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With the 2021-22 Mississippi high school girls basketball season in full swing, it's time to take a look at some of the top players in the state.

Here's a look at 20 girls basketball players to watch this season.

(Feature photo by Keith Warren)

SBLive's Top 20 Girls Basketball Players

(The list is in alphabetical order)

Carleigh Andrews - Senior - Holmes County Central

Andrews was a star as a junior last year, averaging 13 points and 5.5 rebounds a game and leading Holmes County Central to the 5A Championship Game. She was the leading scorer in that game with 11 points and was named Second-Team All-State by SBLive.

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Tialone Banks - Senior - Greenville

She may be just 5-foot-7, but Banks makes up for her size with determination. Through seven games, she’s averaging 20.7 points and 8.9 rebounds a game with 22 steals and 15 assists.

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Chrystianna Beeman - Senior - Pelahatchie

Beeman, a 5-foot-7 guard/forward, had a huge impact at Pelahatchie as a junior last year helping the Lady Chiefs to a 10-10 record and a 2A Playoff berth. She signed with Jones County Junior College.

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Madison Booker - Junior - Germantown

Arguably the most exciting prospect in the state, Booker is back for her junior year after being named to First-team All-State by SBLive as a sophomore last year. She was clutch for Germantown down the stretch, averaging more than 20 points a game and helping the Lady Mavericks to the 6A title game.

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Dacia Bostic - Senior - Quitman

Bostic was a machine for Quitman last season, averaging 17.1 points and 12.7 rebounds a game and helping the Lady Panthers to a 16-4 record and the third round of the 4A State Tournament. She was named Second-Team All-State by SBLive last year. Bostic is currently committed to Jones County Junior College.

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Samya Brooks - Senior - Pontotoc

Brooks should be a familiar face after earning SBLive First-team All-State honors as a junior last year. She led he Lady Warriors to the 4A Championship game, where she was named MVP in Pontotoc’s 55-52 win over Choctaw Central. She’s currently committed to Alabama State.

samya-brooks

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Kennidi Dean - Senior - Laurel

Dean, a 5-foot-6 guard, is off to a great start in 2021. She was averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals through the first six games of the season.

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Hama’ya Fielder - Senior - Neshoba Central

Basketball fans in Mississippi should be well-acquainted with Neshoba Central’s 5-foot-8 guard by now. She burst onto the scene in 2018, when she averaged 8.1 points a game for the Lady Rockets, and has averaged 16.3 points a game or better every year since.

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Jacia Hayes - Senior - Pearl

Hayes was an absolute stud on the volleyball court this year, but she’s just as valuable on the hardwood in basketball. The 6-foot-1 forward averaged nearly 20 points a game as a junior last year. She’s signed with Northwest Community College to play volleyball next year.

Elise Jackson - Senior - Purvis

The 5-foot-8 Jackson has picked up right where she left off last season, when she averaged 16.4 points and 5.6 rebounds a game. Through the first eight games (all wins for the Lady Tornadoes), Jackson was averaging 20.6 points and six rebounds.

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Carly Keats - Senior - Neshoba Central

Keats, a 5-foot-8 guard, should fit in nicely after transferring from Choctaw County to Neshoba Central. She was averaging 12.2 points through the first six games this year.

Jasmine Malone - Senior - Byhalia

The 5-foot-5 Malone is a scoring machine for the Lady Indians. She averaged 17.2 points a game as a junior last year, and scored 62 points in her first three games as a senior this year.

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Madison Miller - Senior - Nettleton

Miller played a big role for Nettleton last season, but she’s off to an even faster start in her senior year. Through the first three games, the Lady Tigers’ 5-foot-10 swing player was averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds a game.

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Rhema Pegues - Senior - Olive Branch

Pegues played a critical role all season, but she really showed up when it mattered — she scored 28 points and pulled down nine rebounds in a 66-62 win over Germantown to help Olive Branch to a 3-peat in the 6A Championship.

Olive Branch's Rhema Pegues (32) and Meridian's Jamyia King (1) fight for control of the basketball. Meridian and Olive Branch played in an MHSAA Class 6A basketball semifinal basketball game at Mississippi Coliseum on Wednesday, March 3, 2020. Photo by Keith Warren

(Photo by Keith Warren)

Debreasha Powe - Senior - Meridian

Meridian’s 6-foot-1 forward is a force on the court. She averaged 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as a junior and is primed for an even bigger senior season. She’s committed to Mississippi State University.

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Alana Rouser - Sophomore - Germantown

Germantown’s other splendid forward is a 6-foot sophomore who earned Honorable Mention on the SBLive 2021 All-State team. How athletic is she? On top of being the Lady Mavs’ second-leading scorer, she’s also the state’s reigning high-jump champion.

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Laila Walker - Senior - Harrison Central

The 6-foot-2 senior earned Honorable Mention on the SBLive 2021 All-State teams as a junior after averaging 13.8 points and 11 rebounds a game. Through the first four games this season, she was averaging 15.3 points and 13.5 boards.

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Kaitlyn Walker - Senior - Clinton

The 5-foot-9 Walker averaged 11.5 points and five rebounds a game to help Clinton to a 13-6 finish a year ago, and she’s back for more as a senior. 

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Lily Whitley - Senior - New Site

Hannah Campbell stole the spotlight last season with her excellent play down the stretch, but New Site probably doesn’t win the 2020-2021 2A Championship without Whitley, who averaged 15.7 points and 8.2 rebounds a game as a junior last season.

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Madilynn Vuncannon - Junior - Walnut

Vuncannan is one of the most sound guards in the state at 5-foot-8. She averaged 13.3 points and seven rebounds a game last season, and she’s raised her level of play even more as a junior. Through the first four games, she was averaging 30.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.