Girls Basketball Dandy Dozen

Released by Commercial Appeal on January 4, 2018.


1. Olive Branch (15-3) The rundown: Katie Blackmon, Mahogany Vaught and Endya Buford have kept OB clicking right along despite the graduation of three-time Commercial Appeal player of the year Myah Taylor.
Upcoming games: Saturday vs. Choctaw Central in the Tangle on the Trail in Pontotoc, Miss.

2. Whitehaven (10-3) The rundown: Shmya Ward is averaging just under 20 points per game and talented freshman point guard Se'Quoia Allmond is living up to her billing for Lynn Smith's Tigers.
Upcoming games: Jan. 8 vs. Overton; Jan. 9 vs. Briarcrest

3. Horn Lake (14-2) The rundown: Latavia Jones took most valuable player honors as the Eagles defeated a solid field to take the championship at the Larry Ransom tournament hosted by Fayette-Ware over the holidays.
Upcoming games: Friday vs. DeSoto Central; Jan. 9 at Southaven

4. Central (8-4) The rundown: Seniors Johne' Stewart and Jireh Washington have been excellent as always for last year's Class AAA runners-up. Brianna Cooks' recent return from injury will only further improve the squad.
Upcoming games: Jan. 9 at Overton

5. Arlington (12-5) The rundown: Lanetta Williams, a 6-4 junior, is emerging as a star for the Tigers, who have played a brutal schedule that includes losses to Houston, defending state champ Murfreesboro Riverdale and undefeated Bradley Central.
Upcoming games: Friday vs. Brownsville Haywood; Jan. 9 at Cordova

6. Houston (9-5) The rundown: Another team that's been challenged heavily; among Houston's losses are setbacks against East Hamilton and Bradley Central. Highly-touted junior Jayla Hemingway, Destinee Wells and Madison Griggs lead a talented cast.
Upcoming games: Friday at Germantown; Jan. 9 at Ridgeway

7. White Station (11-5) The rundown: Tennessee-Martin is getting a good one in 5-10 senior Brittni Moore, who scored 29 and grabbed 18 rebounds in a late-November win over Whitehaven. Lyric Cole, a 6-0 freshman, dropped 33 on Raleigh-Egypt on Dec. 15.
Upcoming game: Jan. 9 vs. East

8. MHEA (17-5) The rundown: The Eagles are getting great play from veterans Annaliese Burnett, Lindsey Vaughn and Kylie Loadholt as they tune up to make a run at another home school national championship.
Upcoming games: Jan.8 at St. Benedict

9. Hernando (16-1) The rundown: Junior guard Zuri Dunlap and senior forward Rachel Greer have carried the scoring load for the Tigers, who will only be tougher to beat now that Alyssa Greer is healthy after knee surgery.
Upcoming games: Friday at Southaven; Jan. 9 vs. DeSoto Central

10. Northpoint (11-2) The rundown: Lauren Gross and Jade Wells are the top performers for the Trojans, who will be bidding to reach state for the sixth year in a row when the playoffs begin next month.
Upcoming games: Saturday vs. St. George's; Jan. 9 at Harding

11. Southwind (11-5) The rundown: After winning just 13 games last year, coach James Seymour's Jaguars have emerged as a pleasant surprise, with victories over MHEA and Northpoint among others.
Upcoming game: Friday at Kirby; Jan. 9 vs. Germantown

12. Munford (11-5) The rundown: Alabama signee Gabby Crawford needed only about 12 minutes to put up 22 points in a victory over Soulsville on Tuesday. The schedule is about to get tougher though.
Upcoming games: Friday at Millington; Jan. 9 vs. Dyer County

Bubbling under: Bolton (11-3); Mitchell (12-5); BTW (11-4); Trezevant (9-4); Hutchison (11-3); Southaven (13-6); Tipton-Rosemark (12-5)