Kalie Saari (left) and Jayse Matonovich of Kamloops' Sa-Hali Sabres welcome one and all to the debut of the 15 Players to Watch next season in B.C. senior girls AAA basketball. (Photo by Jody Vosper property of Sa-Hali Secondary athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Girls Basketball

15 Players to Watch in 2021-22: B.C. girls Triple-A basketball has its greatest strengths centred around its Class of 2023 and beyond!

LANGLEY — From an organic standpoint, it’s B.C. high school girls basketball’s most unique tier. Very quickly, however, it’s beginning to gain its own identity.

With the recent switch to a four-tiered province, the former top tier — AAA — has become a melting pot of sorts, a new home with both holdover programs and those rising from the 2A ranks through re-classification.

Whatever you want to call it, it has its own share of traditional basketball schools, and with that, its own lineage of top prospects.

Here’s our look at the 15 AAA Players to Watch in 2021-22, as selected by the BCSSGBA. Varsity Letters did not play a role in the selection process.

Tomorrow: We finish out the series with Quad-A.

TRIPLE A

MAKENNA ANDERSON

St. Michael University School’s Makenna Anderson. (Photo by Kyle Slavin property of SMUS athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)

MAKENNA ANDERSON

School: St. Michaels University School

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 5-foot-11

Position: Wing

The skinny: A developing offensive talent with three-point range.

JAZMIN AVILA

Jazmin Avila of the MEI Eagles. (Photo by Wilson Wong property of Wilson Wong 2021. All Rights Reserved)

JAZMIN AVILA

School: MEI (Abbotsford)

In 2021-22: Grade 12

Height: 5-foot-10

Position: Forward

The skinny: Forward who excels in the paint. Strong scorer and rebounder. 

LAKRESHA EDWARDS

Abbotsford Panthers’ Lakresha Edwards. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)

LAKRESHA EDWARDS

School: Abbotsford

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 5-9

Position: Guard

The skinny: Strong, smart combo guard that can take it to the hoop or shoot the three. Great intensity, work ethic and leadership.

NATHALIE FRANCIS

Argyle Pipers’ Nathalie Francis. (Photo courtesy VK Basketball 2021. All Rights Reserved)

NATHALIE FRANCIS

School: Argyle (North Vancouver)

In 2021-22: Grade 10

Height: 6-foot

Position: Wing

The skinny: Dynamic athlete with tremendous touch around the hoop and top tier rebounder/shot blocker.

CAITLIN KIPPAN

R.A. McMath Wildcats’ Caitlin Kippan. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)

CAITLIN KIPPAN

School: R.A. McMath (Richmond)

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 5-foot-11

Position: Forward

The skinny: A small forward with a great touch around the basket and out-rebounds taller players.

STELLA LAGRANGE

Stella LaGrange of the Okanagan Mission Huskies. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)

STELLA LAGRANGE

School: Okanagan Mission (Kelowna)

In 2021-22: Grade 12

Height: 5-foot-10

Position: Forward

The skinny: Extremely versatile player. Dangerous from the outside and inside. 

MALIA LENZ

Malia Lenz of the Abbotsford Panthers. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)

MALIA LENZ

School: Abbotsford

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 5-foot-9

Position: Guard

The skinny: Versatile guard that can finish at the hoop, shoot the mid-range jumper and knock down the three. Ultra-competitive, she plays at high intensity and displays great work ethic.

RACHEL LOUKES

Rachel Loukes of Prince George’s College Heights Cougars. (Photo by Candace Yu property of College Heights athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)

RACHEL LOUKES

School: College Heights (Prince George)

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 5-foot-10

Position: Guard

The skinny: Exceptional, competitive, committed to excellence and wants to play at the highest level possible.

JAYSE MATONOVICH

Sa-Hali’s Jayse Matonovich. (Photo by Paul Yates property of Vancouver Sports athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)

JAYSE MATONOVICH

School: Sa-Hali (Kamlooops)

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 5-foot-9

Position: Guard

The skinny: An aggressive defensive player who has improved her offence adding a three-point shot.

MARINA RADOCAJ

Marina Radocaj of Richmond’s R.A. McMath Wildcats. (Photo by Wilson Wong property of Wilson Wong 2021. All Rights Reserved)

MARINA RADOCAJ

School: R.A. McMath (Richmond)

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 6-foot-2

Position: Guard

The skinny: Strong ball-handling and three-point shooting with the size to play inside.

MAKENNA REIMER

MEI Eagles’ guard Makenna Reimer. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)

MAKENNA REIMER

School: MEI (Abbotsford)

In 2021-22: Grade 12

Height: 5-foot-11

Position: Wing

The skinny: Great shooter/slasher who loves to score.

LAUREN RUST

Lauren Rust of Victoria’s St. Michaels University School Blue Jags. (Photo by Kyle Slavin property of SMUS athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)

LAUREN RUST

School: St. Michaels University School

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 6-foot

Position: Forward

The skinny: A fit and athletic forward who is also a strong rebounder and defender.

KALIE SAARI

Kalie Saari of Kamloops’ Sa-Hali Sabres. (Photo by Paul Yates property of Vancouver Sports athletics 2021. All Rights Reserved)

KALIE SAARI

School: Sa-Hali (Kamlooops)

In 2021-22: Grade 11

Height: 5-foot-11

Position: Guard

The skinny: A playmaker with excellent offensive skills and high basketball IQ.

JAYA SAROYA

Valleyview Vikings’ Jaya Saroya. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)

JAYA SAROYA

School: Valleyview (Kamloops)

In 2021-22: Grade 12

Height: 6-foot-2

Position: Forward

The skinny: Can contribute inside and shoot the three ball very well

TATUM WADE

Tatum Wade of the Okanagan Mission Huskies. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of Varsity Letters 2021. All Rights Reserved)

TATUM WADE

School: Okanagan Mission (Kelowna)

In 2021-22: Grade 12

Height: 5-foot-8

Position: Guard

The skinny: Coachable and as athletic as they come. 

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