Jezelle “GG” Banks, who helped lead Ursuline to the 2023-24 girls basketball state championship, has been named the girls player of the year. The player of the year and the all-state teams were announced March 18 by the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association. Writers who regularly cover the sport have a vote, as do the state’s head coaches.
Banks, a freshman, led the Raiders with 29 points in the title game, including the winning free throw with 1.9 seconds left against Caravel. Ursuline finished the season 18-6 and the second seed in the state tournament. The victory earned the school its 18th state title. Last week, Banks was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year.
Her teammate, freshman Taylor Brown, also earned a spot on the first team. Brown had 16 points in the final, and she teamed with Banks to form perhaps the most dangerous tandem in the state. One other Catholic school product, St. Elizabeth senior Ericka Huggins, is on the first team as well. Huggins, the Vikings’ leading scorer, helped St. E’s to an 18-4 record and the third seed in the state tournament. They defeated Delaware Military before falling to Sanford in the quarterfinals.
The other members of the first team are Tyler Edwards, senior, Sanford; and Chastity “Speedy” Wilson, junior, Caravel.
Two Catholic school players made the second team. Abby Grillo, a junior from Padua, led the resurgent Pandas to a 16-5 record and the fourth seed in the tournament, where they lost in the second round to A.I. duPont. She was their leading scorer this season and had 37 against A.I. during an overtime regular-season win. Lucy Oliver, a senior from Archmere, helped the Auks to a record of 12-9 and the ninth seed in the state tournament. The Auks lost to Smyrna in the first round. Oliver scored her 1000th point this season.
The other members of the second team are Sydney Hilliard, senior, A.I. DuPont; Reghan Robinson, senior, Woodbridge; and Jada Snow, junior, Sanford.
The third team consists of Cherish Bryant, junior, Caravel; Kai Burnette, junior, Smyrna; Amalia Fruchtman, sophomore, Cape Henlopen; Maya Hill, junior, Delaware Military; and Anaya Price, senior, Caravel.
A pair of Spartans from Saint Mark’s earned honorable mention. They are Lauren McDonald, a senior, and Sophia Baffone, a sophomore. The Spartans went 13-9 this season, getting the 14th seed in the state tournament. They defeated Cape Henlopen in the first round before falling to Ursuline.
The rest of the honorable mentions are as follows:
Maleyah Bell, senior, Sussex Tech
Sara Benson, junior, Dover
Delaney Burroughs, senior, Odessa
Jasiyah Crawford, senior, Caravel
Journey Handy, senior, Delmarva Christian
Ny’Aijah Jackson, senior, A.I. DuPont
Danielle Kanse, senior, Wilmington Charter
Kaniah Murray-Chambers, senior, Howard
Faith Re, junior, Cape Henlopen
Kyla Reed, senior, Appoquinimink
Amira Tingle, junior, Seaford
Ashtyn Torbert, senior, Dover
Eva Walker, junior, Conrad
