Jezelle “GG” Banks, the highly touted sophomore guard from Ursuline Academy, has been named the Delaware girls’ basketball player of the year. The team was announced March 14 by the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association, which conducts the vote along with the state’s head coaches.
For Banks, this is the second consecutive year she has been named player of the year. She also earned that honor last season. She also this week was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year for the second straight season. She was a first-team all-state selection as an eighth-grader.
Banks, who is receiving interest from virtually every women’s college basketball powerhouse, led the Raiders to a 13-10 record, facing a schedule that included several regional and national opponents. Ursuline reached the semifinals of the state tournament, falling to eventual champion Caravel, 58-54.
Joining Banks on the first team are Jada Snow, senior, Sanford; Chastity “Speedy” Wilson, senior, Caravel; Kai Burnette, senior, Smyrna; and Amalia Fruchtman, junior, Cape Henlopen.
Three Catholic school players earned second-team honors: Abby Grillo, a senior at Padua; Archmere junior Bridget Malloy; and St. Elizabeth junior Sklyar Bolden.
Grillo and the Pandas reached the quarterfinals of the tournament, losing to Caravel. Padua finished the season with a 17-5 record. Malloy led the Auks to an 11-11 record and the final berth in the state tournament. The Auks defeated Dover in the first round before falling to Padua in the second. Bolden and the Vikings reached the state championship game, where they fell to Caravel. They finished the season 16-6.
The rest of the second team consists of Cherish Bryant, senior, Caravel; and Maya Hill, senior, Delaware Military.
Taniyah Reese, a St. Elizabeth junior, is on the third team. The remainder of the third team includes Eden Alexander, junior, Delcastle; Amiyah Ellerbe, junior, Smyrna; Sierra Henry, junior, Polytech; and Amira Tingle, senior, Seaford.
Sanai Johnson and Jasmine Butler of Ursuline and ZaMylah Seda-Owens of St. Elizabeth, all juniors, earned honorable mention. The rest of the honorable mentions:
Naomi Allen, junior, Sanford
Asia Adams, sophomore, Sanford
Amanii Brice, senior, A.I. duPont
Ellie Carter-Soriano, senior, Sanford
Glory Furbi-Mbunwe, senior, Howard
Ha’Lena Griffin, sophomore, Howard
Faith Re, senior, Cape Henlopen
Brycelyn Stryckning, junior, Caravel
Jordin Tate, senior, Caravel
Eva Walker, senior, Conrad
Mya Whittington, senior, Indian River
Sara Zionna Benson, senior, Dover
