Oklahoma Basketball prospect named Gatorade National Player of the Year
The good news for Oklahoma women's basketball kept coming Wednesday.
Hours after center Raegan Beers was named Honorable Mention All-American, the Sooners' top high-school target was named Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Aaliyah Chavez, the No. 1 recruit in the nation, led Monterey High School to its first state championship since 1981 two weeks ago. On3 recently reported that Chavez had narrowed her potential college choices to Texas and Oklahoma. She had named the Sooners in her final six in July.
The Gatorade honor is her second National Player of the Year award of the season. On March 14, she was named Naismith High School Player of the Year. Chavez is also a McDonald's All-American and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas.
Chavez put up video game numbers in her senior season. She averaged 34.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.7 steals and 1.2 blocks as a 5-foot-9 point guard. The Lubbock, Texas, product is set to announce her college decision on March 25. Coach Jennie Baranczyk already landed commitments to the Class of 2025 from Bethany High guard Keziah Loftin, the No. 50 recruit in the country, and forward Brooklyn Stewart, the No. 62 recruit, from Colorado Springs.
Chavez is the only player ranked in the ESPN Top 100 that remains uncommitted.
In the meantime, Baranczyk and the Sooners will host the first two rounds in the NCAA Tournament this weekend in Norman. Their hope is that they will still be playing in the Dance when Chavez makes her announcement. Oklahoma opens its tournament Saturday at 1:30 p.m. as the three-seed against No. 14-seed Florida Gulf-Coast.
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