Aaliyah Crump, a top recruit in the Class of 2025, has committed to Texas
Texas women’s basketball pulled off a big recruiting win in July. The Longhorns on Monday received a commitment from Aaliyah Crump of Minnesota, the fourth-rated player in the Class of 2025.
Crump is a 6-foot-1 guard from Minnetonka, Minnesota. In her junior season, she was the Minnesota MaxPreps Player of the Year, and averaged 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. Her team also won a state title.
Beyond the court, the five-star talent signed a deal with Klutch Athletics by New Balance in 2023, the brand’s first NIL athlete and female ambassador.
Zhang Ziyu, a Chinese teenager who stands 7-foot-3, helped lead the Chinese U18 team to a finals appearance in the Asia Cup.
Every generation has a basketball star whose proportions take the sports scene by storm and change the way the game is played. Whether Manute Bol, Margo Dydek, Yao Ming, or Victor Wembanyama, viewers watch in awe as they tower over the competition.
The newest sensation is still of high school age: In the U18 Asia Cup, Zhang Ziyu, spent the last week dominating the tournament as a 17-year-old who stands at a massive 7-foot-3.
She broke the record for points in a game in the tournament with 44 in a win over Japan, and led China to the finals, where they lost to Australia despite 42 points and 14 rebounds in just 26:38 of play. China fell apart during the time in which Ziyu wasn’t on the court, falling 96-79 despite a plus-minus of plus-5 from the center, according to the FIBA page.
Take a look at her box scores throughout the U18 Asia Cup:
Group phase:
In the 109-50 opening win over Indonesia, Ziyu recorded 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and three blocks and went 9-for-9 shooting from the field in just 13:30 of play.
In 22:46 of play in the second game, she recorded 36 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks while going 16-for-20 from the field in a win over New Zealand.
Ziyu helped China go undefeated in the group stage by taking down rival Japan with a record 44 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. She shot 20-for-22 from the field in that game.
Semifinals
In the 79-61 win over Korea, Ziyu scored 34 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and had five assists in 21:35 of play. She went 17-for-25 from the field.
Finals
Ziyu’s 42 points, 14 rebounds and a block weren’t enough to keep China close throughout the game, falling by 18 points to Australia. Overall, Australia held her in check, limiting her to 50% shooting (18-for-36) — by far the best defensive performance against the dominant center in the tournament.
Throughout the tournament, Ziyu shot 80-for-112 from the field, a clip above 71%.
If Ziyu were to pursue the WNBA, she would be the all-time tallest player in the league. The current tallest is Han Xu, who was the first Chinese woman to play in the league in 22 years, according to the WNBA, and last played for the New York Liberty in 2023. Dydek, who played from 1998-2008, has a 7-foot-2 stature that still stands above the rest.
In the NBA today, the only players who are listed at least 7-foot-3 are Kristiaps Porzningis (7-foot-3), Boban Marjanovic and Wembanyama (both 7-foot-4).
Taking center stage on the hardwood are the nominees for Girls Basketball Player of the Year, a list of 25 athletes who stood out during the 2023-24 season.
Each will have the opportunity to be selected as Girls POY at the HSSA Sports Awards national show in August, which showcases top performers from around the high school sports landscape.
Clarksville’s Imari Berry (2) plays against Northeast during an high school basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Clarksville, Tenn.
Dee Alexander, G, Purcell Marian High School (Ohio) — JR
Imari Berry, G, Clarksville High School (Tennessee) — SR
Sienna Betts, F, Grandview High School (Colorado) — JR
Mikayla Blakes, G, Rutgers Preparatory School (New Jersey) — SR
Justice Carlton, F, Seven Lakes High School (Texas) — SR
Danielle Carnegie, G, Grayson High School (Georgia) — SR
Aaliyah Chavez, G, Monterey High School (Texas) — JR
Aaliyah Crump, G, Minnetonka High School (Minnesota) — JR
Jazzy Davidson, F, Clackamas High School (Oregon) — JR
Joyce Edwards, G, Camden High School (South Carolina) — SR
Kayleigh Heckel, G, Long Island Lutheran High School (New York) — SR
Avery Howell, F, Boise High School (Idaho) — SR
Zakiyah Johnson, F, Sacred Heart Academy (Kentucky) — JR
Zamareya Jones, G, North Pitt High School (North Carolina) — SR
Jordan Lee, F, Saint Mary’s High School (California) — SR
Britt Prince, G, Elkhorn North High School (Nebraska) — SR
Mackenly Randolph, F, Sierra Canyon School (California) — SR
Kennedy Smith, G, Etiwanda High School (California) — SR
Sarah Strong, F, Grace Academy (North Carolina) — SR
Syla Swords, F, Long Island Lutheran High School (New York) — SR
Kennedy Umeh, F, McDonogh School (Maryland) — SR
Kyndal Walker, G, St. John’s College High School (Washington, D.C.) — SR
Berry Wallace, F, Pickerington Central High School (Ohio) — SR
McKenna Woliczko, F, Archbishop Mitty High School (California) — SO
Allie Ziebell, G, Neenah High School (Wisconsin) — SR
From the HSSA
Nominees for both the regional and national programs are posted as they are selected. Regional nominees represent the best in their respective areas, while national nominees are recognized as the top high school athletes nationwide.
Sign up for email updates for your region or nationally to keep up with nominee selections, the awards programs and special announcements.
UConn and its fans are frustrated about the end of the extremely close semifinals game against Iowa on Friday night, but Saturday opened with some good news for the program.
Sarah Strong, the No. 1 girls basketball prospect on ESPN’s rankings, committed to the Huskies this afternoon. The 6-foot-2 power forward led Grace Christian to a 30-0 season and berth in the prestigious Chipotle Nations this year, graduating with three-year career averages of 23 points, 16.0 rebounds (5.3 on the offensive glass), 4.7 assists, 3.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.
She won two gold medals in the 3×3 U18 World Cup, and this year, was the McDonald’s All-American Game co-MVP.
Strong, who committed very late in this cycle, gives UConn a final win this season. The highly touted senior chose the Huskies over a plethora of schools, including Duke and North Carolina, which rounded out her top three.
She showed her talent best against the top competition in high school. She was named McDonald’s MVP after posting a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and she one-upped that performance in the Chipotle Nationals as she recorded a remarkable 31 points, 19 rebounds, three assists, and five 3-pointers.
UConn has a very strong class of 2024 that is plenty good to help continue their long rein of excellence. Allie Ziebell, ranked No. 4 in the class, and Morgan Cheli, ranked No. 18, join Strong as the new additions to the esteemed program.
They’ll be looking to join the likes of Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and other UConn alumni who have made an impact at the collegiate and WNBA levels.
Led by Ohio State signee Jaloni Cambridge, Montverde girls completed the three-peat of the Chipotle Nationals by beating IMG Academy.
The Chipotle Nationals look different from last year after its sponsorship changed from GEICO, but on the girls’ end of the bracket, there’s still a constant:
The Montverde Eagles. The Montverde Eagles. And, for the third time in a row, the Montverde Eagles.
Led by Jaloni Cambridge, the team defeated IMG Academy in the championship 61-53 to complete the three-peat. Cambridge scored 17 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, capping an all-around excellent tournament run. She also posted a triple-double in the opening round and scored 33 points in the second round.
USC commit Vivian Iwuchukwu also had 17 points. She served as a reliable scorer alongside Cambridge this run, helping set the tone on the offensive end.
Montverde’s defense clamped down, particularly on the defensive end, where IMG made only two of 13 shots from behind the arc. Kelis Fisher was phenomenal for the Ascenders, scoring 24 points and going 8-for-11 from the free throw line, and Tajianna Roberts chipped in 16 points, but only three players scored at least 10 points. Outside of Fisher, Roberts and Deniaya Prawl, only three points were scored between five players, two of whom appeared for no more than three minutes.
The impact of Heloisa Carrera was limited. She grabbed a whopping 16 rebounds in the semifinals, but Montverde held her to just six this game.
Maybe most important was Montverde’s work against five-star Leah Harmon. The Miami commit only got up three shots and scored just one point, a testament to the defensive effort from the Eagles.
Montverde finishes its season 24-4 and got back one of those losses against IMG in February by winning on Saturday. It’s the perfect season-clincher for the senior class, which includes Cambridge, Iwuchukwu, and four-star Eris Lester. With three in a row, this team has the look of a dynasty.
The Eagles stormed both the boys and the girls brackets, sweeping the tournament and walking out as champions on both ends.
South Carolina commit Maddy McDaniel breaks down her relationship with head coach Dawn Staley.
Even though South Carolina got involved late in her recruitment, Maddy McDaniel forged a strong relationship with head coach Dawn Staley. It is a relationship that impressed the McDonald’s All-American.
McDaniel, a guard from Bishop McNamara High School (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), spoke ahead of Tuesday night’s McDonald’s All-American Game. She is a five-star prospect per ESPN and is part of a stellar recruiting class pulled in by Staley.
South Carolina will face North Carolina State on Friday night in the Final Four.
During Monday’s press conference for the McDonald’s All-American Game, McDaniel was asked by USA TODAY High School Sports about her relationship with Staley.
“Such a great person like surprisingly, they were one of the later schools to come on in my recruitment,” McDaniel said.
“But I felt like there was just like with our relationship she’s just so down to earth you wouldn’t think that.”
The girls game will take place on Tuesday night, April 2 at 6:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Hebron Christian Academy, led by tournament MVP Aubrey Beckham, won The Throne national basketball championship.
Aubrey Beckham showed off the entirety of her skill set during The Throne as she led Hebron Christian Academy (Ga.) to the national basketball tournament’s championship.
The four-star junior posted a stat line of 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the 61-52 title game victory over South Shore’s Lady Vikings representative.
In the semifinals, Hebron Christian defeated Bishop Ireton behind 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists from Beckham and an impressive 23 points, 16 rebounds, and an assist from Ja’Kerra Butler.
Hebron Christian went 30-2 during its season, winning the championship in a tight 62-60 victory over Wesleyan. Beckham was named to the all-state first team; Butler was named to the second team, and Mia James and Danielle Osho were honorable mentions.
Joyce Edwards, a three-sport all-state player on Camden, has been named the 2023-24 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Last year, Joyce Edwards averaged 28.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game in a 29-2 championship season while being named all-state in three sports and posting a 5.04 GPA. This year, she averaged an otherworldly 31.3 points as she led Camden (S.C.) girls basketball to another championship — and has been named the 2023-24 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year for her performance.
WNBA All-Star Satou Sabally presented Edwards with the trophy on Thursday, the culmination of a dominant high school career for the South Carolina commit.
(Gatorade Player of the Year/Joe Greer)
Edwards isn’t simply one of the best scorers in the country. She is a true creator, also averaging 4.0 assists per game. She grabs boards as well as anyone, averaging 13.3 rebounds per game as a senior. And she’s a top-tier defender, averaging a whopping 4.5 blocks and 3.3 steals per game, leading a team that outscored opponents by an average margin of 39.6 points per game.
She’s nearly as dominant on the soccer pitch. Through just 10 games this season, Edwards has 26 goals and 13 assists, according to MaxPreps — more than three times as many points as her next-highest teammate. On the 26-5 volleyball team that fell in the championship to Wren (Piedmont, S.C.), Edwards had a team-high 215 kills.
Edwards got back at Wren in the basketball championship, posting 27 points as she outscored the entire Wren team in a 44-22 title victory.
The 6-foot-2 forward is listed as the No. 2 player in ESPN’s 2024 high school recruit ranking. She has averaged at least 20 points every season since the eighth grade, according to MaxPreps. Edwards committed to South Carolina in November, telling Just Women’s Sports that the decision was about both championships and academics.
“I knew I wanted to win as many national championships as possible, and Dawn really convinced me she can get me to that level,” Edwards told the outlet.
She also said Dawn Staley worked with the honors college at South Carolina to help Edwards be placed in the right program.
“She tried her hardest and found ways to do it so I can get both experiences for my academics and athletics,” Edwards said to Just Women’s Sports. “It was just how hard she worked to not give up (on me).”
Incarnate Word girls basketball stretched its winning streak to 131 games as it won the championship. It has not lost a game in four years.
Many, many things about life have changed since February 2020, but one thing remains the same: Incarnate Word girls basketball wins. And wins. And wins.
Last weekend, the Red Knights won the Class 6 girls basketball championship, extending their winning streak to an unbelievable 131 games. The last time they lost was Feb. 8, 2020, a four-year stretch for the high school athlete.
It’s the team’s seventh championship in a row.
Incarnate Word’s Abbie Sextro (35) holds the championship trophy following a Class 6 state championship girls basketball game between Kickapoo and Incarnate Word, Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo.
This one was particularly special, as Incarnate Word played with the mantra “win for Dan” after head coach Dan Rolfes was hospitalized after suffering what was described as a medical emergency the night before, according to MaxPreps and the St. Louis American.
Incarnate Word forced 18 turnovers in the 53-43 win over Kickapoo (Springfield, Mo.). Kaylynn Janes, who never lost a game in her career, scored 16 points, while Peyton Hill led the team with 17. Nevaeh Caffey recorded a line of seven points, 10 rebounds and four steals, according to the STL American.
The Red Knights finished this season 31-0. The year before, they went 32-0. In both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, they posted a record of 29-0, which takes us to their most recent loss, the 2019-20 season, in which they went 27-4. After that loss on Feb. 8, 2020, Incarnate Word won the final 10 games, including the championship.
The entire run has been spectacular—a 28-2 championship season in 2019; a title run in 2018 saved by an overtime victory in the semifinals as the team went 28-5; a record of 27-4 the year before, and in 2016, a 28-5 season that ended in the semifinals.
But that 2016 game was just a blip, as they had won three straight titles from 2012-13 through 2014-15.
According to MaxPreps, the Red Knights broke the Missouri consecutive wins of 124 on Feb. 12. Rolfes won his 700th game as a coach in the quarterfinals.
Incarnate Word fans hold up signs honoring head coach Dan Rolfes, Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. Rolfes experienced a medical emergency following a semifinal game Friday and was unable to coach the championship game.
The GEICO national high school basketball tournament has a new sponsorship and location. The Chipotle Nationals will be held in Brownsburg, Indiana.
The high school basketball showcase known for nearly two decades as the GEICO Nationals has new sponsorship.
The tournament is rebranding as the Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals, it was announced on Thursday. It will now take place at Brownsburg High School in Brownsburg, Ind., about 20 miles outside of Indianapolis, after being played in Fort Myers, Fla., since 2021.
The 2024 boys and girls basketball showcase will take place from April 4-6. All games will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, whether ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.
Competing teams will be announced in mid-March.
Last year, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) took down AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) to win the boys title and Montverde Academy (Fla.) beat Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) to win the girls championship. The final tournament under the sponsor of GEICO turned out to be a record-breaking event, as Link’s Elliot Cadeau set the record for assists in the tournament (29) and LoLu’s Kate Koval set a single-game scoring record with 38 points.
We're excited to welcome the #ChipotleNationals to the Circle City from April 4-6, the weekend before the Total Solar Eclipse!
