Mecklenburg County girls basketball players to watch

Janelle Bailey, Kennedy Boyd, Providence Day: Bailey, a 6-3 senior forward, averaged 17 points, nine rebounds last season. Boyd, a 5-6 junior guard, is a Division I recruit who averaged eight points.

Maya Caldwell, Parker Tompkins, Davidson Day: Caldwell, a 5-11 senior guard, has committed to Georgia, Caldwell averaged 16 points per game and led her team to the state finals. Tompkins, a 6-0 senior forward, has committed to Furman. She averaged 19 points.

Claudia Dickey, Charlotte Latin, 5-10, Jr., G: Averaged 11 points, five assists per game and is one of three starters back.

A’Lea Gilbert, Naomi Gilbert, Shariah Gaddy, South Mecklenburg: A’Lea Gilbert averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds last season. Naomi Gilbert (Fayetteville Sanford) and Gaddy (Porter Ridge) are high-profile transfers.

Rinnah Green, Butler, 5-8, Jr., G: Averaged 14.2 points, 3.5 assists for a 20-9 team that returns three starters.

McKenna Haire, Kianna Funderburk, Myers Park, 5-10, Sr., G: Haire is a Princeton commit and Funderburk is going to Vermont. They’ll try to lead the Mustangs to another Southwestern 4A title.

Dynasty Heyward, Monell Dunlap, North Mecklenburg: Heyward, a 5-7 senior guard, averaged 13 points. Dunlap, a 6-foot senior forward, averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Shameka and Shareka McNeill, Harding: 5-6 senior guards are sisters who combined to average 38 points per game last season.

Ariana Nance, Rocky River, 5-9, Sr., G: Averaged 15 points per game and earned all-conference honors in Southwestern 4A.

Jasmine Sanders, Garinger, 6-1, Sr., F: All-conference star averaged 24 points, eight rebounds last season.

Ahlana Smith, Dazia Lawrence, Mallard Creek: Smith, a 5-10 junior, and Lawrence, a 5-9 sophomore, averaged 43 points per game last season at Vance. At Mallard, they join four returning starters who were part of a 26-2 team last season.

▪ Hopewell has four college-bound seniors: Lenzi Brown (Winston-Salem State), Michael Gibbons (USC Upstate), Kelsie Ruff-Mills (Charleston Southern), Erin Thames (Kent State)

This story was originally published November 7, 2016 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Mecklenburg County girls basketball players to watch."