Meet the All-South Mississippi Girls Basketball Team for the 2020-21 season
South Mississippi continues to turn out some of the state’s best talent in women’s basketball, and the 2020-21 high school campaign again provided some impressive individual performances.
Plenty of girls had standout seasons and lots of coaches performed well during the difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, but one player and one veteran coach stood out.
Junior guard Simaru Fields led Gulfport to a remarkable turnaround this season to earn this year’s Sun Herald Player of the Year. After the Lady Admirals finished 11-15 in 2020, they rolled to a 22-3 mark this year with Fields leading the way on the court.
Pass Christian’s Greta Ainsworth is the Sun Herald Coach of the Year after leading her team to a strong postseason run in her 12th season on the job.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Simaru Fields, Gulfport
The 5-foot-7 junior guard had an impressive debut season at Gulfport after transferring in from West Harrison. She averaged 18 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3 assists. She led the Lady Admirals to three wins in four games against traditional power Harrison Central, scoring 35 points in one victory over the Red Rebelettes.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Greta Ainsworth, Pass Christian
Ainsworth helped the Lady Pirates navigate a difficult 2020-21 season that included numerous instances of players having to enter quarantine because of COVID-19 protocols. Ainsworth estimates that she had 51 instances all year where individual players had to step away and enter quarantine. Still, she led the Lady Pirates to the Class 4A state semifinals with three victories in the playoffs and a 16-11 overall record.
FANS’ CHOICE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Antonia Bryant, St. Martin
The senior guard averaged 13.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.6 steals to help lead St. Martin to a record of 22-5. Bryant signed on April 14 with Southwest Mississippi Community College. She was also named the South Mississippi All-Star Showcase.
ALL-SOUTH MISSISSIPPI TEAM
▪ Kylah Bell, Pass Christian — Junior forward 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2 assists.
▪ Hayleigh Breland, Stone — Junior guard led the Coast in scoring at 24.2 points a game, also averaged 7 rebounds and 3.8 steals.
▪ Shaneal Corpuz, Biloxi — 5-foot-10 sophomore forward averaged 17.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 2.6 deflections a game.
▪ Justice Cox, Ocean Springs — Senior averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, committed to Southwest Mississippi.
▪ Daydria Cuevas, Pass Christian — Sophomore forward averaged 6.7 points, 4.2 blocked shots, 3.8 steals, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
▪ Je’Mya Evans, Harrison Central senior — Senior averaged 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds.
▪ Reina Hartfield, Stone — Senior averaged 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
▪ Maddy Ladner, Hancock — Junior guard averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
▪ Valencia McFall, St. Martin — Senior forward averaged 11.8 points and 8.3 rebounds.
▪ Emilee Nolte, St. Patrick — Senior guard averaged 12.8 ppg, 3.5 steals and 2.2 assists.
▪ Michaela Payton, Moss Point — 6-foot junior forward Averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds a game.
▪ Kyla Ragins, Harrison Central — Junior averaged 8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
▪ Jordan Seales, Moss Point — Senior guard averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds, hitting 51 percent of 3-point attempts.
▪ Amaijah Smith, Gulfport — Senior guard averaged 7.3 points, 3 assists and hit 34 percent of her 3-point tries.
▪ Laila Walker, Harrison Central — 6-foot-2 Div. 1 prospect averaged 13.8 points and 11.0 rebounds as a junior.
