The Newton County Appeal has released its Girls All-Area Basketball Awards for the 2019-2020 school year. Here are the recipients:
First team
Ja’Leah Hickmon, Jr., Forward, Newton
Why she’s here: Hickmon was the lone returning starter for the Lady Tigers and showed why she was one of the best players in East Central Mississippi. Hickmon averaged 21.2 points a game for the Lady Tigers and averaged 12.4 rebounds a game, helping the Lady Tigers to a 19-9 season. Hickmon was named the Region 6-2A Most Valuable Player for both the regular season and the region tournament.
Zia Shields, Soph., Guard, Newton
Why she’s here: With Hickmon controlling the inside, Shields kept defenses honest with her outside shooting. Shields averaged 20.6 points a game for the Lady Tigers, who finished with a 19-9 record and advanced to the second round of the Class 2A South State playoffs. Shields was named to the 6-2A all-division teams for the regular season and tournament. Shields shot 44 percent from the 3-point line, including one 8-for-8 performance against Philadelphia.
Kamyia Russell, Soph, Guard, Union
Why she’s here: Russell was the complete player for the Lady Yellowjackets, who finished with a 20-10 record and advanced to the second round of the Class 2A playoffs. Russell, who played point guard for the Lady Yellowjackets, averaged 10 points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals. Russell was named to the 6-2A all-division teams for the regular season and tournament.
Nahriah Brown, Jr., Guard, Newton County
Why she’s here: Brown helped guide the Lady Cougars to a 20-win season and a 14-game winning streak and the 5-4A regular-season championship. Brown led the Lady Cougars in scoring, averaging 9 points a game along with three rebounds a game and two steals a contest. Brown was named the Division 5-4A all-division team.
Laneisha Palm, Freshman, small forward, Lake
Why she’s here: Palm averaged 15 points a game and six rebounds a contest for the Lady Hornets last season as they went 15-12 and made the Class 2A South State playoffs. Palm was selected to the 6-2A all-division team and was 6-2A all-tournament team. She was named to the All Scott County Tournament team. Palm is also a member of the Lake softball team.
Second team
Belle Hollingsworth, Soph, Guard, Newton County Academy
Why she’s here: Hollingsworth averaged 8.5 points a game for the Lady Generals, leading the team in scoring. Hollingsworth was an all-district selection for the Lady Generals. Hollingsworth is also a standout in softball and tennis, where she finished second in Class AA last year in No. 2 girls doubles.
Keasja Wansley, Sr., Guard, Newton County
Why she’s here: Wansley was a lockdown defender for the Lady Cougars, who went 20-10 last year and was named the Division 5-4A defensive player of the year by the coaches. Wansley averaged seven points and five rebounds a game for the Lady Cougars, who were the 5-4A regular-season champions.
Keirra Russell, Union
Why she’s here: The other half of the Russell twins, Keirra helped the Lady Yellowjackets to a 23-8 record, a second-place finish in the 6-2A tournament and thrilling 41-38 first-round win over St. Patrick in the Class 2A playoffs. Russell led the Lady Yellowjackets in scoring with 13 points, four assists, four rebounds and three assists a game.
Laurel Breland, Jr., Guard, Lake
Why she’s here: Averaged 9.5 points a game and was the Lady Hornets best 3-point shooter. Breland is also a standout on the softball diamond, where she helped guide the Lady Hornets to a state championship in slow-pitch softball this past season. Breland is also expected to play college softball after finishing her career at Lake.
Christaysia Denson, Soph., Guard, Newton County
Why she’s here: Denson was another undersized player for the Lady Cougars and finished the year averaging 7.8 points, two steals and one steal a game. Denson was named an all-division 5-4A pick for the Lady Cougars, who went 20-10 on the season.
Honorable mention
D’Nara Barton, Soph., Small Forward, Lake
Madison Buckley, Soph., Union
Ameria Ervin, Jr., Guard, Lake
Trinity Lambert, Jr., Union
Jayden Mack, Jr., Newton County
Remini Nickey, Soph, Newton County
Asten Russell, Jr., Newton County Academy
Jordan Russell, Sr, Newton County Academy
Keshona Smoot, Jr, Union
Kaliyah Temple, Sr., Union
Cornesha Jones, Sr., Newton
