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Every member of the 2024 Journal Star all-area girls basketball team
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- Every member of the 2024 Journal Star all-area girls basketball team
Here are the 2024 Journal Star girls basketball all-area honorees in alphabetical order, led by player of the year and separated by Class 3A, Class 2A and Class 1A players.
Mya Wardle , Peoria Notre Dame
Peoria senior Mya Wardle saw her four years of hard work come to fruition when she and the Irish defeated Nashville 48-46 for a Class 2A girls basketball state championship March 2, 2024 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Wardle is the 2024 Journal Star Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
The 2024 player of the year and Eastern Kentucky recruit led PND to new heights, guiding the Irish to the Class 2A state championship . Wardle averaged 13.2 points, 6.8 assists and 3.1 rebounds for PND, which went 34-4 overall and won the Big 12 Conference at 10-0. The 5-foot-7 senior guard's individual accolades include all-Big 12 Conference first team , Big 12 player of the year , Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state first team and Illinois Media all-state first team .
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Morton's Addy Engel (14) tries to get a shot past the Lincoln defense in the second half of their Class 3A girls basketball sectional championship Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 at East Peoria High School. The Railsplitters advanced to the super-sectional with a 61-30 win.
CLASS 3A
Addy Engel, Morton
The 5-foot-10 senior guard/forward averaged 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 assists for the Potters, who finished 26-6 overall, won the Mid-Illini Conference at 13-1 and were a Class 3A sectional finalist. Her individual accolades include all-Mid-Illini Conference first team , IBCA all-state first team and Illinois Media all-state honorable mention .
Aaliyah Guyton , Peoria High
The 5-foot-8 senior guard, who will play at Iowa , averaged 26.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.2 steals in 18 games before tearing her ACL for the Lions, who finished 21-4 overall and took third in the Big 12 Conference at 8-2. Her individual accolades include all-Big 12 Conference first team , IBCA all-state first team and Illinois Media all-state first team.
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Galesburg's Kiarra Kilgore puts up a shot against LaSalle-Peru in Class 3A regional semifinal action against LaSalle-Peru on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022 in Sterling.
Kiarra Kilgore, Galesburg
The 5-foot-9 senior guard averaged 20.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals for the Silver Streaks, who finished 26-7 overall and finished fourth in the Western Big Six Conference at 10-4. Her individual accolades include all-Western Big Six Conference first team, IBCA all-state first team and Illinois Media all-state second team.
Dunlap's Julia Sollberger (3) celebrates two points and a foul call against Canton on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 at Dunlap High School. The Eagles defeated the Little Giants 68-53.
Julia Sollberger, Dunlap
The 5-foot-7 senior point guard, who is heading to Northern Illinois, averaged 18.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.7 steals for the Eagles, who finished 16-14 overall and played for a Class 3A regional championship. Her individual accolades include all-Mid-Illini Conference first team , IBCA all-state third team and Illinois Media all-state honorable mention.
Metamora's Tabby Vanderschraaf (21) pressures Washington's Avery Tibbs in the second half of their girls Class 3A Pontiac Regional basketball title game Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024 at Pontiac High School. The Panthers defeated the Redbirds 67-53.
Avery Tibbs, Washington
The 5-foot-7 sophomore guard averaged 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.4 steals for the Panthers, who finished 23-7 overall, second in the Mid-Illini Conference at 12-2 and made a Class 3A sectional. Her individual accolades include all-Mid-Illini Conference first team , IBCA all-state third team and Illinois Media all-state honorable mention.
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CLASS 2A
Peoria Notre Dame's Lexi Baer (24) puts up a three-pointer against Wilmette Regina Dominican in the second half of their Class 2A girls basketball state semifinal Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. The Irish routed the Panthers 71-25.
Lexi Baer, Peoria Notre Dame
The 6-foot-1 sophomore guard averaged 11.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and tied a state finals record with six 3-pointers in the state semifinal for the Irish, who went 34-4 for the Class 2A state champions. Her individual accolades include all-Big 12 Conference first team and IBCA all-state first team .
Peoria Notre Dame's Kaitlin Cassidy (21) defends against Wilmette Regina Dominican's Maddie Witchger in the first half of their Class 2A girls basketball state semifinal Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. The Irish routed the Panthers 71-25.
Kaitlin Cassidy, Peoria Notre Dame
The 5-foot-11 junior forward averaged 10.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists for PND, which finished 34-4 overall, winning the Big 12 Conference at 10-0 and taking home the Irish's first-ever state championship. Her individual accolades include all-BIg 12 Conference first team .
Dee-Mack's Dalia DeJesus blocks a shot from Canton's Jena Goforth in the first half of their Class 2A girls basketball sectional semifinal Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024 at Ingersoll Gym in Canton. The Chiefs advanced to the final with a 44-34 win over the Little Giants.
Dalia DeJesus, Deer Creek-Mackinaw
The 5-foot-11 sophomore forward averaged 17.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.9 steals for the Chiefs, who went 32-3 overall, 12-0 to win the Heart of Illinois Conference and made a run to a Class 2A sectional championship. Her individual accolades include all-HOIC unanimous first team, IBCA all-state second team and Illinois Media all-state honorable mention .
Canton's Allison Wheeler passes the ball under pressure from Dee-Mack's Mackenzie Knowles, left, and Dalia DeJesus in the first half of their Class 2A girls basketball sectional semifinal Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024 at Ingersoll Gym in Canton. The Chiefs advanced to the final with a 44-34 win over the Little Giants.
Allison Wheeler, Canton
The 6-foot junior forward averaged 12.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals for the Little Giants, who went 25-9 overall, finished third in the Mid-Illini Conference at 10-4 and were a Class 2A sectional semifinalist. Her individual accolades include all-Mid-Illini first team and IBCA all-state special mention .
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CLASS 1A
Emily Dana , Peoria Heights
The 5-foot-6 senior guard averaged 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.8 assists for the Patriots, who went 26-7 overall and made a Class 1A sectional for the first time since 1992. Her individual accolades include all-Prairieland Conference-North Division first team and IBCA all-state special mention .
Havana's Josie Hughes, left, tangles with Brimfield's Ava Heinz in the first half Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 at Brimfield High School. The Ducks defeated the Indians 39-31.
Ava Heinz, Brimfield
The 6-foot junior forward/center averaged 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals for Brimfield, which went 20-12 overall, won the Prairieland Conference-North Division at 4-0 and took second in the ICAC at 6-1. Her individual accolades include unanimous all-Prairieland first team, all-ICAC first team and IBCA all-state third team .
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Mae Herman, Elmwood
The 5-foot-8 senior guard averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals for the Trojans, who finished 22-8 overall and was regional finalist. Her individual accolades include unanimous all-Prairieland Conference-North Division first team, all-ICAC first team and IBCA all-state special mention .
Illini Bluffs' Lily Luczkowiak, left, moves the ball against Altamont's Libby Reardon in the second half of their Class 1A girls basketball state semifinal Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. The Tigers defeated the Lady Indians 60-48 in overtime.
Lily Luczkowiak, Illini Bluffs
The 5-foot-10 senior guard/forward averaged 19.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Tigers, who went 32-5 overall, finishing as the Class 1A state runner-up , while winning the Inter-County Athletic Conference at 7-0 and Tomahawk Conference at 3-0. Her individual accolades include all-ICAC first team, all-Tomahawk first team, IBCA all-state first team and Illinois Media all-state second team .
Abingdon-Avon's Kennedy Quinn, left, moves the ball against Dee-Mack in the first half of their nonconference basketball game Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024 at Dee-Mack High School. The Chiefs routed the Tornadoes 60-31.
Kennedy Quinn , Abingdon-Avon
The 5-foot-6 freshman guard averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.9 steals for the Tornadoes, who went 26-7 overall, winning the Lady Tigers Beardstown Classic and making a run to a Class 1A sectional title game. Her individual accolades include all-Lincoln Trail Conference first team, IBCA all-state second team and Illinois Media all-state honorable mention .
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Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2024 all-area girls basketball team: Top 15 players around Peoria
