Santa Ana Mater Dei senior Katie Lou Samuelson is a national player of the year candidate for the 2014-15 high school season. Photo: Harold Abend.
Mater Dei’s Katie Lou Samuelson tops the 10th annual 2014 Cal-Hi Sports Girls of Summer rankings (both overall and for Class of 2015) despite not playing club ball this summer. Go inside here for a look at more than 100 of the state’s top girls prospects from the class.
Note: There also are more than 100 top girls players listed in our Girls of Summer rankings who are juniors, sophomores and even younger. To see that info plus all of our other Gold Club membership content, please consider signing up today. For info, CLICK HERE.
The Cal Hi-Sports 10th Annual Girls of Summer Caravan logged around 8,000 miles combined for June events, the July 2013 NCAA viewing period, and the San Diego Classic. We checked out events and camps throughout the state and Nevada.
Although there were over 3,500 girls at the events attended in person combined, approximately 400 of the top talented players were evaluated. Also, as is the case every year since the feature’s inception in 2005, primarily only players actually observed are rated, although the Caravan had correspondents at several national events where some input was used on top players, and some of the USA17 games and Nike Nationals games were available and viewed by the Caravan on the internet.
Based on a criteria for each player’s position consisting of speed, quickness and agility with and without the ball; court vision; passing abilities; converting make-able shots and layups consistently; ability to pull up and hit the shot, including the trey; range of shooting; free-throw shooting; defensive intensity; body positioning and footwork on shooting, offense and defense; stamina and endurance; left and right hand abilities to shoot and dribble; blocking out and rebounding; attitude and demeanor; teamwork; performing in the clutch; decision making; level of competition – plus more, we present a collection of scores for the top girls evaluated.
To reiterate, the following nearly 250 girls are not position specific but still ranked together, so each was not evaluated using the exact same criteria or the criteria is re-defined for each position. To see where a girl is ranked by position one need only see what her ranking is compared to others of the same position, however we only use guard, wing, forward and post/center and not a numbers system.
A ranking of 10.0 is the highest regardless of position, and while no one had a perfect evaluation, one girl was pretty close despite not playing for a club team this summer.
Based on her showing at the U17 team tryouts, and then her play as the USA U17 Gold Medal winning team’s leading scorer, and finally her 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship All-Tournament Team selection, incoming Mater Dei (Santa Ana) senior and Connecticut-committed Katie Lou Samuelson tops this year’s list.
The Gold Medal “Lou” won last month in the Czech Republic isn’t her first. In fact, it’s her third. Last year she was on the U16 Gold Medal winning team and also took Gold at the 2013 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championship. Once again this year Lou will be a member of the four-member U.S. Youth Olympic Women’s Basketball Team competing in Nanjing, China from August 16-28, where she will help defend the 3×3 U18 Gold Medal.
The theme among the top players this year and the growing trend is that many can play almost any position on the court. In fact, nine of the 16 girls who scored a 9.0 or higher play the wing position.
Only girls that recorded a 7.0 or higher are included in these rankings. The reason is that this is probably the cut-off for girls who seem to have the best chance of playing somewhere at the next level, including small schools and junior colleges.
Please note that these rankings are not a recruiting list but an evaluation of what was done on the court during the games observed only.
Also a final shout-out to the sponsors that made the Girls of Summer caravan’s travels this summer and these rankings possible: The Cal Stars club team, West Coast Jamboree and Jamboree President David Jackson, San Diego Classic and Mission Valley Sheraton. Cal-Hi Sports thanks all of them.
Here now is a look at all Class of 2015 players who have scored 7.0 or higher. For a look at all of the incoming juniors, sophomores and younger, please consider becoming a Gold Club member of the Cal-Hi Sports web site. A subscription now will extend well beyond the 2014-15 season and will cost less than $2 per month. For info, CLICK HERE.
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Jordyn Bell and teammate Erica Bean from Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento both looked impressive in summer outings. Photo: Harold Abend.
9.0 & HIGHER
9.7 Katie Lou Samuelson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) W, 6-3, 2015
9.3 Kennedy Burke (Sierra Canyon, Chatsworth) W, 6-0, 2015
9.2 Asha Thomas (Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland) G, 5-5, 2015
9.1 Andee Velasco (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) G, 5-8, 2015
9.1 Brijanae Moore (Weston Ranch, Stockton) G, 5-8, 2015
9.0 Erica Bean (Bradshaw Christian, Sacramento) G, 5-7, 2015
9.0 Arianna Knox (Centennial, Corona) 6-1, W, 2015
8.5 & HIGHER
8.9 Jordyn Bell (Bradshaw Christian, Sacramento) F, 6-0, 2015
8.9 Josie Little (St. Ignatius, San Francisco) F, 6-2, 2015
8.9 Jannon Otto (Oak Hills, Hesperia) F, 6-1, 2015
8.9 Sydney Raggio (St. Ignatius, San Francisco) F, 6-2, 2015
8.7 Destiny Graham (Eastside Prep, East Palo Alto) C, 6-3, 2015
8.7 Brijanae Knox (Centennial, Corona) 5-11, W, 2015
8.7 Hailey Pascoe (Clayton Valley, Concord) G, 5-9, 2015
8.7 Katie Rathbun (Carondelet, Concord) F, 6-0, 2015
8.6 Ra’Kyra Gabriel (Brookside Christian, Stockton) F, 6-2, 2015
8.6 Jaylin Jones (El Dorado, Placentia) W, 5-11, 2015
8.6 Shaylissa Jarrett (Brea-Olinda, Brea) G, 5-9, 2015
8.6 Tania Lamb (Long Beach Poly) G, 5-6, 2015
8.6 Ma’Ane Mosley (St. Mary’s, Berkeley) W, 5-10, 2015
8.5 Marissa Hing (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills) G, 5-2, 2015
8.5 Aisia Robertson (Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland) G, 5-7, 2015
8.5 Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman (Berkeley) G, 5-2, 2015
8.0 & HIGHER
8.4 Breanna Calhoun (Bishop Alemany, Mission Hills) G, 5-6, 2015
8.4 Natalie Diaz (Soquel) W, 5-11, 2015
8.3 Amanda Daily (Monte Vista, Danville) G, 5-7, 2015
8.3 Christina Ellis (Torrey Pines, San Diego) G, 5-7, 2015
8.3 Kaylani Maiava (Foothill, Santa Ana) F, 5-11, 2015
8.3 Kian McNair (Salesian, Richmond) G, 5-4, 2015
8.2 Macy Gipson (Westview, San Diego) C, 6-2, 2015
8.2 Janessa Manzano (St. Ignatius, San Francisco) W, 5-10, 2015
8.2 Yasmeen Sadullah (Burbank) G, 5-7, 2015
8.2 Bree Shepard (Helix, La Mesa) G, 5-8, 2015
8.2 Addison Walters (St. Ignatius, San Francisco) G, 5-9, 2015
8.1 Gabi Bade (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills) G, 5-8, 2015
8.1 Tylore Bell (American, Fremont) G, 5-6, 2015
8.1 Jasmine Hawkins (Centennial, Corona) G, 5-8, 2015
8.1 Megan House (JSerra, San Juan Capistrano) C, 6-4, 2015
8.1 Kylie Kiech (Cardinal Newman, Santa Rosa) G, 5-7, 2015
8.1 Melanie Quijano (La Jolla Country Day, La Jolla) G, 5-7, 2015
8.1 Tal Sahar (Calabasas) W, 5-11, 2015
8.1 Elayshia Woolridge (Oakland Tech, Oakland) G, 5-6, 2015
8.0 Charlee Boyle (Scotts Valley) P,6-0, 2015
8.0 Isalys Quinones (Otay Ranch, Chula Vista) W, 6-2, 2015
7.5 & HIGHER
7.9 Tiffany Lucci (Peninsula, Rolling Hills Estates) G, 5-8, 2015
7.9 Emily Surloff (Windward, Los Angeles) G, 5-8, 2015
7.9 Bianca Velasco (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) G, 5-7, 2015
7.8 Brianna Beckman (St. Ignatius, San Francisco) F, 5-10, 2015
7.8 Conner Bennett (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) C, 6-1, 2015
7.8 Victoria Duenas (Pittsburg) W, 5-11, 2015
7.8 Mariah Elzy (James Logan, Union City) C, 6-0, 2015
7.8 Blaysen Varnadoe (Foothill, Santa Ana) F, 6-0, 2015
7.7 Isabel Aguirre (La Jolla Country Day, La Jolla) G, 5-9, 2015
7.7 Masen Boucher (Carondelet, Concord) F, 5-11, 2015
7.7 Madison Lucci (Peninsula, Rolling Hills Estates) G, 5-8, 2015
7.7 Leah Purvis (Buckley, Sherman Oaks) G, 5-7, 2015
7.7 Kayla Sato (West, Torrance) G, 5-7, 2015
7.6 Samantha DeHart (Nevada Union, Grass Valley) F, 5-9, 2015
7.6 Ali Engelhardt (Mount Carmel, San Diego) F, 6-2, 2015
7.6 Marcella Hughes (Carondelet, Concord) G, 5-7, 2015
7.6 Zavanna Negron (St. Mary’s, Berkeley) G, 5-5, 2015
7.6 Taylor Pierce (Carlsbad) G, 5-7, 2015
7.6 Kelli Kamida (Mark Keppel, Alhambra) G,5-6, 2015
7.6 Alyssa Lorenzo (Valley Christian, San Jose) G, 5-7, 2015
7.6 Shelby Peters (Oak Ridge, El Dorado Hills) F, 5-11, 2015
7.6 Carlissa Shipp (St. Mary’s, Stockton) G, 5-7, 2015
7.6 Taylor Todd (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) G, 6-0, 2015
7.6 Ariana Vaughn (Brookside Christian, Stockton) G, 5-11, 2015
7.5 Sadie Allen (Scotts Valley) W, 5-9, 2015
7.5 Emily Chan (Mark Keppel, Alhambra) G, 5-5, 2015
7.5 Nia Craig (Pinewood, Los Altos Hills) F, 5-11, 2015
7.5 Nathanelle Dambo (Renaissance Academy, Los Angeles) C, 6-3, 2015
7.5 Kylie Fujioka (West Torrance, Torrance) F, 6-1, 2015
7.5 Denise Gonzalez (Warren, Downey) G, 5-6, 2015
7.5 Samantha Jackson (Modesto Christian, Modesto) W, 5-8, 2015
7.5 Nautica Morrow (Serra, Gardena) G, 5-9, 2015
7.5 Korie Siets (Centennial, Corona) G, 5-7, 2015
7.0 & HIGHER
7.4 Brittney Deadwiler (James Logan, Union City) G, 5-8, 2015
7.4 Ryann Garcia (Foothill, Santa Ana) G, 5-7, 2015
7.4 Yazmeen Goo (Westmoor, Daly City) G, 5-8, 2015
7.4 Michelle Ojiri (Mark Keppel, Alhambra) G, 5-5, 2015
7.4 Sami Oliver (Valley Christian, San Jose) G, 5-11, 2015
7.3 Julia Bertolero (Cardinal Newman, Santa Rosa) G, 5-7, 2015
7.3 Sarah Downs (Millikan, Long Beach) F, 6-0, 2015
7.3 Emma Johnson (Hart, Newhall) F, 5-11, 2015
7.3 Allison Lorenzo (Troy, Fullerton) G, 5-9, 2015
7.3 Landryyn Munster (Clovis West, Fresno) G, 5-6, 2015
7.3 Cori Okada (Troy, Fullerton) G, 5-1, 2015
7.3 Katelyn Serizawa (North, Torrance) G, 5-7, 2015
7.2 Etiene Ekanem (Hercules) G, 5-8, 2015
7.2 Morgan Giacobazzi (Clayton Valley, Concord) G, 5-8, 2015
7.2 Marisa Krumbein (Foothill, Santa Ana) F, 6-0, 2015
7.2 Kylie Oden (Santa Rosa) F, 5-11, 2015
7.2 Allison Scranton (Petaluma) C, 6-1, 2015
7.1 Kayla Coloyan (Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Francisco) G, 5-3, 2015
7.1 Julia Pihl (Rancho Buena Vista, Vista) G, 5-6, 2015
7.1 Anntranette Stickman (Clovis West, Fresno) F, 6-0, 2015
7.1 Safiyyah Yasin (Skyline, Oakland) G, 5-5, 2015
7.0 Viviana Garcia (Mark Keppel, Alhambra) G, 5-7, 2015
7.0 Breanna Grisby (Lincoln, Stockton) G, 5-9, 2015
7.0 Monica Merkovsky (West Torrance, Torrance) C, 6-3, 2015
7.0 Mandy Silver (Scotts Valley) G, 5-9, 2015
Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend
