4A SIC girls basketball preview: Ranking the top teams, players to watch this winter
The Southern Idaho Conference long dominated the 4A classification in girls basketball. But the league has taken a step back in recent years, winning just one state title in the last five seasons.
A crop of deep and talented rosters hopes to reverse that streak this winter. We broke down each team and scouted the league’s top players below.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Zoey Moore, Middleton
The senior enters her fourth year in the Vikings lineup and remains one of the state’s top guards and most dangerous shooters. She poured in 10.5 points per game to earn first-team all-conference honors last year and can take over any game in the blink of an eye.
“(She’s) very fluid with the ball in her hands, and she has excellent vision on the court,” Vallivue coach Jordan Ax said. “She’ll be a handful.”
Jasmyne Boles, Vallivue
The league hasn’t seen an all-around talent like the 5-10 junior point guard in a long time. She broke out as a sophomore to earn first-team all-conference honors while stuffing the stat sheet with 10.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.6 steals and a league-high 3.1 blocks per game.
“She could very well lead several categories in the league, including blocks, rebounds and points,” Caldwell coach Ashley Green said.
Jade Martinez, Caldwell
The Cougars can rely on their own four-year starter at point guard. She does a bit of everything for Caldwell, leading the league in assists (3.9 per game) and steals (3.3) while adding 6.0 points and 4.3 rebounds a night last season.
“(She) is in complete control of Coach Green’s system and is a big-time player in big moments,” Kuna coach Dennis Jordan said. “She can handle defensive pressure with the ball in her hand as well as apply it as a defender.”
Miaja Mills, Kuna
The Kavemen can rely on one of the league’s most dominating posts night in and night out. The senior is coming off a first-team all-conference season that saw her average 9.8 points and 7.0 rebounds, numbers sure to go up on a stacked Kuna team.
“(She’s a) great all-around player, and (she) has a good inside and outside presence,” Green said.
Jazzy Jenkins, Emmett
A sharp shooter with a lightning-quick release, opponents quickly learned not to take their eyes off the shooting guard as she finished third in the league in scoring (12.5 points per game) a year ago. She’s the league’s top returning scorer, and don’t expect the junior to slow down anytime soon.
“Jazzy stretches the floor and teams are required to account for her at all times,” Ax said. “She influences the game with and without the ball in her hands as well as anyone.”
THE FAVORITE
MIDDLETON VIKINGS
Last season: 24-3, 15-1 4A SIC
Coach: Jacob Doty, first season
Returning starters: Zoey Moore, sr., W; Sylvia Conley, sr., P; Ashley Campbell, sr., G
One of the state’s top programs year in and year out will have its third coach in three years after Nichole Williamson resigned in the fall. Jacob Doty takes over the team on an interim basis, but he has plenty of talent to work with as the defending district and conference champ starts as the preseason favorite.
He said the Vikings have loads of speed and will push the ball up the court, a departure from their lockdown defensive days. But don’t expect the league’s top defense (33.7 points per game) to slack off.
THE CONTENDERS
KUNA KAVEMEN
Last season: 14-11, 11-5 4A SIC
Coach: Dennis Jordan, second season
Returning starters: Maija Mills, sr., P; Darbi Avery, jr., G/P; Cadence Mann, so., G; Lexy Haws, jr., G; Gracee Gustin, jr., PG
Kuna broke in a young lineup and new coach a year ago, but it still made a late-season run to fall one win shy of the state tournament. After losing just one senior role player, the Kavemen now get to reap the rewards of that youth movement.
Maija Mills gives Kuna one of the conference’s top low-post threats, and a host of athletic guards in the second year of a pressure defense will make the Kavemen tough to score on.
CALDWELL COUGARS
Last season: 21-6, 13-3 4A SIC
Coach: Ashley Green, second season
Returning starters: Jade Martinez, sr., PG; Delle Bower, sr., G/F; Katrina Wallejo, sr., G
The Cougars got a taste of championship-level basketball by reaching the state finals last year. And after finishing second at district and state, Caldwell coach Ashley Green said her team has its eyes on bigger trophies.
Caldwell will have to replace conference player of the year Jalen Callender. But it has plenty of experienced, athletic guards to maintain the breakneck pace that has given opponents fits and led to 39 wins in the past two years.
THE DARK HORSES
BISHOP KELLY KNIGHTS
Last season: 18-7, 13-3 4A SIC
Coach: Derek McCormick, 13th season
Returning starters: Ali Chatterton, jr., G; Anna Schmautz, so., G
After a rare February without a trip to state, Bishop Kelly starts the year trying to break in a host of new players. Graduation cost the Knights their top two scorers, so Bishop Kelly coach Derek McCormick is looking for someone to step up and shoulder the scoring load.
A deep and athletic top eight players give the Knights options. And it can rely on Ali Chatterton to keep the offense running. The Boise State soccer commit scored 6.5 points a game and ranked second in the league with 3.1 assists a year ago.
EMMETT HUSKIES
Last season: 7-16, 6-10 4A SIC
Coach: Stu Peterson, second season
Returning starters: Gemma LaVergne, sr., PG; Jazzy Jenkins, jr., G
The Huskies return two of the league’s top scorers and shooters in Jazzy Jenkins (12.5 ppg) and Gemma LaVergne (11.5 ppg). The pair combined for 72 percent of Emmett’s scoring a year ago, a feat that makes it hard to climb the conference standings.
But Emmett coach Stu Peterson said the Huskies have added more depth to their varsity roster, which will help keep teams from selling out to stop their top two options.
THE UNDERDOGS
NAMPA BULLDOGS
Last season: 10-14, 5-11 4A SIC
Coach: Jack Dooley, second season
Returning starters: Piper Curry, so., G; Audrah Radford, so., F; Hanna Seabaugh, sr., G; Ashlyn Nichols, jr., F
Nampa turned to a pair of freshmen last year to reverse its fortunes. And it paid off as Piper Curry (11.5 ppg, 2.5 steals) and Audrah Radford (7.1 ppg, 6.2 rebounds) led the Bulldogs to 10 wins, a seven-win improvement from 2017-18. Another year in Jack Dooley’s system and four returning starters have Nampa eyeing the next step.
VALLIVUE FALCONS
Last season: 7-16, 6-10 4A SIC
Coach: Jordan Ax, first season
Returning starters: Jasmyne Boles, sr., PG
The Falcons enter a new era under Jordan Ax. Graduation cost him the conference’s leading scorer in Tawni Morrison (13.4 ppg). Senior point guard Jasmyne Boles will contend to bring that title back to Vallivue, but she’ll find herself surrounded by new faces adjusting to the varsity level.
COLUMBIA WILDCATS
Last season: 2-19, 1-15 4A SIC
Coach: Neal Robertson, first season
Returning starters: Molly Simpson, Mia Nottingham, Sage Myers
Graduation cost the Wildcats their leading scorer (Karen Vega), and then their second-leading scorer (Lexi Robertson) went down with an ACL injury. That makes the climb out of the conference cellar even tougher for a program that is 4-59 in its last three seasons. But Neal Robertson brings a fresh voice and has three returning starters to work with.
RIDGEVUE WARHAWKS
Last season: 2-21, 2-14 4A SIC
Coach: Dean Metzger, first season
Returning starters: None
First-year coach Dean Metzger steps in as the third coach in the four-year program’s history. He’ll have to establish a new tradition after Ridgevue went 5-64 in its first three years. But he said the program is growing and finally can benefit from players who came up through the system together.
This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 2:24 PM.
