Iowa's best high school girls basketball players: Meet the state's top point guards

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Iowa high school girls basketball. This list focuses on the point guards.

There are hundreds of standout girls basketball players in Iowa and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. If you know of any other point guards worthy of fans' attention, please email nate@scorebooklive.com.

Isabella Balsley, 5-5, Sr., Johnston 

Balsley signed a national letter of intent with the Drake University soccer program. She causes commotion for opponents on the defensive end and is a sparkplug against defensive pressure. She is a key player off the bench for the top-ranked Class 5A team.

Alyssa Bartlett, 5-7, Jr., Southeast Polk

The University of South Dakota commit burst onto the scene as a sophomore last season, averaging 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists for a state tournament qualifier. Bartlett is her team’s leading scorer through 10 games this season with a 15.6 average to go along with 5.7 rebounds.

Vanessa Bickford, 5-9, Sr., Dallas Center-Grimes

The top all-around player for Iowa’s No. 1-ranked Class 4A squad, Bickford will play at the University of Minnesota. The well-rounded point guard posted averages of 8.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals for the 4A state champs last season, earning second team all-state accolades for a team loaded with talent. Her numbers are nearly the same this season after 10 games and she surpassed 1,000 points for her career.

Macy Comito, 5-9, Soph, Carlisle

As a freshman last season, Comito put up some impressive numbers with 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. She already has several Power 5 offers and is throwing in just under 21 points per game through eight games and handing out 4.6 assists and pulling down 9.5 rebounds.

Sydney Doeschot, 5-8, Soph., Kingsley-Pierson

Doeschot sent a signal in her first varsity game last season, erupting for 37 points en route to averaging 21.7 points and 7.2 points for a team that reached a Class 1A regional semifinal. This season, Doeschot – who earned second team all-state honors -- has averged 19.6 points through nine games as K-P has joined forces with River Valley High School.

Erica Houge, 5-7, Sr., Collins-Maxwell

Houge has signed to play softball at Western Kentucky University but has put up some impressive basketball numbers as well. Heading into the 2024 portion of the season, she has racked up 1,404 career points, 507 rebounds, 277 steals and 236 assists. Houge is averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in 11 games this season.

Karsen Jacks, 5-5, Sr., Ankeny

The Simpson College recruit has started 72 games in three-plus seasons, averaging 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds for a team that reached a Class 5A regional final last season. Jacks hit for a career-high 30 points against Cedar Falls in November and has increased her scoring average to 11.3 points per game to go along with 5.3 rebounds.

Kamryn Kurt, 5-6, Sr., North Linn

Kurt was a first-team all-stater last season, averaging 16.8 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 steals per game. North Linn is ranked No. 1 in Class 1A, with Kurt averaging 19.2 points and 5.4 assists while shooting 52.3 percent from the field.

Callie Levin, 5-10, Sr., Solon

Levin committed to the University of Iowa before her sophomore season. She led Solon to the Class 3A state semifinals last season, averaging 18.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.7 steals per game. The Spartans are off to a 9-1 start and ranked No. 1, with Levin averaging 20.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.0 steals and 4.8 assists.

Jenica Lewis, 5-10, Soph., Johnston

The sophomore standout began her second season of high school basketball with nearly 40 Division I offers already in her pocket. Her recruiting started before the eighth grade and she had a strong first season for the Dragons, averaging 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks for a team that made it to the Class 5A state title game. Lewis made the all-state third team as a freshman and is averaging 12.6 points through 10 games this season.

Alyvia McCorkle, 5-8, Soph., Bettendorf

McCorkle was the third-leading scorer for a Davenport North team that qualified for just its second state tournament last season. She transferred to Bettendorf and missed some games early this season because of an injury, but in the five games she has played has averaged 13.8 points per game.

Morgan Miller, 5-9, Jr., Iowa City Regina

Miller was a second-team Class 2A all-state selection as a sophomore, averaging 17.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals for a state qualifier. Regina is off to a 7-2 start this season, with Miller averaging 20.8 points per game.

Nakia Julianna Ollivierre, 5-10, Soph., Waterloo West

Before transferring to Waterloo West over the summer, Ollivierre led the AGWSR Cougars with 21.6 points per game, 3.4 assists and 3.0 steals as a freshman, earning third-team Class 1A all-state honors. In her first season at West, the Army West Point commit is averaging 18.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists through nine games.

August Palmer, 5-10, Jr., Iowa City High

Palmer transferred from West Branch to City High before her sophomore season and broke through with an 18.5 points-per-game average. She is at just under 15 points through nine games this season and is attracting the attention of several college programs.

Kayla Reis, 5-7, Sr., Dallas Center-Grimes

Reis will form a dynamic back court alongside Vanessa Bickford. Although she is a point guard, Reis is most known for her long-range shooting. She is shooting 38.6 percent from beyond the arc, averaging 13.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Reis will play at Rockhurst College.

Catie Reittinger, 5-7, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Prairie, under the direction of former Iowa Hawkeye Kenyon Murray, has won seven games in a row after opening its season with a one-sided loss to top-ranked Johnston. Reittinger doesn’t have flashy statistics, but comes off the bench to provide quality depth after averaging 7.5 points on an 8-9 squad last season.

Aaliyah Riley, 5-7, Sr., Johnston

One of the top defensive players and facilitators for a Dragon team that was Class 5A state runner-up last season. A Northwest Missouri State University signee, Riley averaged 14.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game as a junior, earning first-team all-state honors and all-state tournament accolades. Johnston is unbeaten and ranked No. 1 this season.

Reggi Spotts, 5-8, Sr., Mason City

Spotts made Class 4A third team all-state after averaging 18 points, five rebounds and four assists for a regional finalist last season. The Riverhawks are currently ranked No. 5 and Spotts is the only player on the team averaging double figures at 14.3 per game, recently going over 1,000 points for her career.

Brooklyn Stanley, 5-8, Sr., Sioux City Bishop Heelan

The Northwest Missouri State signee has led the Crusaders to the state tournament each of the last two seasons, landing on the Class 4A all-tournament team twice. First-team all-stater Stanley averaged 13.6 points, 3.9 steals, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a junior. Heelan reached the 4A state title game last season.

Haylee Stokes, 5-6, Jr., Estherville-Lincoln Central

Stokes was captain of the Class 3A all-tournament team as a freshman, leading the Midgets to a state title. Estherville-LC returned to state last season as the Minnesota State recruit averaged 20.6 points, 5.9 assists, 5.0 steals and 4.6 rebounds per game to earn first-team all-state honors. Stokes went over 1,000 points earlier this season and through 12 games is averaging 23.5 points, 6.7 assists, 5.3 steals and 4.3 rebounds.

Emma Townsley, 5-7, Sr., Benton

A Class 3A third-team all-stater last season, Townsley averaged 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game for a state runner-up. She is the go-to player on offense this season, scoring 19.3 points per game while dishing out 5.2 assists and pulling down 4.9 rebounds.

Brooklyn Valley, 5-6, Jr., Hampton-Dumont-CAL

Brooklyn pairs with her twin sister Jordan in the Hampton-Dumont-CAL backcourt. Brooklyn Valley, the point guard, is known for her defensive ability, averaging 5.3 steals per game to go along with just under eight points. Sister Jordan is the team’s leading scorer at just over 10 an outing.

Yazmeen Whitsitt, 5-8, Sr., Decorah

The leading scorer on a Class 4A state quarterfinalist last season, Whitsitt averaged 19.3 points per game. A second-team all-state pick, she will play at Maryville (Missouri) College. Through 11 games this season, she averages 23.8 points.

Ava Zediker, 5-10, Jr., West Des Moines Dowling

Not only is the Creighton University commit a scorer, distributor and defender, she is a leader for Dowling, one of the most prestigious programs in the state. Zediker averaged 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game and was a Class 5A first-team all-stater as a sophomore. Chances are, that’s only the tip of the iceburg for this talented performer.

--Barry Poe I @SBLiveIA