WBCA High School Players of the Week for the week ending Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016
The WBCA has announced its High School Players of the Week presented by MaxPreps for the week ending Sunday, Jan. 24.
In its inaugural year the WBCA High School Player of the Week is presented to a deserving student-athlete who demonstrated outstanding play throughout the week. Head coaches submit nominations each week and the WBCA selects the individual based on stats that were submitted.
The winners are:
Region 1
Jillian Webber, a six-foot forward from Andover High School (Andover, Massachusetts), ended the week averaging 25.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 1.0 assists. The junior has posted four straight double-doubles and has recorded nine double-doubles on the season.
Region 2
Karson Swogger, a junior from Bellwood-Antis High School (Bellwood, Pennsylvania), has propelled the Blue Devils to five straight wins following two victories last week to improve to 11-4 overall. The 5-foot-8 point guard averaged 34.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 4.0 assists and 1.5 blocks for the week. Swogger has been perfect from the free throw line in three straight games, including going 10-for-10 and 7-for-7 in the two wins last week.
Region 3
Rachel Ruderman, a 5-foot-3 junior from North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham, North Carolina, helped lead the Unicorns to a 2-0 record on the week, while improving to 9-4 overall. During the two victories Ruderman averaged 37.5 points, 5.0 assists and blocks, as well as 4.0 rebounds. Ruderman is connecting on 49 percent of her attempts from beyond the arch this season.
Region 4
Jayla Scaife, a 5-foot-11 senior from Muncie Central High School (Muncie, Indiana), ended the week averaging 29.0 points, 14.7 rebounds, 4.0 steals, 2.0 blocks and 1.7 assists. In the Bearcats’ 69-54 win against Anderson High School in which they improved to 16-6 on the season, Scaife tied her season high of 37 points.
Region 5
Amanda Hansen, a senior from West Point-Beemer High School (West Point, Nebraska), helped extend the Cadets’ win streak to 14 games following four victories this week. The 5-foot-7 point guard averaged 26.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 1.3 assists during the four games. Hansen collected her fourth double-double of the season in a 54-37 win against Twin River High School on Jan.22, posting 31 points and 11 rebounds.
Region 6
Nykki Benally, a senior from Piedra Vista High School in Farmington, New Mexico, finished the week averaging 27.0 points, 4.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and steals. Benally earned a season high 29 points against Gallup High School on Jan. 23.
Region 7
Lindsey Vanallen, a 5-foot-7 sophomore from Mesquite High School in Gilbert, Arizona, helped the Wildcats improve to 16-5 on the season after going 3-0 this week. Vanallen completed the week averaging 29.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals. In the Wildcats’ 70-67 win against Xavier College Prep on Jan. 22, Vanallen went 11-for-12 from the free throw line on the way to scoring a season best 31 points.
Region 8
Alessandra Aguirre, a 5-foot-9 junior from Bishop’s High School in La Jolla, California, helped guide her team to a 2-1 record on the week while improving to 19-4 overall. The guard averaged 27.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.0 assists last week. In the Knights’ 96-23 win against La Jolla on Jan. 20, Aguirre hit 15 3-pointers on the way to scoring a season best 50 points. Aguirre set a new California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section record with the 15 3-pointers made. The previous record of 11 was set in 2002.
Region 9
Kobi Thornton, a senior from Randolph-Clay High School in Cuthbert, Georgia, finished the week averaging 36.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 6.7 blocks and 4.0 steals. The 6-foot-2 captain tallied a season best 44 points in a 62-50 win against Miller County High School on Jan. 22.