Who were the top high school basketball players in the Fresno area? Here is our list
Central Section historian Bob Barnett describes Clovis West High’s Cole Anderson as the best pure basketball shooter he has ever seen.
It’s hard to question that assessment, because Anderson put up so many points so often while setting section records and also climbing the all-time state lists.
As a senior this past season, he was the go-to player for Clovis West, leading the Golden Eagles to a Tri-River Athletic Conference title and a 20-5 overall record.
The UC Santa Barbara-bound guard is The Bee’s 2020-21 boys All-Area Player of the Year in a season that began with many section high school basketball players wondering if they’d ever play a game as the coronavirus pandemic raged.
“I am just thankful we were able to play games and have a season,” Anderson said. “Just based on the circumstances that we were having a couple of months before the season even started.”
Golden Eagles coach Vance Walberg has been wowed by Anderson’s poise and leadership, on and off the court, ever since his freshman year when the rising star was just coming off the bench
“I had some pretty good players through the years and I know Chris (Hernandez) was MVP his junior and senior year and you see a kid like Cole be the MVP in the league for four years, that’s a heck of an accomplishment,” Walberg said.
“This year I thought he took his game to another level. We knew he was going to be double-teamed for most of the time and the way he scored through that, that is pretty amazing.”
Anderson finished his career with 2,730 points — a record for a school that has been a longtime state power and second-best in section history — and finished third all-time in the state with 464 3-pointers, according to records compiled by Barnett.
As a senior, his spectacular feats included a school-record 51 points in a 100-51 win over Garces. In that game, he hit a state-record 10 consecutive 3-pointers.
He didn’t just flip the switch when teams finally got the go-ahead this year. Anderson stayed ready, working out two to three times a week.
And his teammates did their share to help the cause.
“It was good to see it just paying off,” he said. “I think our team really just came together. It was kind of a shaky start, but once we got together and learned how to play with each other, it just became a great season. I’m just happy the way it ended out.”
San Joaquin Memorial’s Meadow Roland is girls POY
San Joaquin Memorial coach Jackie White describes Meadow Roland as a player “who is much more advanced than a (typical) sophomore.”
It showed this season, when she averaged 23.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.8 assists in 13 games en route to being The Bee’s girls Player of the Year.
The Panthers won them all, including a perfect 10-0 run through the County/Metro Athletic Conference.
“She plays like a senior,” White said. “Very skillful, and her work ethic is one that I commend because for a sophomore, she’s very focused, very driven, a team player. She wasn’t out there taking poor shots. I don’t allow poor shots. She has a motor that is unstoppable.”
Roland, listed at 6 feet 1 inch, was recently offered by Fresno State.
She said she learned from her teammates and is aiming to continue to get better for the Panthers.
She often reminds herself “want needs to be done.”
“I set goals for myself every game,” she said. “To where I got to get a certain amount of rebounds or within the quarter, I have to get a certain amount of points, blocks or steals. If we play the really good teams, then I set my goals a little higher just so I can play harder.”
Other All-Area basketball honors
Boys’ Coach of the Year: Brad Roznovsky, San Joaquin Memorial
Led the way for the Panthers, who went 22-3 overall and 10-0 in the County/Metro Athletic Conference. Completing his 10th year as the Memorial coach, his teams have won at least 20 games each season since 2015-2016.
Girls’ Coach of the Year: Craig Campbell, Clovis West
No stranger to this honor, he guided the Golden Eagles to another Central Section title. The Golden Eagles were 20-5 overall and 10-0 in the Tri-River Athletic Conference. Campbell was completing his 16th season at Clovis West.
Boys’ Large School (Divisions I-II) Player of the Year: Joseph Hunter, San Joaquin Memorial, Jr.
Helped the Panthers to a 22-3 overall record and 10-0 in the County/Metro Athletic Conference after averaging 24.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and six assists per game. He was named the CMAC co-Player of the Year with Bullard’s Omarion Thomas-Marshall. Hunter has scored 1,446 career points, Barnett said.
Girls’ Large School (Divisions I-II) Player of the Year: Etoyah Montgomery, Clovis West, Soph.
The 6-foot guard averaged 17.1 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game to go with 2.4 steals while helping the Golden Eagles to the Central Section Open Division championship. She scored 13 points in a 53-36 win over Clovis for the program’s ninth consecutive section title and was named co-MVP in the TRAC with UC Irvine-bound teammate Nikki Tom.
Boys’ Medium School (Divisions III-IV) Player of the Year: A.J. George, Hoover, Sr.
Averaged 21.5 point per game in 21 games for the Patriots. He helped Hoover to a 10-0 record in the North Yosemite League. George scored a season-high 49 against Central on April 24.
Girls’ Medium School (Divisions III-IV) Player of the Year: Danyell Booker, Roosevelt, Sr.
Led the Rough Riders to a Southern California Division 4-AA championship when she finished with 23 points in a 48-34 win over South Pasadena. Booker was consistent all season, averaging 17.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.5 steals. She had 41 assists.
Boys’ Small School (D-V) Player of the Year: Orion Tomlinson, Fresno Christian, Jr.
In nine games for the Eagles, Tomlinson averaged 26.3 points. He had four games in which he scored 30-plus points including 35 in the playoffs against Orange Cove. He has 1,105 career points, Barnett said.
Girls’ Small School (D-V) Player of the Year: Jazmine Soto, Strathmore, Sr.
She left her mark in her senior season, capped by a Southern California Regional championship after a 63-54 win over Fallbrook in the Division 5-AA final. Soto finished her career by scoring 3,331 points in 122 games, Barnett said, and tied for sixth-best in state history, according to the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book. Soto led the section in scoring average (30.9 ppg) for the third consecutive year and had 689 assists — second-most in section history behind White, the Memorial coach whose playing career arced from SJM to the Harlem Globetrotters.
Boys All-Area Team
G Connor Amundsen, Clovis North, Fr.; G Cole Anderson, Clovis, Sr.; F Eddie Armstrong, Tulare Western, Sr.; PF/SF Amneet Basra, Fowler, Sr.; SG Dea’shaun Bias, Sunnyside, Jr.; PG/SG Aaron Blancas, Selma, Sr.; G Sergio Castillo, Tulare Western, Sr.; PG/SG Diego Celaya, Clovis, Jr.; G Colby Charles, Kingsburg, Sr.; PG Kuman Chandler, Edison, Sr.; PF Quaid Copher, Liberty-Madera Ranchos, Sr.; F Cedric Coward, Central, Sr.; PF/C Mike Davis Jr, San Joaquin Memorial, Soph.; PF Shaan Dhillon, Kerman, Sr.; F Richard Diaz, Lindsay, Jr.; PG/SG Luke Dillon, Sanger, Sr.; Wing/PF Jon Dillon, Sanger, Jr.; G Holden Eames, Yosemite, Sr.; F Jack Elrod, Yosemite, Sr.; SF Waleed Escheik, Chowchilla, Jr.; G Nick Esparza, Selma, Soph.; G Eli Estrada, Minarets, Sr.
G Mikey Ficher, Tulare Western, Sr.; SG/W Anthony Gaspar, McLane, Sr.; SG AJ George, Hoover, Sr.; F Jadon Geron, San Joaquin Memorial, Sr.; G Jayden Green, Washington Union, Sr.; SF/PF/C Jaden Haire, Hanford West, Soph.; SF/PF Jeremiah Hannah, Edison, Sr.; G Marcus Heinrichs, Reedley, Sr.; SG Anthony Hernandez, Hanford, Sr.; SF Nate Hogg, Tulare Union, Soph.; G Joseph Hunter, San Joaquin Memorial, Jr.; G Jordan Johnson, Caruthers, Sr.; G Niko Jones, Clovis North, Jr.; G Logan Kilbert, Sierra, Fr.; G Jesus Lara, Dinuba, Jr.; PG/SG Tyrell Lopez, Clovis, Sr.; G Herman Luna III, Corcoran, Sr.; G Omarion Thomas-Marshall, Bullard, Sr.; G Isaac Martinez, Clovis West, Soph.; PG Dominic Martinez, Orosi, Sr.; G Isaiah Martinez, Dinuba, Jr.; F Jose Martinez, Kingsburg, Sr.; PG Beunju Moon, Lemoore, Sr.; PG Qiant Myers, Roosevelt, Sr.; SG Tommy Newton, Clovis East, Sr.; G AK Okereke, Clovis North, Sr.
G Qyncee Patterson, Mission Oak, Sr.; C Owen Patterson, Strathmore, Sr.; PG Maurice Peoples, Fresno, Sr.; G Arman Rai, Buchanan, Jr.; SG/SF Joey Ramirez, Selma, Jr.; SG Jaylen Randle, Roosevelt, Sr.; PG Matthew Rivera, Porterville, Jr.; G Matthew Ruegge, Kingsburg, Jr.; PG IV Ruff, Hoover, Sr.; F Fawzat Saed, Madera, Sr.; PG Kaleb Salazar, Monache, Jr.; SG Ricardo Sanchez, Orange Cove, Sr.; PF Adam Sandoval, Granite Hills, Jr.; G Joshua Serrano, Corcoran, Soph.; G Carson Stephens, Liberty-Madera Ranchos, Jr.; G/F Terik Streets, Central, Jr.; G LaDanian Streets, Central, Soph.; F Anthony Swillis, Hoover, Jr.; PG/SG Camden Thompson, Clovis East, Jr.; PG Aaron Todd, Reedley, Sr.; PG Orion Tomlinson, Fresno Christian, Jr.; G Nate Towsley, Kingsburg, Sr.; G Ryas Vang, Clovis West, Sr.; G Milton Walker, Central, Sr.; SF LeJuan Watts, Bullard, Jr.
Girls All-Area Team
F Laney Amundsen, Clovis North; SF/PF Ashtyn Arnold, Buchanan, Sr.; SF Gabby Avila, Corcoran, Jr.; PG/SG Jayden Berry, Clovis East, Sr.; SF Danyell Booker, Roosevelt, Sr.; G Kylie Brasil, Sierra Pacific, Sr.; PG Kiley Butchert, Clovis, Sr.; SG Corina Camara, Hanford, Jr.; PG/SG Megan Easler, Clovis, Sr.; G Dayle Edinborough, Sierra, Sr.; SG Rylee Fane, Central, Jr.; G MacKinzie Forrester, Sierra, Sr.; C Katelyn Goforth, Jr., Kerman; PG Jenice Harmon, Roosevelt, Sr.; G Morgan Hatton, Tulare Union, Sr.; G Danielle Garcia, Monache, Sr.; G Audrey Gonzalez-Alvarez, Selma, Sr.; SF Justyce Harris, Clovis West, Sr.; SG/F Alexi Holland, Washington Union, Soph.; SG/PG Tiana Holland, Washington Union, Sr.; PG Amyia Inman, Hanford West, Jr.; PG Kendall Jackson, Clovis West, Sr.; PG/SG Macie James, San Joaquin Memorial, Sr.; C Dynasia Jefferson, Mission Oak, Sr.; G Geizzle Jones, Bullard, Jr.; SF Jenna Kurz, Yosemite, Sr.; SG/SF Jacklyn Kulow, Caruthers, Sr.; PG/SG Jaslin LeGaretta, Hanford West, Sr.
G Olivia Machado, Tulare Western, Fr.; F Allie Madron, Clovis East, Soph.; G Gracie Magana, Porterville, Jr.; G Taylor Martinez, Lindsay, Sr.; F Talia Maxwell, Central, Soph.; SG Devin Miller, Clovis, Soph.; W Etoyah Montgomery, Clovis West, Soph.; PG/SG Leah Natera, Lindsay, Sr.; G Nseije Ortiz, Porterville, Jr.; PG/SG Miah Paz, Reedley, Jr.; SG Jade Phillips, Hoover, Soph.; G Sierra Reed, Hoover, Sr.; G/F/C Meadow Rolland, San Joaquin Memorial, Soph.; F Kaylee Roberts, Washington Union, Jr.; PF Precious Rodriguez, Fowler, Soph.; W Taylor Roth, Sanger, Sr.; PG Ruth Salas, Orosi, Sr.; C Yesenia Sanchez, Selma, Sr.; G Amaya Sanchez, Lemoore, Sr.
G/F Teresa Sandoval, Hanford West, Soph.; G Krista Schaffer, Sanger, Fr.; G Alexa Silva, Lemoore, Sr.; F/G Tessa Silva, Kerman, Jr.; PG A’ajah Slocum, Hoover, Sr.; G/F Amaya Snowden, Roosevelt, Sr.; G Jazmine Soto, Strathmore, Sr.; PG Asha Sra, Clovis North, Jr.; PG Neani Stewart, Bullard, Sr.; F Genevieve Tamandong, Clovis, Soph.; PF/C Aaliyah Thompson, Corcoran, Jr.; PG Athena Tomlinson, Clovis West, Fr.; SG Nikki Tom, Clovis West, Sr.; G Clarissa Torres, Kerman, Jr.; SG/SF Morgan Trigueiro, Caruthers, Soph.; G Briajanae Wade, Sunnyside, Jr.; SG Angelia Whitfield, San Joaquin Memorial, Sr.; PG Michaela Young, Clovis West, Jr.
This story was originally published July 7, 2021 at 12:14 PM.
