JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Three McDonald’s All-Americans. More than a dozen state championships. Girls basketball on the First Coast has been exceptional over the past 25 years.
Sure, Ribault, the state’s most successful program, has been at the forefront of that march, but the playmakers stretch beyond just Winton Drive.
This week, we continue honoring our top high school athletes of the past 25 years in the time period from 1995-2019. Girls basketball takes center stage this week, just like boys basketball and football before it.
News4Jax All-25 coverage
Feb. 8: Football
Feb. 15: Boys basketball
Today: Girls basketball
Coming next week: Baseball
Before readers claim a player or two was omitted, consider a few things first.
Points alone do not warrant inclusion on the list.
State championships, all-city selections and tenure are highly valued. Our starting six features three McDonald’s All-Americans, a combined 11 city player of the year honors, 13 state titles and 17 first-team all-city selections among them in the 25-year window.
And check the dates on some of the best players who are not on the list.
Ribault’s Carlisa Thomas’ final season of a three-year career that netted 1,963 points, 1,605 rebounds and 1,224 assists, according to Florida Times-Union archives, came in 1983.
Bishop Kenny’s run of three consecutive state championships occurred from 1990-92, and with it, one of the best players in Crusaders’ history (Angie Farah) leading the way. Ribault star guards Kim Gallon and Claudrena Harold last played in 1994, a 31-0 season that ended with a Class 3A state title.
That’s the same year that Paxon scoring machine Gail Wiley was wrapping up a career that was dotted annually with 30-plus point per game scoring averages.
While college and professional accolades can enhance a player’s resume, the team is based on high school credentials alone. Input from multiple coaches and several assistant coaches went in to helping determine the team.
The only other stipulation is that players beyond 1995 needed to play two seasons in the area to be considered. Players and coaches on the list are listed alphabetically.
COACHES
Sherri Anthony, Nease
She’s at 620 victories now and could conceivably pass Ribault’s Al Austin in career wins by the time she retires. Anthony recently earned induction into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame and was named the National Federation of High Schools coach of the year last month.
Anthony won her lone state championship in 1999 and played for a title last year. She gets the nod on this list over her mentor, Keystone Heights state hall of famer Kathy Boatwright.
Al Austin, Ribault
There have been none better than Austin, an iconic coach who was inducted into the state hall of fame in 2003. He spent 26 years on the Trojans’ bench, amassing a 721-60 career record and winning a Nike national tournament in 2002. Austin won eight state championships, including five straight from 1999-2003. He averaged 27 wins per season.
Austin’s final game came not as the Trojans coach, but as the East head coach in the McDonald’s All-American game in 2004. How many state coaches have had winning streaks of 101 games or more? One. Austin. On the Mount Rushmore of area high school coaches in major team sports, Austin and Bolles football icon Corky Rogers are at the forefront.
Shelia Seymore-Pennick, Ribault
The coach who had the unenviable task of replacing Austin wound up having an excellent career herself. Seymore-Pennick hit her stride later in her career, winning the first of her four state championships in 2013.
She won district titles in 12 of her 13 seasons, six straight Gateway Conference crowns and the DICK’s Sporting Goods Nationals tournament in 2015. Seymore-Pennick retired after the 2017 season with a 321-64 record.
FIRST TEAM
F Monique Cardenas
School: Keystone Heights
Final season: 1998
College: Florida
Why she’s here: Finished her career as the Indians’ all-time leading scorer (2,805 career points), breaking the previous mark by 581 points. A three-time first-team all-city selection. Four-time first-team all-state selection. Averaged a double-double her junior and senior seasons, and narrowly missed out on that feat as a sophomore (22.3/9.4). Helped lead Indians to state championships in 1995 and 1997. State runner-up in 1996. Reserve as an eighth grader on the 1994 state title team. Started 62 games in her career at Florida and wound up a fourth-round selection by Portland in 2002 WNBA draft. Currently a board certified construction attorney. South Florida Business Journal nominee for one of the top female business executives in South Florida, associate general counsel for Suffolk Construction Company for the past two-and-a-half years
F Rennia Davis
School: Ribault
Final season: 2017
College: Tennessee
Why she’s here: Among the best players, male or female, to play on the First Coast. Helped lead Trojans to 2016 DICK’s Sporting Goods high school national championship. Miss Basketball and Florida Gatorade player of the year as a senior. Just the third girls McDonald’s All-American selection in area history. Three-time all-city first-team selection and two-time top player. Currently in her junior season with the Volunteers and averaging 14.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in her career. Was named to multiple preseason watch lists as one of the top players in the country.
G Steffi Sorensen
School: Bartram Trail
Final season: 2006
College: Florida
Why she’s here: Three-time first-team all-city selection and two-time player of the year. Scored 2,147 career points in four seasons and won the Miss Basketball award in her final season. Signed with Florida Gulf Coast and led the Eagles to the Division II national title game in her lone season there. Transferred to Santa Fe State College and later walked on at Florida, where she played at for two seasons. Started her final 63 college games at Florida and graduated as the top 3-point shooter in Gators history (37.3%). Led Gators in scoring (9.6 ppg) as a senior. Currently a college basketball analyst for ESPN.
G Kelly Stevenson
School: Nease
Final season: 1999
College: Jacksonville
Why she’s here: A four-year player for the Panthers, she was a two-time first-team all-city selection and area’s top player as a senior. Versatile, she was as good of a distributor (785 career assists) as she was a scorer (1,861 career points). MVP of the 1999 state tournament, she led Nease to its lone girls basketball state title that season. Became the first signee in Jacksonville University women’s history but would eventually transfer to Florida after her freshman season. Was a Gators tri-captain as a junior. Played in 39 career games between JU and Florida, with 13 starts. Averaged 2.3 ppg, although a stellar 3-point shooter (33% career). Hampered by a knee injury that occurred during a late 2001 practice and earned a medical hardship. Currently the head coach at Bolles.
G Shante Williams
School: Ribault
Final season: 2003
College: Florida State
Why she’s here: In the conversation as one of the best — male or female — athletes to play in the area. One of just three athletes to earn city player of the year honors all four years in the same sport (Amer Delic in boys tennis, Kellie Wilkerson in softball are the others). Won four state championships in four seasons. First McDonald’s All-American girls basketball player from the area. Scored a Ribault-record 2,780 career points. Teams she played on went a combined 143-3 during her time and had a state-record 101-game winning streak. All-ACC team as a freshman at Florida State. Ranks third in program history in assists (447) and 10th in steals (199). Currently the head basketball coach at her high school alma mater.
G Erica White
School: Ribault
Final season: 2004
College: LSU
Why she’s here: Won three consecutive state championships with the Trojans (2001-03). Was state tournament MVP as a junior. Averaged an area-best 23.7 ppg her final season and became just the second McDonald’s All-American in area history as a senior behind former teammate Williams. Graduated LSU in third place on all-time assists list (519). Second team All-SEC in 2008. Started 91 games in her career at LSU. Averaged 6.3 points and 4.1 assists per game with Tigers. Became first WNBA draft pick from a city school when she was 17th overall selection by the Houston Comets in 2008. Bounced around as an assistant coach on the college level, but currently the head women’s basketball coach at Richland College.
SECOND SIX
G Antoinette Bannister, Potter’s House, 2012
Why she’s here: There has never been another scorer quite like Bannister. From her eighth-grade season on, Bannister was credited with scoring 3,955 career points for the Lions, who played as an independent. Averaged 24.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game during those five seasons. Won state championship as a sixth grader at Shekinah Christian. National Christian School Athletic Association’s national player of the year for her final three seasons. Signed with North Carolina, transferred to Florida and later to East Carolina during her college career. Currently playing professionally overseas.
F Kim Gaskins, Baker County, 1996
Why she’s here: Two exceptional seasons under this criteria. Gaskins was first-team all-city both years and took top player honors as a senior. Averaged 35 points and 14 rebounds a game as a junior, and 31.4 points and 12 rebounds as a senior. Had two games of 60 points or more in 1995, including a career-best 64 against Paxon.
G Alicia Gladden, Orange Park, 2003
Why she’s here: Appeared on all-city team three times. Averaged 18 points, 5.5 rebounds per game as a senior and 17.5/6.2 as a junior. Earned the nickname, “Ice," because opponents couldn’t find a weakness in her game. Went on to play four seasons at Florida State and averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Also, played professionally for five seasons. Tragically, she was killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver in 2013. Gladden was 27.
C Camille Hobby, Nease, 2019
Why she’s here: She only played two seasons in the area, but they were exceptional seasons. Averaged 16.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in her time. Earned all-city top player honors both seasons and the state’s Miss Basketball award as a senior. Teams she was on went a combined 56-6 and played for the 2019 state title. Currently a true freshman at NC State.
G Brittany Rountree, Potter’s House, 2011
Why she’s here: Credited with scoring 2,132 points from her eighth grade year on. A 39% career 3-point shooter and 79% free throw shooter. Her final season, she led the Lions to a 37-1 record. Helped lead Shekinah Christian to a state championship as a seventh grader. Played four years at North Carolina and played in all 139 games that the Tar Heels played. Graduated as most accurate free throw shooter in UNC history.
F Ja-Tavia Tapley, University Christian, 2016
Why she’s here: Appeared on all-city team four times. Three-time first-team selection and player of the year as a sophomore. Spent two seasons at Ribault and final two at UC. Averaged 13.2 points and 5.9 rebounds as a freshman and 12.3 and 4.2 as a sophomore. Production rose at UC (19.6 ppg, 13.7 rpg as junior and 20.4 points and 8.9 rebounds as a senior). Played three seasons at Southern Cal before transferring to Arizona State, where she’s averaging 11.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as a senior.
Honorable mention
Position, Player, School, Final year
G Chaquita Alexander, Ribault, 1999
G Charnesia Bailey, Ribault, 2000
F DayNeshia Banks, Ribault, 2017
F/C Rellah Boothe, Potter’s House, 2017*
F Kayla Brewer, Lee, 2010^
G Loliya Briggs, Potter’s House, 2011
F Santina Bryant, Wolfson, 1998
G Brandi Catia, University Christian, 2001
G Daleisha Carn, Englewood, 2007
G Erin Conner, Hilliard, 1995
G/F Christen Edwards, Nease, 1995
C Priya Gilmore, Wolfson, 1995
G Regina Harris, Orange Park, 2000
F Tamara Hubbard, Parker, 2003
F Lawanna Leon, Ribault, 2002
G Allie Mano, Bartram Trail, 2012
C Caitlin McGee, Sandalwood, 2020
C Naomi Mobley, White, 1998
F Audrey Muse, University Christian, 2003
F Desiree O’Neal, Jackson, 2007
G Sherranda Reddick, Ribault, 2013
F Tierney Rock, Sandalwood, 2004
G Shona Rucker, Wolfson, 1997
G Shanasa Sanders, Ribault, 2008
G Brianti Saunders, Hilliard, 2013
G Sydney Searcy, Nease, 2016
F Tracie Sneed, Jackson, 2008
G Shalethia Stringfield, Potter’s House, 2011
G Elizabeth Tucker, Bishop Kenny, 2010
G Kiya Turner, Nease, 2019
G Jasmine Tyler, Sandalwood, 2002
F Shundesha Youmans, Ribault, 1998
G Delicia Washington, Baker County, 2016
C Jonell Williams, Palatka, 2015
F Tiffany Wingo, Ribault, 2002
F Katherine Zander, Orange Park, 2011
* Played her first two seasons at Potter’s House before transferring to IMG.
^ Two-time first-team all-city selection and three-time all-state selection. Did not play her senior year and enrolled in college early.