Class 4A: Five girls to watch
Published 9:00 pm Monday, February 26, 2007
Five to watch
Angie Bjorklund,
University (Spokane)
The smooth-shooting 6-foot-1 senior guard ranks among the nation’s best. Bjorklund, a University of Tennessee recruit, leads the Titans in scoring (25.5 points per game) and shoots 56.6 percent from the field (46.6 percent from 3-point range). This season she has been more aggressive on offense, said Mike Vlahovich, who covers sports for the Spokesman-Review: “The main thing is I think she understands as a senior she needs to be more selfish.”
Courtney Vandersloot,
Kentwood
The Gonzaga-bound Vandersloot has helped launch the Conquerors to a perfect 25-0 record. The 5-8 senior guard averages 26.1 points and has scored 61 over her past two games. Her season-high is 37. Vandersloot, twice named most valuable of the South Puget Sound League North Division, will try to lead Kentwood to its first state title.
Mackenzie Argens,
Roosevelt
Besides being blessed with height, the 6-3 senior post and three-year starter sees the floor well. Argens, who leads the unbeaten Roughriders with averages of 14 points and 13 rebounds, signed with Washington. She has helped Roosevelt’s defense limit opponents to 41.8 points per game
Kristi Kingma, Jackson
Bjorklund is widely considered the state’s best player, but Jackson assistant coach Michael Preston said Kingma, a 5-10 junior point guard averaging 18 points and five assists, is second to none. “Right now, Kristi is the best player in the state … and she’s just a junior,” Preston said of Kingma, who verbally committed to play for Washington. “She’s just a joy to coach,” Preston said, “because she does everything hard, 100 percent, all the time.”
Shauniece Samms,
Mount Tahoma
Few players fill up a stat sheet like Samms, a hyper-athletic junior. The 5-9 guard/forward, who earned first-team all-league honors, tallies 22.6 points, 14 boards and seven blocks per outing for the Thunderbirds of Tacoma. Need more? She also averages five steals and four assists.
