The 2023-24 Iowa High School Girls Basketball Season was another successful one for the KQ-Radio area, highlighted by outstanding individual performances and memorable team-performances.

Awards

Player of the Year: Matilde Motta, Jr. (Roland-Story)

Stats – 13.8 PPG, 4 RPG, 2 APG, 3.8 SPG, 49.6% FG, 36.8% 3PT, 67.9% FT

Motta joined Roland-Story for the 2023-24 season as a foreign exchange student from Italy and was the key cog in leading the Norsemen to the brink of the state tournament. Motta’s 2-way impact took the Norsemen to a different level and put them amongst Iowa’s elite in Class 3A.

Defensive Player of the Year: Elliot Ennis, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

Stats – 11.0 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 47.8% FG, 41.8% FT

Ennis takes home Defensive Player of the Year honors for the 2nd season in a row, providing a dominant paint presence for the Cowgirls on the defensive end of the floor, averaging a double-double and continuously sending back shot attempts in the paint.

6th Player of the Year: Riley Johnson, Fr. (Roland-Story)

Stats – 5.8 PPG, 3 RPG, 2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 42.4% FG, 28.3% 3PT, 67.9% FT

It was Alyssa Jones that took home 6POTY honors last year for the Norsemen, this year it was talented freshman Riley Johnson. Johnson provided a spark on both ends of the floor, especially in the defensive end, continuously forcing turnovers and creating fastbreak opportunities.

Coach of the Year: Maddie Gelber (Roland-Story)

Accomplishments – 22-2 record, Heart of Iowa Conference Champions, Class 3A Regional Finalist

After a .500 season in 2022-23, Maddie Gelber and Roland-Story put together one of the most dominant season’s in school history with a 22-2 record, and a point differential of +28.7, the 2nd-highest margin in Class 3A behind Mediapolis.

First-Team

Guard – Makena Galetich, Sr. (South Hamilton)

13.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, 4.2 SPG, 36.1% FG, 27.3% 3PT, 60.5% FT

Guard – Matilde Motta, Jr. (Roland-Story)

See Player of the Year

Guard – Sawyer Morrical, Sr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

10.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.3 SPG, 27.4% FG, 23.6% 3PT, 67.2% FT

Forward – Ashlyn Erickson, Sr. (South Hamilton)

15.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 47.3% FG, 25% 3PT, 85.4% FT

Forward – Elliot Ennis, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

See Defensive Player of the Year

Makena Galetich gets the nod for first-team all-area despite missing the 2nd half of the season with a knee injury, Motta and Ennis’s cases for 1st-team was made in their individual awards.

Sawyer Morrical was the straw that stirred the drink for the CGD offense, and showcased her expanded game outside of her 3-point shooting. Ashlyn Erickson stepped up as a leader on the floor for South Hamilton in the absence of Makena Galetich in the 2nd half of the season.

Second-Team

Guard – Olivia Gallentine, Jr. (Webster City)

10.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 38.5% FG, 20% 3PT, 63.3% FT

Guard – Tanna Thompson, Sr. (South Hamilton)

10.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 28.5% FG, 25.7% 3PT, 64.2% FT

Guard – Indy Johnson, Jr. (Clarion-Goldfield-Dows)

10.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.3 SPG, 28.3% FG, 30.1% 3PT, 75% FT

Forward – Claire Truesdell, Jr. (Roland-Story)

9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 34.6% FG, 28.1% 3PT, 80% FT

Forward – Nadia Kaiser, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

9.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 23.1% FG, 20.7% 3PT, 42.3% FT

A strong guard core headlines the 2nd team, as Webster City’s Olivia Gallentine put together a much-improved junior season as the Lynx PG. Tanna Thompson and Indy Johnson were considerable outside threats for South Hamilton and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, respectively.

Claire Truesdell’s numbers were down compared to here sophomore campaign, due to the Norsemen having more offensive options, but Truesdell still managed to finish 2nd on the team in scoring. Nadia Kaiser was a bright spot for Eagle Grove in a turbulent season.

Honorable Mentions

Riley Johnson, Fr. (Roland-Story)

Alyssa Jones, Jr. (Roland-Story)

Chloe Steil, Sr. (Eagle Grove)

Marissa Hedeen, Jr. (Webster City)

Kam Lande, Jr. (Roland-Story)