40 high school girls basketball players poised to break out in 2023-24
The 2022-23 high school girls basketball season ended in April, as Montverde Academy (Florida) finished atop the SBLive Power 25 national rankings.
North Carolina State-bound point guard Zoe Brooks of St. John Vianney (New Jersey) earned National Player of the Year honors, and McKenna Woliczko of Archbishop Mitty (California) was named Newcomer of the Year.
As awards season wraps up with All-American teams by class, and we look ahead to next season. Who will break out on a national level, whether it means stepping into a lead role and taking their production to new heights or earning the respect they might already deserve?
After the 2022-23 season wrapped up, we highlighted more than 40 players around the country who we expect are poised for breakout seasons next year at each position. Then we put it up for vote and gave readers the chance to pick their favorites.
Here are the fans' predictions for the nation's top breakout players at each position in the 2023-24 season:
PG: Shawnee Nordstrom, Lone Peak (Utah)
Behind senior Kailey Woolston, the second leading scorer for nationally-ranked Lone Peak was Nordstrom (12.9 points per game), who also averaged more than three assists and rebounds on the season. The 5-foot-6 junior will be steering the ship for the Knights next season as they look to bring home their third straight state title.
FULL LIST OF BREAKOUT POINT GUARDS TO WATCH
SG: Naomi Panganiban, La Jolla Country Day (California)
Photo by Heston Quan
There will be two massive holes in the Torreys’ lineup next season with the losses of Jada Williams and Breya Cunningham, and Panganiban should help fill the voids. The 5-foot-6 junior averaged seven points per game this year with more than 40% of her points coming from long range.
FULL LIST OF BREAKOUT SHOOTING GUARDS TO WATCH
SF: TaTianna Stovall, The Webb School (Tennessee)
Photo by Michael Smith
Nationally-ranked The Webb School will be losing several players from its loaded squad, including Aalyah Del Rosario (LSU), Angelica Velez (LSU), Bree Robinson (Michigan State) and Rhema Collins (Ole Miss). Stovall, who was named the MVP of the state tournament as a freshman in 2021-22, will have the opportunity to shine as a junior.
FULL LIST OF BREAKOUT SMALL FORWARDS TO WATCH
PF: Terri’A Russell, Oakland Tech (California)
Photo by Dennis Lee
Russell turned heads as a freshman for the Division 1 state champions. The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, and those numbers will surely increase over the next three years.
FULL LIST OF BREAKOUT POWER FORWARDS TO WATCH
C: Jhai Johnson, Oakland Tech (California)
A 6-foot-3 freshman who can dunk, Johnson averaged 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds, and she led the Division 1 state champions with 1.2 blocks per game. Along with freshman power forward Terri’A Russell, the Bulldogs boast one of the top young frontcourts in the state.
