The 2024 Your Prep Sports Area Girls Basketball Team
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The 2023-2024 girls basketball season was a memorable one in the Your Prep Sports area.
Four area teams advanced to regional title games with Clear Creek Amana and Solon reaching the state tournament.
Clear Creek Amana completed an unbeaten season by winning the Class 4A state title for its first ever championship.
Solon claimed the Class 3A crown for its first state title since 1998.
The annual Your Prep Sports area girls basketball team features five players from those two state title squads.
This year’s 10-member team features all-state and all-conference players, school record holders and college recruits.
There are seven repeat selections on the 2024 squad including Clear Creek Amana senior forward Ava Locklear who is a three-time Your Prep Sports all-area pick.
Clear Creek Amana senior Bliss Beck, City High junior August Palmer, Solon senior Hailey Miller, Regina senior Alli Clark and Regina junior Morgan Miller are all appearing on the Your Prep Sports all-area team for the second time.
Solon senior Callie Levin, who was named Miss Iowa Basketball after leading the Spartans to the 3A state title, is the captain of the 2024 team.
Levin is a four-time Your Prep Sports all-area selection and led Solon with 22 points, 4.8 steals and 4.5 assists per game.
*Callie Levin
5-9, Sr., Solon
Among the best and most productive players in the state the past four seasons Levin capped a brilliant prep career with her best season yet.
The Iowa recruit averaged career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals while leading Solon to a 24-3 record and the Class 3A state title.
Levin became the first Solon player to be named Miss Iowa Basketball and earned first-team all-state honors from both the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association and Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
The four-time WAMAC East Division player of the year, Levin was the only player in the state this season to average better than 20 points, four steals, four assists and six rebounds per game.
Levin averaged 22 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.8 steals and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor, including a career-best 37.1 percent from 3-point range, and 77 percent from the free throw line.
The 22 points per game for Levin ranked 10th in the state while her 4.8 steals per game ranked 20th in the state.
Levin scored in double figures in 26 of 27 games, scored 20 or more points in 20 games including a single-game school-record 40 points in a win over Regina.
The 5-foot-9 Levin averaged 18.7 points, five rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals in three state-tournament wins, capped by a 27-point, seven-rebound, five-assist effort in the title game, on her way to being named to the 3A all-tournament team.
Levin finished her career with 1,984 points, 535 rebounds, 417 steals and 412 assists.
Ava Locklear
5-11, Sr., Clear Creek Amana
One of the most uniquely skilled players in the state Locklear did a little bit of everything while leading Clear Creek Amana to an unbeaten 26-0 season and the first state title in program history.
The 5-foot-11 Locklear averaged a double-double with 12.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game and also led Clear Creek Amana in assists and ranked second on the team in steals and blocked shots.
Of the 45 players statewide to average a double-double this season, Locklear was the only one to also average more than 4 assists per game.
A first-team all-state selection by both the IPSWA and IGCA, Locklear averaged 4.2 assists, 2.1 blocked shots and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 72 percent from the free throw line.
Locklear had 11 double-doubles on the season and had single game season-highs of 26 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and seven blocks.
A Saginaw Valley State recruit Locklear put her unique all-around game on display on the state’s biggest stage.
She was finished one assist shy of a triple-double in a quarterfinal win over Gilbert putting up 14 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists.
Locklear averaged 14 points, 14.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in three games at state tournament on her way to being named the captain of the 4A all-tournament team.
Locklear set the 4A state tournament single-game records for assists (9) and rebounds (19) and also set a 4A state tournament record with 43 total rebounds.
The 5-foot-11 Locklear closed her carer with 1,053 points, 774 rebounds, 231 assists, 149 blocks and 138 steals.
Morgan Miller
5-6, Jr., Regina
Miller continued to establish herself as one of the top point guards in the state posting career highs in points, rebounds and steals while leading the Regals to a 19-5 record and a spot in a Class 2A regional title game.
Already a three-year starter and 1,000-point scorer Miller had the best season of her career leading the Regals with 19.5 points, 3.9 steals and 3.8 assists per game while earning first-team all-state honors from both the IPSWA and IGCA.
The River Valley Conference South Division player of the year, Miller shot 49 percent from the field including 33 percent from 3-point range while leading the Regals with 64 made 3-pointers.
Miller scored in double figures in 22 of 24 games this season and scored 20 or more points 13 times including in six of the final eight games.
The 5-foot-6 Miller had four double-doubles this season, two with points and rebounds and two with points and steals.
Grace Fincham
5-11, Soph., West High
A rising star Fincham emerged as one of the top young players in the state with a breakthrough sophomore season in which she led West High in points, rebounds and steals while helping the Trojans to a 13-10 record and a spot in the regional title game.
Fincham averaged career-highs of 15.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game and ranked second on the team with two assists while earning third-team all-state honors from the IPSWA.
A MVC all-Valley Division first pick, Fincham was efficient, shooting 53 percent from the floor and 65 percent from the free throw line while leading West High in free throw makes (47) and attempts (72).
Fincham scored in double digits in 20 of 23 games this season and had four games with 20 or more points including a career-high 33 points in a win over City High.
The 5-foot-11 Fincham had five double-doubles in 23 games including three in her final nine games.
Natalie Ramsey
5-11, Soph., Liberty
One of the top newcomers in Class 5A this season Ramsey makes her debut appearance on the Your Prep Sports all-area team following a breakthrough sophomore campaign in which she led the Lightning in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocked shots.
In her first season as a varsity starter Ramsey quickly emerged as a major weapon on both ends of the court averaging 14.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals on her way to being named to the Mississippi Valley Conference all-Mississippi Division first team.
Ramsey wasn’t just productive she was efficient, shooting 50 percent from the floor, including 37 percent from beyond the 3-point line.
The 5-foot-11 Ramsey shot 80 percent from the free throw line while leading the Lightning in both free throw makes (71) and attempts (89).
Ramsey scored in double figures in 16 of 20 games this season including 15 of the final 17 games as Liberty High (11-9) won nine of its final 12 games after a 2-6 start.
Averie Lower
5-10, Soph., Clear Creek Amana
One of the fastest rising stars in the state Lower emerged as one of the state’s top shooters during a breakthrough sophomore season in which she led 4A champion Clear Creek Amana in scoring.
Lower averaged a team-high 17.7 points per game and led the Clippers with 2.5 steals per game as Clear Creek Amana went unbeaten on its way to the 4A title.
The 5-foot-10 Lower ranked third in the state in both made 3-pointers (89) and three-point percentage (49.7) while shooting a blistering 58.2 percent from the floor.
A first-team all-state selection from the IPSWA, Lower was a unanimous all-WAMAC West Division pick.
Lower averaged 5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game to go with her team-high 17.7 points and 2.5 steals.
In her second varsity season Lower was as consistent as she was productive scoring in double figures in 24 of 26 games and posting 10 games with 20 or more points.
Lower averaged 16.7 points and six rebounds in three state tournament games and set a Class 4A tournament record with 12 3-pointers on her way to being named to the all-tournament team.
Hailey Miller
5-7, Sr., Solon
A strong finish to a breakthrough junior season thrust Miller into the spotlight a year ago as she earned all-tournament team honors after helping Solon reach the 3A semifinals.
Miller picked up right where she left off this season capping her career with her best season yet and a state title.
The 5-foot-7 Miller was a first-team all-state pick by both the IPSWA and IGCA and a unanimous all-WAMAC West Division selection after averaging a career-high 13.5 points while helping Solon to a 24-3 record and the Class 3A state title.
Miller scored in double figures in 22 of 27 games this season, including a career-high 30 points in a win over Williamsburg.
She shot 41 percent from the floor, including a career-best 33 percent from 3-point range, and 71 percent from the foul line.
Miller also averaged 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
For the second year in a row Miller played her best basketball on the state’s biggest stage scoring in double figures in all three state tournament games.
Miller averaged 13.3 points and 4.3 rebounds at the state tournament while earning 3A all-tournament honors for the second consecutive season.
Alli Clark
5-6, Sr., Regina
A key component in an impressive four-year run for Regina Clark capped an impressive career with a strong senior season in which she ranked second on the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals.
A three-year starter and four-year varsity contributor Clark helped the Regals post a 72-23 record over the past three seasons, a stretch that included a pair of state tournament appearances and a 60-15 mark the past three seasons.
Clark was among the most versatile players in Class 2A this season averaging 13 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
A unanimous first team all-RVC South Division selection, Clark shot 49 percent from the floor, including 28 percent from 3-point range, and 71 percent from the free throw line.
Clark scored in double figures in 17 of 24 games this season and had 15 or more points in 15 games.
August Palmer
5-10, Jr., City High
A versatile player on both ends of the court Palmer continued to impress during a strong junior season that landed her on the Your Prep Sports all-area team for a second consecutive season.
Palmer earned first-team all-Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division honors after leading City High in points, assists and steals while helping the Little Hawks to an 8-15 record.
The 5-foot-10 Palmer scored in double figures in 18 of 23 games and scored 20 or more points six times including a season-high 27 points against Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
Palmer averaged 14.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 36 percent from the field and 65 percent from the free throw line.
Bliss Beck
6-2, Sr., Clear Creek Amana
One of the most disruptive post defenders and efficient offensive players in the state Beck was a cornerstone in the most successful three-year run in Clear Creek Amana history.
Clear Creek Amana went 60-12 and reached the state tournament twice over the past three seasons with Beck as a starter, a stretch capped by a 26-0 mark this season that ended with a 4A state title.
The 6-foot-2 Beck was a big part of that success.
Beck averaged 7.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and led Clear Creek Amana with 2.2 blocked shots per contest on her way to earning third-team all-state honors from the IPSWA.
A first-team all-WAMAC West Division selection, Beck ranked third in the state in field goal percentage shooting 64 percent from the floor.
Beck was at her best on the defensive end where she had six games with double-digit rebounds and blocked two or more shots in 17 of 26 games.
A Drake volleyball recruit, Beck averaged 10.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots in three state tournament games and was named to the 4A all-tournament team.
In three varsity seasons Beck shot a combined 61.8 percent from the floor (271-of-438) and amassed 658 points, 494 rebounds and 113 blocked shots.
*-Denotes Team Captain
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