2011 Best of Preps Finalist

Danielle Ballard, Central junior
Ballard, a Best of the Preps finalist for the second
straight season, saved her best for last, scoring 21 points
and pulling down 10 rebounds in Central’s 72-59 victory
over Murfreesboro Riverdale in the championship game of
the AAA state tournament. The Lady Warriors’ floor leader,
the 5-8 Ballard averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 assists and 4.7
steals per game while making the all-tournament team in
Murfreesboro.

Nina Davis, Central sophomore
Davis was named the Most Valuable Player of the state
tournament after helping the Warriors win the first AAA
championship team by a Memphis girls team in 26 years.
She scored 21 points in the Lady Warriors’ title-game victory
and went 27-of-30 from the free-throw line in three
tourney games. For the season, the willowy 5-10 Davis
averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 52 percent from
the floor.

Kaylah Keys,Harding sophomore
A two-year starter for the Lions, Keys lit it up in 2011,
leading the city in scoring at 24.4 points per contest. She
also chipped 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists while leading
Harding to the Division 2-A state tournament. The 5-4
Keys, a Miss Basketball finalist, has already surpassed
1,000 points for her career and has twice been named to
the West Region all-tournament team.

Hasina Muhammad, Ridgeway senior
The versatile 6-0 Muhammad had a banner senior year
for the Roadrunners, earning Most Valuable Player honors
in District 15-AAA while also being a Miss Basketball
finalist. The Auburn signee averaged 18.4 points, 7.6
rebounds, 3.7 blocks, 2.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game
for the Roadrunners, while shooting 46 percent from the
floor and 70 percent from the line.

Aaliyah Whiteside, Central junior
The third member of Central’s “Big Three,” Whiteside
came through in the clutch for her team. In a 66-59 victory
over Johnson City Science Hill in the AAA semifinals,
the sharp-shooting guard scored 17 points, including a
pair of big 3-pointers. She joined Ballard and Davis on
the all-tournament team and led Central in scoring for the
regular season, averaging 13.6 points per contest, as the
Lady Warriors finished 29-9.

Click here for complete Best of Preps nominees