These 2 high school girls’ teams will be battling for basketball supremacy this season
One of the highlights of the 2019-2020 girls’ basketball season figures to take place Jan. 3, when Miami High challenges Miami Country Day in the New Year’s Classic in Coral Springs.
Miami High, coached by Sam Baumgarten, has won three state titles (2005, 2014, 2015) and finished second four times (2004, 2013, 2018, 2019) in the past decade-plus.
But Miami Country Day, which has won six state titles in a row under coach Ochiel Swaby, has become more of a national team. The Spartans won the Geico National tournament in 2015 and 2017. Last year, they won the prestigious Tournament of Champions tournament in Arizona and lost in the Geico Nationals semifinals to the eventual champs.
“No knock on Miami High — they’re a good team,” Swaby said. “But I would say that [Jan. 3] game is a bigger deal for them than for us. We play teams that are much more talented nationally than them. For us, [Miami High] will be just another game.”
Baumgarten, who took Miami High to the Geico Nationals semifinals in 2014, actually agreed with Swaby.
“[Swaby] has a point,” Baumgarten said. “But we play teams of higher caliber as well. Us against [MCD] will be great for South Florida.”
Baumgarten also pointed out that his Stings beat MCD the last time the teams played, on Jan. 20, 2014. Beatrice Mompremier, now an All-American center for the Miami Hurricanes, was on the Stings when they handed MCD what stands as the last loss the Spartans have suffered against a Miami team.
Miami High this season will be led by 5-11 senior forward Colleen Bucknor, who has committed to the University of Central Florida. She averaged 15.1 points and 12.0 rebounds last season and will team in the frontcourt with Sema’j Terry, a 6-2 senior transfer from Ferguson who is still developing on offense.
The Stings also have an array of talented guards, including seniors Jeannie Scott and Darria Whitley, junior Kiara Cruz and sophomore Janay Quinn.
“This will be one of my highest-scoring teams,” Baumgarten said. “Bucknor is one of those ‘new generation’ players who can be used at multiple positions, and Scott is a lights-out shooter.”
MCD, which finished No. 2 in the nation last season according to USA Today’s rankings, graduated three starters: forward Koi Love, who signed with Vanderbilt; sharp-shooting guard Maria Alvarez (USF); and guard Jayda Theodule (St. Thomas University).
Those three join many other MCD graduates who are still playing basketball, including Danielle Minott (pro ball in Spain); Kelsey Marshall (UM); Chanise Lewis (Maryland); Ogechi Anyagaligbo (Kentucky); Michelle Berry (Texas Christian); and Asha Taylor (Dartmouth).
This season, the Spartans are loaded again and have one player who has already chosen her college: 6-9 center Chantell Gonzalez, who is going to Siena after averaging 2.5 blocks per game last season.
MCD’s star is 5-9 sophomore guard Sydney Shaw, who averaged 9.8 points as a freshman but will now be the No. 1 scoring option.
Two other likely starters are 5-7 sophomore Emani Theodule (Jayda’s sister) and 6-0 junior Andrea Daley (a Monsignor Pace transfer).
Swaby said an eighth-grader, 6-0 wing Gianna Corbitt, could start, which is a testament to her talent. In fact, Swaby said he has three other eighth-graders — Kayla Nelms, Charisse Martin and Khadee Hession — who are part of what could be the best class in school history.
But all that youth makes Swaby sweat.
“We have talent,” Swaby said. “But we lost a lot of experience in Maria and Koi, and I’m a bit nervous playing a national schedule with so many young players.”
2019 STATE CHAMPS
▪ Class 9A: Wekiva
▪ Class 8A: Tampa Bay Tech
▪ Class 7A: Dillard
▪ Class 6A: Plantation American Heritage
▪ Class 5A: Oxbridge Academy
▪ Class 4A: Miami Country Day
▪ Class 3A: Somerset Prep
▪ Class 2A: Florida Prep
▪ Class 1A: Trenton
KEY DATES
▪ Nov. 18: season opens
▪ Feb. 13, 18, 21: regional playoffs
▪ Feb. 26-29: state playoffs in Lakeland
BREAKDOWN
The state has consolidated from nine classes to seven. There are no South Florida schools in 1A, but here’s a look at the other classes:
▪7A: Wekiva, the champ of last season’s highest-enrollment class, has moved down to 6A, leaving state runner-up Miami High as the favorite. Krop, led by first-team all-county guard Lindsey Weingard, hopes to challenge. Miramar and Everglades are two other teams to watch. Kendall Deal, Everglades’ 5-10 senior wing, averaged 17.0 points last season.
▪ 6A: This might be the most competitive class in the state with 7A state champ Dillard, 8A state runner-up Aquinas and 8A regional semifinalist Ely. Other teams to watch include Lourdes, South Broward, Nova and Doral. Lourdes, which shoots it well but lacks size, will look to knock off some giants.
▪ 5A: Plantation American Heritage won a state title in 6A last season and brings back the Wyche twins, 6-3 junior centers Taiyah and Tatyana. They combined to average 20 points and 22 rebounds last season. Norland, with junior guard Jaiyah Harris-Smith and senior forward Ronaltha Marc, is expected to challenge along with Central, which boasts 6-0 senior forward Kayla Clark.
▪ 4A: Keys Gate, which made the state semifinals last season, is the favorite with junior guard Amari Hunter and senior wing Rihanna Moore. But Gulliver Prep returns four starters from a 21-7 team that made the regional semifinals. Gulliver has 5-7 senior guard Kaitlyn Sanders, a college prospect who averaged 17.3 points; 6-0 sophomore forward Riana Doctor and 5-2 freshman guard Madi Aguilera.
▪ 3A: MCD is the huge favorite but two 2019 state champs will challenge: Oxbridge (5A) and Somerset Prep (3A). Westminster Academy and Palmer Trinity – both regional finalists – will be led by coach’s daughters. WA’s Emma Wallhoff is a sixth-year varsity guard and averaged 19.6 points last season as a first-team all-county player. PT’s Emily Montes averaged 14.0 points and 5.0 assists as an eighth-grader last season.
▪ 2A: Miami Christian, which lost by three points in the state semifinals last season, hopes to go two steps further this time. However, only two players return from that roster.