks and a soft touch from mid-range.

Alli Smalley
Arab HS, Arab, Ala.
5-8 guard, Class of 2007
Auburn signee An Alabama Miss Basketball finalist as a junior, Smalley set the single-game Alabama state-tournament scoring record of 41 points in 2006. The No. 39 overall prospect in the 2007 class by HoopGurlz.com, she is long, plays with energy and creativity, dribbles and finishes with both hands, shoots well to the three-point arc and has breakaway speed. Those qualities helped her earn MVP honors at the Alabama State 5A tournament, as well as Super Five honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Courtney Ward
Jefferson Davis HS, Montgomery, Ala.
5-6 guard, Class of 2007
Florida State signee A first-team, all-state selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and all-tournament selection for the Alabama State championship, Ward is a quicksilver ballhandler who specializes in making big shots on offense and big plays down the stretch on defense. The 59th overall prospect in the 2007 class by HoopGurlz.com, she doesn't have great size, but compensates with speed and toughness, along with a shooting touch to the three-point line, very good ballhandling skills and excellent leadership abilities.

Back to Top

---

ALASKA

Talisa Rhea
Juneau-Douglas High School, Juneau, Alaska
5-11 guard, Class of 2007
Oregon State signee A classic, double-threat on the court or classroom, Rhea was the most highly recruited player in her state by a landslide, the suitors including the likes of Harvard and Stanford, a testiment to her 3.8-plus GPA and leadership skills. Already a two-time state player of the year, she has led Juneau-Douglas to the 2005 state title and a third-place finish in 2006. Rhea is powerfully built for the point, can mix it up inside, hit free throws at an 80-percent clip, as well as hit the three, but is most well-regarded for her laser-beam passes and control of tempo on the floor. She also played soccer for Juneau-Douglas.

Melissa Rima
Monroe Catholic HS, Fairbanks, Alaska
6-3 post, Class of 2007
Rima led Monroe Catholic to the Alaska state championship game, averaging 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds as a junior. She was named to the state all-tournament team, all-league, all-league and was regional MVP. She also had a 3.97 gpa through her junior year.

Back to Top

---

ARKANSAS

Shekinna Stricklen
Morrilton HS, Morrilton, Ark.
6-2 wing, Class of 2008
The reigning Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas, Stricklen is a long, athletic wing who has good handle, right or left, and can crank threes - and likes to do so well behind the arc. She had 30 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and four blocks in the Arkansas State AAAA championship game and was named the state tournament MVP after leading Morrilton to the title. A top 10 national prospect in the 2008 class by HoopGurlz.com, Stricklen also was MVP at BCI Nationals the summer after her sophomore year.

Jenny Vining
Marshall HS, Marshall, Ark.
5-9 guard, Class of 2007
Oklahoma signee
Vining led Marshall to the State 3A championship, earning MVP honors while scoring 24 points per game in 2007. One of the country's great long-distance shooters, Vining made 118 three-pointers for Marshall during her junior season, when she averaged 22.5 points. The No. 33 prospect in the 2007 class by HoopGurlz.com, she also has a very good mid-range shot, passes well and is a good finisher in traffic. Vining is an all-state performer in basketball and volleyball and all-district in softball, as well as student counci l president. She is the first girl from her high school ever to sign a National Letter of Intent in Division I basketball.

Whitney Zachariason
Central Arkansas Christian, North Little Rock, Ark.
6-2 forward, Class of 2007
Arkansas signee
The reigning Arkansas Ms. Basketball and two-time State Tournament MVP, Zachariason al ready has had a storied career, leading CAC to consecutive state championships. She had 30 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in the 2006 state championship game and last year averaged 20 points per game. A four-star prospect by HoopGurlz.com, she is almost automatic around the basket, in spite of not using left much, because she is tremendous at using her body to protect the ball and establishes good position low.

Back to Top

---

ARIZONA

Kari LaPlante
Mountain Ridge HS, Glendale, Ariz.
6-5 center, Class of 2007
Southern Cal signee
LaPlante had a breakout summer, showing a unique level of improvement in 2006. She is a smart player who can play some forward as well as center due to her athleticism. She runs the floor well for her size. Ranked as the No. 9 center in her recruiting class she will join an emerging USC squad in 2007 after considering offers from Cal, Kansas State and Vanderbilt. LaPlante is also an astute performer in the classroom.

Kayla Pedersen
Red Mountain HS, Mesa, Ariz.
6-4 forward, Class of 2007
Stanford signee
Pedersen is one of the most outstanding players in the country. There are very few players in the game on any level that can do the things she can do. She’s a well-rounded athlete and person and is a great role for younger kids to look up to. Believed to be the earliest admit ever for an athlete at Stanford, she epitomizes what a Gatorade Player of the Year is about from her efforts in the classroom to her performances against the best in the country.

Back to Top

---

CALIFORNIA

Vicki Baugh
Sacramento HS, Sacramento, Calif.
6-4 forward, Class of 2007
Tennessee signee
Ranked the No. 1 player by the All Star Girls Report and No. 5 by HoopGurlz.com, Baugh helped lead the USA U18 team to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas qualifier in June. She is one of the most athletic and explosive players in the country and has tremendous height at 6-4 for a wing player. Of everyone in her class she possesses the most upside and is just scratching the surface of her abilities. She was selected to the 2006 preseason All America Second Team by HoopGurlz.com and was the Metro Player of the Year. She was also the second top-five recruits to sign with Tennessee securing them the No. 1 recruiting class in the country.

Jasmine Dixon
Polytechnic HS, Long Beach, Calif.
6-1 forward, Class of 2008
Undecided
California’s top ranked junior plays on the state’s top ranked team and is one of the best slashing wing players in the country who also has a very solid post game when teams try to defend her with smaller players. She led Poly to the championship game of the 2006 Nike Tournament of Champions tournament and to the California state championship her sophomore year. She had a great summer as well, leading her national powerhouse Finest Basketball Club-California team to a championship at the adidas Tournament of Champions in Atlanta, Ga., and the Deep South Classic in Raleigh, N.C.

Jeanette Pohlen
Brea HS, Brea, Calif.
6-0 guard, Class of 2007
Stanford signee
Pohlen leads both a nationally ranked high school program and a prestigious West Coast club team with leadership, intensity and skill. She shocked many this summer with a great showing at the Nike Girls Skills Academy playing against the best players in the country and followed it up by leading her club team to the championship of the renowned End of the Trail viewing tournament. She plays anywhere on the perimeter and is a physically strong player with great defensive anticipation and her passing is top shelf. She’s one of the few high school players who can make a pass nearly the length of the floor and put it right on the money every time. She’s also a great student who realized her dream by being accepted to Stanford as well as signing a National Letter of Intent to play there.

Danielle Robinson
Archbishop Mitty HS, San Jose, Calif.
5-9 guard, Class of 2007
Oklahoma signee
Probably the fastest player in the country with the ball in her hands and also one of the quickest players as well. Her change of direction moves are lightening quick and she changes speeds as well as anyone. She has the ability to control a game offensively with her ability to get to the basket and finish before the defense can react. She is in her element in the open court. She helped propel her team to a semifinal berth at the 2006 Nike Tournament of Champions and has had her team ranked nationally most of her senior season.

Back to Top

---

COLORADO

Kelly Hartig
ThunderRidge HS, Highlands Ranch, Colo.
6-4 forward, Class of 2007
Virginia signee
The No. 23 overall prospect in the 2007 class by HoopGurlz.com, Hartig will join her older sister, Jayna, at Virginia. She has good size and mobility, is a good passer and shooter to the elbows and will fight for space on the blocks. Hartig is a two-time Street & Smith's honorable mention All-American and all-tournament at the prestigious End of the Trail.

Melissa Jones
Legacy HS, Broomfield, Colo.
5-10 guard, Class of 2007
Baylor signeee
A preseason High School All-American and No. 13 overall prospect in the 2007 class by HoopGurlz.com, Jones has been averaging 19.7 points, 9.4 rebound, 4.2 assists and 5.8 steals during her senior season. She has great size and strength for the backcourt, is savvy, elusive, covers a lot of ground defensively and delivers an occasion "wow" factor. She also is a three-time all-conference selection and has received all-region and all-state recognition twice. Jones, who averaged 20.5 points and 10.1 rebounds as a junior, also owns Legacy sincle-game records for points, field goals, three-pointers, free throws, rebound and steals. She also is an all-state middle blocker in volleyball and all-conference selection as a forward in soccer, plus maintains better than a 3.5 grade-point average.

Jaclyn Thoman
Highlands Ranch HS, Highlands Ranch, Colo.
5-9 guard, Class of 2007
Boston College signee
The reigning Gatorade Player of the Year and Miss Basketball in the state, Thoman guided Highlands Ranch to the Colorado State 5A championship during her junior year. She averaged 18.5 points as a junior, was all-tournament at the prestigious End of the Trail and is ranked among the top 75 prospects in 2007 by Blue Star Basketball.

Back to Top

---

Complete List to Date

---

Discuss This on Our Message Board:

Click Here

---