Your Prep Sports Area Girls Basketball Players to Watch
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The girls basketball season officially opened for teams around the state last week.
Action really heats up this week with every team in the state seeking to earn a spot at the 2026 state tournament which is scheduled to be held March 2-7 at the Casey’s Center in Des Moines.
As the season gets underway Your Prep Sports takes a look at 10 area players to watch this season.
Natalie Ramsey
Senior, Liberty High
Ramsey had a breakthrough junior season in which she led Liberty High to a 17-7 record and the first state tournament appearance in program history.
A South Dakota recruit, Ramsey earned Class 5A first-team all-state honors from the Iowa Print Sports writers association and was a unanimous Mississippi Valley Conference all-Mississippi Division first team pick after ranking second in 5A in scoring and third in rebounding.
Ramsey was one of only two players in 5A to average a double-double last season, averaging a career-high 22.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while helping the Lightning to a program-record in wins.
The 6-foot Ramsey, scoring double figures in all 24 games and had 20 or more points 15 times including a career-high 40 points in a regional final win over City High.
Ramsey had 17 double-doubles and shot 49 percent from the floor including 33 percent from beyond the 3-point line, and shot 84 percent from the free throw line while ranking second in 5A in both free throws made (111) and free throws attempted (133).
Ramsey also averaged 2 steals, 1.5 assists and 1 blocked shot per game.
Averie Lower
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
Among the top players in the state Lower is coming off a junior season in which she averaged career highs in points, rebounds assists and steals while helping the Clippers to a 15-8 record and a spot in a Class 4A regional title game.
Lower was a first-team Class 4A all-state pick by both the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association and Iowa Girls Coaches Association after ranking seventh in the state in scoring with 22.5 points per game.
An Arizona State recruit, Lower scored in double figures in all 23 games and had 20 or more points 16 titles on her way to being named WAMAC West Division player of the year for the second consecutive season.
Lower averaged 9.3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.9 steals per game to go with .9 blocked shots last season.
The 6-foot Lower shot 48 percent from the floor including 42 percent from 3-point range (92-of-219) and shot 85 percent from the free throw lien (56-of-66).
Grace Fincham
Senior, West High
Among the top players in the state, Fincham is coming off a junior season in which she earned Class 5A all-state honors for the second consecutive season.
A Drake recruit, Fincham posted career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals while leading West High to a 15-9 record and a spot in a Class 5A regional final.
Fincham was a unanimous Mississippi Valley Conference all-Mississippi Division first team selection after leading West High with 16 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game last season.
The 5-foot-10 Fincham scored in double figures in 20 of 24 games last season and scored 20 or more points seven times.
Fincham had six double-doubles and averaged 3.2 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor and 65 percent from the free throw line.
Addie McLaughlin
Sophomore, Regina
McLaughlin burst onto the high school scene last season earning first team Class 2A all-state honors from the Iowa Print Sports Writers association in her debut season.
The 5-foot-5 McLaughlin led Regina in assists and ranked second on the team in scoring and steals and was fourth in rebounds while helping the Regals to a 24-2 record and a spot in the 2A semifinals.
McLaughlin averaged 17 points. 5.6 assists, 4.1 steals and 4.1 rebounds per game in her freshman season.
Her 5.6 assists per game ranked 15th in the state and fourth in 2A and McLaughlin ranked fourth in the state among freshman in scoring at 17 points per game.
McLaughlin scored in double figures in 25 of 26 games last season and had seven games with 20 or more points.
A unanimous all-RVC South Division first-team pick, McLaughlin shot 50 percent from the floor, 39 percent from 3-point range (51-131) and 78 percent from the free throw line (28-36).
Kaitlin Loria
Junior, City High
A candidate for a big-time breakthrough this season, Loria followed up a strong freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign a year ago.
Already a three-year starter, Loria averaged a career-best 12.2 points per game last season while helping the Little Hawks to a 16-8 record and a spot in a Class 5A regional title game.
Loria averaged 6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game last season to go with her 12.2 points per game on her way to earning Mississippi Valley Conference all-Valley Division second team honors.
The 5-foot-10 Loria was efficient a season ago shooting 56 percent from the floor (115-of-205) and 65 percent from the free throw line (58-of-90).
Sasha Baldwin
Junior, West High
Baldwin followed up a strong freshman season with a strong sophomore campaign in which she continued to establish herself as one of the top guards in the state.
The 5-foot-7 Baldwin earned second team MVC all-Mississippi Division honors while averaging career-highs in points, rebounds and steals.
Baldwin averaged 11.2 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the floor including 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line (55-of-138).
An 80 percent free throw shooter (43-of-54) Baldwin averaged 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game while helping the Trojans to a 15-9 record and a spot in the 5A regional title game.
Delainey Durr
Senior, Solon
Durr had a breakthrough season a year ago leading Solon in scoring and made 3-pointsers while ranking on the team in assists helping the Spartans to a 12-11 record and a spot in a 3A regional semifinal.
The 5-foot-7 Durr averaged 12.3 points per game and shot 34 percent from 3-point range while hitting a team-best 53 3-pointers.
Durr added 3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game in her first season as a full-time starter on her way to earning second-team all-WAMAC East Division honors.
A Coe College recruit, Durr shot 46 percent from the floor and 63 percent from the free throw line last season.
Kennedy Simpson
Senior, West Branch
After ranking second on the team in scoring while mostly coming off the bench as a sophomore Simpson flourished in her first season as a starter a year ago.
Simpson led West Branch in scoring with 10.9 points per game on her way to earning all-River Valley Conference South Division second team honors.
The 5-foot-9 Simpson averaged career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals last season helping West Branch to a 3-19 record.
Simpson averaged 5.4 rebounds, .9 assists and .9 steals per game last season to go with her team-high 10.9 points per contest.
She shot 29 percent from 3-point range and led the Bears with 27 made 3-pointers and shot 57 percent from the free throw line while ranking second on the team in free throw makes (34) and attempts (60).
Lena Evans
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
Evans exploded last season in her first year as a full-time starter establishing herself as one of the top players in Class 4A.
The 5-foot-8 Evans averaged career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals on her way to being a unanimous all-WAMAC West Division selection last season.
Evans scored in double figures in 20 of 22 games last season and scored 20 or more points in nine of her final 13 games while helping Clear Creek Amana to a 15-8 record and a spot in a 4A regional title game.
A Doane College recruit, Evans averaged 17.4 points while shooting 48 percent from the field including 37 percent from 3-point range (35-of-96) and 77 percent (66-of-86) from the free throw line.
Evans also averaged 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game and led Clear Creek Amana with 3.8 steals per game.
Tessa Driscoll
Senior, City High
A four-year starter Driscoll brings experience and poise to the City High backcourt and will seek to put the finishing touches on a stellar career with a big senior season.
Driscoll has been a double-digit scorer each of the past three seasons and enters her final prep season with 778 career points.
The 5-foot-6 point guard is coming of junior season in which she earned honorable mention all-Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division honorable mention status after averaging 10.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
Driscoll shot 48 percent from the field, including 33 percent from 3-point range last season, and a team-high 77 percent from the free throw line while leading the Little Hawks with 43 made 3-pointers.
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