In Your Opinion

[borninansonia]

I have not seen a high school game of any sort in more than 50 years, so I can't answer the posted question. But if the question can be expanded to the best female athlete.

The best female athlete I ever saw, probably the most dominant athlete I ever saw, was Joan Joyce, pitcher for the Raybestos Brakettes. 150 no-hitters, 50 perfect games,

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oops, I forgot I saw Seimone Augustus in a Regional Final here in Seattle. I think that was her breakout Soph year. Another good one.

 

[Jingo]

I haven't watched greedy professional sports since the 90s and the only college sport I follow is UConn women. But I do follow lots of high school sports; it's local, exciting, commercial-free and relatively inexpensive, eh?
Since both of my daughters played for Christ the King High School, I have seen all the gr8 CK players over the years - Margaret McKeon [1st Miss NY State Girls' Basketball], Jill Cook, Darlene Saar, Debbie Hemery, Nakia Hill, Chamique Holdsclaw, Sue Bird, and Tina Charles. Playing against Christ the King, I have seen Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Sammie Prahalis, Epiphany Prince and Breanna Stewart, the latter at the Gauchos gym in the Bronx.
However, my vote for "best high school player" that I saw has to go to Chamique who was unstoppable in every game I saw. And my daughter, All-City herself, can attest to the fact that Chamique was unstoppable in practice too! Yes, Chamique was unstoppable at every level, college and professional as well.

 

[Jingo]

Best boys' high school player I have seen was Pearl Washington out of Boys' High in Brooklyn.

 

[donalddoowop]

NWCH holds a special place in my heart as well and I was at that game at Central Connecticut, Saint Patrick`s Day 1979, LL finals, and the opponent was Wilbur Cross, not Hillhouse. Incredibly exciting game, Norman was phenominal, Northwest lost by one point 74-73, heartbreaking but the most exciting high school game ever. Talent galore out there. One of the Wilbur Cross stars was sophomore Earl Kelley.

Northwest also had a terrific sophomore named Ulysses Garcia who went on to star at the University of Hartford. I guarded him in a rec league game many years later and managed to hold him to around 42 points.

As good as those players were, they were not at Rod Foster`s level.

Aquinas won the Class M title that year and he averaged over 30 ppg. Went on to play at UCLA, started as a freshman for the team that went to the NCAA finals, and went on to play for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. His career was ended by a badly broken leg in a jeep accident.

Although this thread is supposed to be about female high school players, you mentioned someone I used to read about when he was a senior, "Jeep" Kelley. He was supposed to be so very good but once he left the East coast, he disappeared. I always wondered what happened to him and if he was another over hyped East coast player. I am assuming Earl Kelley is "Jeep" Kelley.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well since others are creeping over into boys HS bball--I saw Damon Stoudamire in a playoff game while he was in HS. Went to the first 2 years of an annual Washington vs. Oregon HS Senior All Star game. Among many players I saw, probably the 2 best were Jason Terry and Michael Dickerson.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maya Moore was the best I ever saw as a hs player..I remember her guarding a player who was inbounding the ball after her team scored(she made that basket of course) jumping up and tipped the ball to herself and of course scored..She scored 37 pts in that half iirc.....I think she sold yearbooks during halftime too...

Maya did that multiple times--against Khadijah Rushdan's top-10 St. Elizabeth team.

 

[Huskee11]

Although this thread is supposed to be about female high school players, you mentioned someone I used to read about when he was a senior, "Jeep" Kelley. He was supposed to be so very good but once he left the East coast, he disappeared. I always wondered what happened to him and if he was another over hyped East coast player. I am assuming Earl Kelley is "Jeep" Kelley.

Sorry for semi-hijacking the thread, I know that never occurs here. At least I did throw out a woman star, Tracy Lis.

Come on, you remember Earl Kelley, he played for UConn 1982-1986, those dark Dom Perno years. Maybe this clip will help. We didn`t beat Syracuse very much back then.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Best high school BOY's player in person (excluding Jordan Brand games) was Norwalk's Calvin Murphy, who is now in the Hall of Fame. He was the shortest, fastest, and best-shooting player in the NBA for years. If he had played in the 3-point era, he would have been even better. Murph's range was "in the gym." He also easily dunked, at 5'9". He was also a world class baton twirler--hand-eye coordination was next level.

In terms of GIRL's high school players in person, I'd have to say Azzi. I've seen her 9 times, including in the D.C. City Championship game against Visitation. She still holds the arena scoring record where the Mystics play.

Other stellar players I've seen in person, excluding AA (WBCA and Jordan Brand) games, include Kaleena, Aubrey, and Saylor. I also saw Ashley Owusu, Mimi Collins, Mir McLean, and De'Janae Boykin.

The best BOY's player on TV was a kid named Alcindor many years ago. NYC showed the game of the week, and Power Memorial was included often. I'd rank him above LeBron.

The best GIRL's player in video was Maya Moore. She did whatever was necessary to win and was a couple of levels above the competition. Others who stood out were Moriah Jefferson, Paige, and Azzi.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I have not seen a high school game of any sort in more than 50 years, so I can't answer the posted question. But if the question can be expanded to the best female athlete.

The best female athlete I ever saw, probably the most dominant athlete I ever saw, was Joan Joyce, pitcher for the Raybestos Brakettes. 150 no-hitters, 50 perfect games,

I lived in Milford and saw Joan in Stratford several times. She was unhittable. She became a decent pro golfer as well.

 

[willtalk]

Best womens high school player would be a tie between Jacky Gemelos and Chelsia Gray. Jacky put up better numbers but Chelsea had a loaded team so she focused on ball distribution. I also saw Plum, KLS and many others who were just a step below those last two.

 

[Bama fan]

I have not seen a high school game of any sort in more than 50 years, so I can't answer the posted question. But if the question can be expanded to the best female athlete.

The best female athlete I ever saw, probably the most dominant athlete I ever saw, was Joan Joyce, pitcher for the Raybestos Brakettes. 150 no-hitters, 50 perfect games,

Joan Joyce was indeed incredible. She also played on the women's national basketball team. And was a successful pro golfer. And a volleyball player and coach in Connecticut. She struck out both Ted Williams and Hank Aaron in the sixties. At the young age of 79, she is the head coach of the Florida Atlantic softball squad. Quite a lady!

 

[Skeets]

Brian Taylor in Perth Amboy. Went Tyler Phommachanh Princeton. 2 time ABA all star best known for his play for the Nets in the Dr. J era. At one time he held the NBA record for steals.

 

[vballcoach]

Angie Paccione from my little high school in upstate New York in the late 1970's. I watched her score 62 one day to set what was then the state single game record, back before 3 pointers and shot clocks. Angie played at Stanford and some USA hoops as well. In my memory, she'd bring the ball up, hand off to someone at the top of the key, then post up (at 5'8") and score, again and again.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Being born "around the time dirt was discovered in Iowa," I saw Brenda Moeller in person. Although she did not win the State Championship while in the 6-on-6 (three per half court either offense or defense) format, she did play international basketball with the U.S.A. All-stars in 1973-74 with Pat Head (Summitt), Ann Meyers, etc., and was the center at 6' 0" against the 7' Russian center (Semenova), and was giving up about 80 pounds (36 kg) in the only international game her team lost. Apparently, "Bigs" mattered back then, as the Russians also had 6'6" 6'4" & 6'2" starters, and the U.S.A. tallest was 6'2" Caroline Bush. She was a 3-time All-American at Wayland College in Texas as well.

With the assistance of the "daily allotment" videos of full games, the best high schooler seen on video would be UCONN's newest PG, Paige Bueckers [PB as PG]. She was very impressive with her confidence in her 3-pt shooting when she was in EIGHTH grade. Nothing like being a FIVE year starter, and qualifying for the state finals all FIVE years, even though they did not get to play the last one. She leaves Hopkins H. S. on a two year unbeaten streak. Now she can start another looooooonnnnngggggg unbeaten streak (hand off to the "one who shall not be named" for another year when she is done four years from now) that will be "bad for WCBB."

 

[Boreifs]

Toss up between Tamika Catchings and Cappy Pondexter. A toss up only because Catchings was a Junior and Pondexter a Senior. Tauja Catchings, who is a year older than her sister, was a close third.

 

[Puppy Love]

Heather Buck

 

[todbo]

Such great memories! When I worked for a little local paper, I got to see Heather Buck (UConn) and Kiah Gillespie (Maryland, Florida State) in HS. But the very best HS player I saw was Da'Shena Stevens, who went on to St. John's and led the Red Storm to a Big East victory over UConn.