The Eagle's 2011 All-State girls basketball team
ALL-STATE, ALL-CLASS SELECTION PROCESS
All-State and All-Class teams are selected by The Wichita Eagle with the help of basketball coaches across the state.
Every coach in Kansas is mailed a ballot to return to The Eagle by the end of the season. Coaches may nominate their own players and players from other teams.
The teams were selected by Joanna Chadwick and Chris Elliott. They tabulated nominations from the ballots and got additional input from coaches and other media members.
All-State girls
First team Ht. Yr. Pts
Jhasmin Bowen, Wichita Heights 6-0 Sr. 14.0
Kathryn Flott, Olpe 6-1 Sr. 22.8
DaShawn Harden, St. Thomas Aquinas 5-7 Sr. 15.8
Natalie Knight, Olathe South 5-9 Sr. 17.0
Ashia Woods, Wichita Collegiate 5-11 Sr. 22.0
Second team
Casyn Buchman, McPherson 5-9 Sr. 13.0
Lizzy Jeronimus, SM West 6-0 Sr. 17.8
Kate Lehman, Newton 6-4 Sr. 16.8
Merissa Quick, Cheney 6-3 Sr. 15.0
Mary Sims, Wichita Heights 5-7 Sr. 10.5
Third team
Jordan Baldwin, Ottawa 5-10 Sr. 19.8
Cierra Ceasar, Shawnee Heights 5-11 Sr. 19.0
Kjia Hart, Goddard 5-11 Sr. 18.1
Jamie Patrick, Hutch Central Christian 5-11 Jr. 21.7
Tahlia Pope, Wichita Heights 5-9 Sr. 10.0
JHASMIN BOWEN
6-0, SR., WICHITA HEIGHTS
Stats: Bowen was the foundation that held together the undefeated Class 6A champion. She averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds, creating scoring opportunities for other players with her presence in the paint. Bowen finished with 1,226 career points and a school-record 897 career rebounds.
College: Arkansas
Pre-tournament women’s NCAA pick: Stanford
Advice you live by: “Stay out of foul trouble, because if I’m not in the game then I can’t score. If I’m in foul trouble, then I hurt my team.”
Favorite pastime outside of basketball: “I think it’s a tie between eating and sleeping. I love pizza. Pizza’s the best food.”
Coach Kip Pulliam: “She’s just the type of player that works hard every day in practice. She’s a warrior on the court. She makes everybody else on the team work harder and is a great leader. She finally and deservedly so got her first championship.”
DASHAWN HARDEN
5-7, SR., ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
Stats: Harden averaged 15.8 points, 4 steals and 4.4 assists for Class 5A’s undefeated champion. Harden consistently proved to be a thrifty defender as she finished her career as the school’s leader in steals. She also ranked fourth in school points (1,243) and steals (282).
College: Oklahoma
Pre-tournament women’s NCAA pick: Oklahoma
Advice you live by: “Always keep going. My coach told me that.”
Favorite pastime outside of basketball: “I’d have to say it’s just watching TV. My favorite show is ‘Jersey Shore.’æ”
Coach Rick Hetzel: “What made her special was her growth over the years. When she first came in, she was way too loose with the ball. She developed so much in her understanding the game. We had to push her at times, but she is such a competitor and so willing to learn.”
KATHRYN FLOTT
6-1, SR., OLPE
Stats: Flott finished her high school career as Olpe’s career scoring leader with 2,051 points. She averaged 22.8 points this season en route to leading Olpe to an undefeated season and a Class 1A-Division I championship. She shot 65 percent from the field and averaged eight rebounds.
College: Emporia State
Pre-tournament women’s NCAA pick: Baylor
Advice you live by: “Work hard and push through. Don’t let anyone get in the way of your goals.”
Favorite pastime outside of basketball: “I like hanging out with friends and watching TV. I like finding somewhere to hang out, and then there is working out.”
Coach Jesse Nelson: “She’s had high goals from the start, and she’s done all of the things she needed to do to improve. She’d finish volleyball practice then go to a gym and work out. She’s a true team captain.”
NATALIE KNIGHT
5-9, SR., OLATHE SOUTH
Stats: Knight was an efficient shooter and ball handler. Not only did she average 17.1 points for her Class 6A tournament-qualifying team, but shot 62 percent from the field, including 48 percent from three-point territory. Knight dished out 6 assists, grabbed 4.8 rebounds and had 4.4 steals.
College: Kansas
Pre-tournament women’s NCAA pick: Stanford
Advice you live by: “Play every game like it’s your last.”
Favorite pastime outside of basketball: “I like to hang out with friends and watch movies.”
Coach Steve Ingram: “She’s a special player. She’s the Gatorade player of the year, and it was nice hearing that. She’s done a lot for this program.”
ASHIA WOODS
5-11, SR., WICHITA COLLEGIATE
Stats: Woods proved to be a do-it-all player for the Class 3A champion. The three-time All-Metro selection averaged 22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists as a senior, recovering from a fractured foot in the middle of the season to lead the underdog Spartans to the title game, in which she delivered a game-saving block against Jefferson North.
College: Kansas State
Pre-tournament women’s NCAA pick: Baylor
Advice you live by: “Don’t let mistakes interfere with the game. If you make a mistake, don’t get down on yourself. Keep playing the game. That’s good advice.”
Favorite pastime outside of basketball: “I’d have to say it’s hanging around and watching movies, just enjoying my time not playing basketball. Favorite movie? I’d have to say either ‘Bring it On’ or ‘Love and Basketball.’ It’s a tossup.”
Coach Terrence Phox: “Even in her absence, she was beneficial for us. She’s really defined herself as the ultimate teammate. The championship game really defined her career and the last month of her senior year. She did whatever it took to win. And the best thing about her is she’s always been coachable.”
TERRENCE PHOX
COACH, WICHITA COLLEGIATE
Collegiate was an underdog heading into the Class 3A tournament. It started off 5-5, struggling to find an identity with Woods out with an injury. Phox got his players to believe they could win as a team instead of just being accessories to Woods’ talents. Collegiate went on to win 14 of its final 15 games, including a last-second thriller over Jefferson North. Phox coached a team to a 3A title that was considered to have less talent than his 2009 and 2010 teams, which finished second and third.
Collegiate senior Ashia Woods: “We went through a rough patch. I actually give him his props for being able to stick to a plan that he believed would work. The outcome was worth waiting for.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2011 at 6:16 PM with the headline "The Eagle's 2011 All-State girls basketball team."