All-Observer girls’ basketball: Meet the top players in the region
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Oshauna Holland led Stuart Cramer to 28-2 record and set state scoring record.
- Mallard Creek coach Karlyn Dixon won 100th game and captured first state title.
- Providence’s Emma Fuller earns defensive award; Gaston Day’s McKenna Brown top freshman.
Oshauna Holland had a memorable senior season in Gaston County, and she ends it as The Observer’s girls’ basketball player of the year for the second straight season.
As a senior, Holland led Stuart Cramer to a 28-2 record and a fourth-round N.C. playoff berth. She averaged 33.5 points per game, good for No. 11 in America and No. 1 in North Carolina, plus 8.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. Her assists were third best in the state.
During the postseason, Holland broke a 37-year-old record and became the state’s all-time leading scorer for a boys’ or girls’ player.
Holland, a Wake Forest recruit, ended her career with 3,252 points. She was named N.C. Ms. Basketball as well as the Gatorade, MaxPreps and N.C. Basketball coaches’ state player of the year.
“I didn’t expect anything different from O’Shauna,” said Stuart W. Cramer head coach Carey Pohlman. “She’s always ready to play, and it seems she always steps up her game, even in the playoffs. That’s no surprise that she got the record. I’m just glad she’s on our side, and that I (got) to coach her every day.”
Mallard Creek’s Karlyn Dixon is the All-Observer girls’ coach of the year. Dixon, who started at Mallard Creek in 2021, won her 100th career game earlier this season.
Dixon also led Mallard Creek to its first state championship in March, when the Mavericks — long one of the state’s top programs — beat Wilmington’s Hoggard High, 49-45, in Winston-Salem.
“This was the only thing we hadn’t done,” said Dixon, whose team finished 24-6. “You could tell this was special by how many alumni were here.”
— Providence sophomore Emma Fuller is the defensive player of the year and Gaston Day’s McKenna Brown is the freshman of the year.
Fuller, a 6-5 sophomore, averaged 13.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game.
Brown, a 5-10 wing, averaged 18 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals and a block per game for Gaston Day. She averaged 15.4 points as an eighth grader on varsity last season.
FIRST TEAM
Oshauna Holland, Stuart Cramer, 5-7, Sr., G: The Wake Forest recruit averaged 33.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.2 steals and 7.1 assists per game this season.
Janiya Boyd, Monroe, 5-6, Soph, G: Boyd averaged 30.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 4.2 steals. She was No. 10 nationally in scoring among 10th graders.
Lenise Joseph, North Mecklenburg, 6-0, Jr., P: N.C. 7A state champion averaged 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.7 blocks, 3.0 steals and 1.3 assists per game.
Kiara Anderson, Mallard Creek, 5-4, Sr., G: Anderson led Mallard Creek to its first N.C. state championship this season in the 8A class. She averaged 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds. 4.2 steals and 4.1 assists per game.
Sa’Ryah McCorkle, Hunter Huss, 6-1, Soph, F: McCorkle averaged 24.2 points, 18.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. McCorkle’s rebounds ranked No. 6 nationally among players in all classes.
SECOND TEAM
Jakaila Gaskin, Cannon School, 6-4, So., F/P
Jaleila Littlejohn, North Gaston, 5-8, Jr., G
Jade Bell, Rocky River, 5-9, Soph, G
Emma Montanari, East Lincoln, 5-9, Sr., G
Kelsey Rhyne, Lake Norman, 5-9, Sr., G
HONORABLE MENTION
Ma-Kaela Gidney, Hickory Ridge, 5-7, Sr., G
Ashanti Taylor, Porter Ridge, 5-10, Jr., G/F
Hannah Moss, Butler, 5-9, Sr., G
Za’Miya Bynum, Queen’s Grant, 5-9, Soph, G
Ally Smth, North Lincoln, 5-10, Jr., G
Rayana Minard, Lake Norman, 5-10, Sr, G/F
Kate Schindler, Marvin Ridge, 5-4, Sr., G
Amani Barner, Myers Park, 5-10, Jr, G
Autumn Washington, Ardrey Kell, 6-0, Sr., G/F
Justice Alexander, Concord Academy, 6-1, Soph, F
Ma-Kaela Gidney, Hickory Ridge, 5-7, Sr., G
Nykira Arrington, South Mecklenburg, 6-1, Sr., F/P
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Viviana Nigro, Lee Park Prep, 5-7, Sr., G
Emma Fuller, Providence, 6-5, Soph., C*
Chaya James, Olympic, height NA, Jr, F
Myajah Nix, Central Cabarrus, 5-9, Sr, W
Misa Garris, Queen’s Grant, 5-5, Sr., G
*Defensive player of the year
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
McKenna Brown, Gaston Day, 5-10, G*
Saniyah Moore, Bessemer City, height NA, G
Kylie Riggenbach, Lincoln Charter, 5-9, W
Kenzie Carpenter, East Gaston, 5-7, G
Lily Johnson, Highland Tech, 5-5, G
*Freshman of the year
All-Observer girls’ photoshoot
This story was originally published April 9, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
