In leading
Holliday (Texas) to a No. 1 ranking in the Small Town Top 25 and the school's first Texas state championship,
Jalynn Bristow has been selected as the MaxPreps Small Town America Player of the Year.
The Iowa State commit not only earned Class 3A tournament MVP honors, but was also crowned as Miss Basketball in Texas — regardless of division — by Dave Campbell's Basketball. She averaged nearly 26 points per 14 rebounds during Holliday's 34-3 season.
Among the players named, nearly a dozen were named the player of the year in their respective states. Four players — Haven Ford, McKinna Brackens, Jenna Lawrence and Jocelyn Medina — all make their second appearance.
Read on for a look at all 25 players who have been selected by MaxPreps
as the best high school basketball players in the nation who play in
small towns. MaxPreps defines small town schools as those with an
enrollment under 1,000 from towns with a population of less than 10,000
people.

Jalynn Bristow of Holliday is the Small Town America Player of the Year after leading the Eagles to the Texas 3A title. (Photo: Alex Garza)
Small Town All-America Team First Team
Haven Ford, Rowan County (Morehead, Ky.)
5-6 | Guard | Senior
Earned Miss Basketball honors in Kentucky after averaging 26.1 points,
12.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 5.2 steals as a senior while leading
Rowan County to a 24-8 record. She finished her career with 3,325 career
points and 1,458 rebounds, according to the Courier Journal. She landed
on the newspapers all-state first team three times and is headed to
Murray State.
Saniya Burks, Rice (Texas)
5-8 | Guard | Junior
Made the Texas Basketball Coaches Association's all-state team and was a
finalist for state player of the year by Dave Campbell's Basketball.
She led the nation in total points scored with 1,231 for an average of
33.3 points per game. She finished her junior season with 2,706 career
points.
Audi Crooks, Bishop Garrigan (Algona, Iowa)
6-3 | Center | Senior
Led the Golden Bears to back-to-back Class 1A state championships in
Iowa. As a senior, she set a state record with 889 points and a 32.1
point average. The Iowa State commit also averaged 13.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks, according
to the Des Moines Register which selected Crooks as the state player of
the year. In the state playoffs, Crooks averaged 39 points per game
including 42 points in the quarterfinals and 49 in the final. For her
career, she ranks No. 3 on the 5-on-5 scoring list with 2,733 points.
SMALL TOWN ALL-AMERICA PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jalynn Bristow, Holliday (Texas)
6-2 | Forward | Senior
Winner
of the Miss Basketball honor by Dave Campbell's Texas Basketball, the future Cyclone was the Class 3A state tournament MVP and earned a spot on the
Texas Basketball Coaches Association's all-state team. She led Holliday
to its first state championship and the Eagles also finished No. 1 in the Small Town Top 25. Bristow averaged 25.8 points,
13.6 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.
Zamareya Jones, North Pitt (Bethel, N.C.)
5-8 | Guard | Junior
A
five-star prospect according to Hoop Gurlz, Jones earned state player
of the year honors by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.
She averaged 28.9 points per game while leading North Pitt to the Class
2A semifinals. Jones also averaged 7.0 assists and 5.4 steals per game.
She has scored 1,794 points in her three-year varsity career.
Second Team
McKinna Brackens, Fairfield (Texas)
5-11 | Guard | SeniorLed the Eagles to a record of 141-11 over her four years on the
varsity. She is a two-time All-Super CenTex Player of the Year by the Waco Herald. She also made the Class 3A all-state team by
the Texas Basketball Coaches Association. She is a repeat selection on the Small Town All-America Team after averaging 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists and four steals per game.
Ace Austin, Spring Garden (Ala.)
5-6 | Guard | Sophomore
The
Alabama Sports Writers Association named Austin as the Class 1A state
player of the year and an All-Super State selection after she led the Panthers to a 36-1 record and a state championship. She averaged 20.2
points per game along with 6.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 4.7 steals. She
has 2,023 career points entering her junior year.
Jenna Muha, Shade (Cairnbrook, Pa.)
6-1 | Center | Senior
One of the leading scorers in the nation in 2022-23, averaging 31.6
points while also grabbing 16.5 rebounds, and blocking 2.7 shots per
game. She finished her career with 2,349 points and 1,435 rebounds. She
earned Somerset County MVP honors for the second straight year, as
selected by the Tribune-Democrat. She will play at Frostburg State next
year.
Jorda Crook, Ohatchee (Ala.)
5-9 | Forward | Senior
One of the top athletes in Alabama, excelling in basketball and
volleyball. She finished her career with 3,091 points and made the
Alabama Sports Writers Association's All-Super State team. She averaged
38.3 points and finished second on the state's all-time single season
list with 1,188 points during Ohatchee's 27-4 season. She also had 2,035
kills in her volleyball career. She will play at Alabama-Birmingham
next year.
Kensley Feltner, Lawrence County (Louisa, Ky.)
5-9 | Forward | Senior
One
of the all-time leading scorers in Kentucky, the Belmont commit finished her
career with 4,189 points and 1,542 rebounds and made the Courier
Journal's all-state first team. As a senior, she led the state in
scoring with 28.9 points per game while also grabbing 9.4 rebounds.
Third Team
Devin Coppinger, Nooksack Valley (Everson, Wash.)
5-11 | Guard | Junior
The
state tournament Class 1A most valuable player after leading the Pioneers to a 28-1 record and its first state championship. Coppinger was
named the top player in Whatcom County by Whatcom Hoops. She averaged
22.1 points per game with 3.5 assists, 6 rebounds and 3.3 steals.
Addy Burns, New Home (Texas)
5-9 | Guard | Junior
A
candidate for Miss Basketball by Dave Campbell's Texas Basketball,
Burns averaged 26 points per game and was named to the Class 2A
all-state team by the Texas Basketball Coaches Association. She led the Leopards to the class 2A regional semifinals and was the District 5AA MVP.
Faith Acker, Winnsboro (Texas)
6-2 | Center | Senior
Led the Raiders to the state tournament and a 31-9 record in Class 3A.
She was a Miss Basketball candidate by Dave Campbell's Texas
Basketball and she also landed on the Class 3A all-state team by the
Texas Basketball Coaches Association. She finished her career with over
2,500 career points.
Amiah Hargrove, Christopher (Ill.)
6-2 | Forward | Junior
The unanimous Associated Press all-state Class 1A player of the
year in Illinois. She averaged 25.2 points per game this year after
averaging 25.0 points last year as a sophomore. She has 1,408 points
heading into her senior year.
Talexa Weeter, Goodland (Kan.)
6-0 | Forward | Senior
Led the Cowboys to a 26-0 record and back-to-back Class 3A state
championship in Kansas. She was the Class 3A state player of the year by
the Wichita Eagle and the state coaches association. She was also a
member of the Top 5 all-state team by the coaches association. She
averaged 23.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.9 steals as a senior. She had
1,639 points in her career and also earned all-state honors in
volleyball.
Fourth Team
Jocelyn Medina, Pierce (Arbuckle, Calif.)
5-6 | Guard | Senior
Averaged 32.3 points in her career while scoring 3,131 points in four
seasons. She averaged 32.5 points as a senior while leading Pierce to a
27-4 record. She earned Northern Section MVP honors and had four career
games over 50 points with a high of 61 as a junior.
Taryn Sides, Phillipsburg (Kan.)
5-6 | Guard | Senior
Named
the Class 3A co-player of the year, along with Talexa Weeter, by the
state coaches association, Sides also made the Top 5 all-state team. She
led the state of Kansas in scoring at 27.8 points per game. She also
finished her career with 2,166 points. She led the Panthers to a 25-1
record and a third-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament. She is
a three-time Class 3A all-state selection.
Landry Allen, Tuttle (Okla.)
6-3 | Center | Senior
Headed
to the University of Oklahoma, Allen made the Oklahoma City Oklahoman's
all-state first team. She led the Tigers to a 27-3 record while averaging
17.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game.
Jenna Lawrence, Farmington (Ark.)
6-3 | Forward | Senior
Earned all-state honors the past two seasons and was named the
Northwest Arkansas Player of the Year after leading the Cardinals to a 36-1
record and a Class 4A state championship. The Arkansas commit averaged
18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots as a senior.
Corri Vermilya, Loudonville (Ohio)
5-9 | Forward | Junior
The
Division III state player of the year in Ohio by the Ohio Prep
Sportswriters Association, Vermilya averaged 29.5 points per game with a
high of 59. In addition, she averaged 12.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and
6.5 steals.
Fifth Team
Alayna Kraus, Okawville (Ill.)
5-8 | Guard | Junior
Named
all-state by the Associated Press and the Illinois Basketball Coaches
Association, Kraus also made the St. Louis Post Dispatch All-Metro Team.
She led the Rockets to a Class 1A state championship and averaged 19.2
points per game.
Sydney Baird, Webster County (Upper Glade, W. Va.)
5-7 | Guard | Senior
The
Class 1A state player of the year in West Virginia, Baird averaged 31.1
points per game, 6.5 assists, 4.7 steals and 9.3 rebounds. She led the
Rebels to the Class 1A semifinals and finished her career with 2,510
points.
Natalie Fox, Millbrook (N.Y.)
6-3 | Center | Junior
All-state
first team as a sophomore, Fox led the Blazers to a second straight Class
C state championship this year. She was the Section 9 Class C player of
the year. She averaged 21 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks for the
season.
Blair Baugus, Wayne County (Waynesboro, Tenn.)
The 10th grader won Miss Basketball honors in Tennessee Class 1A by
a committee of state sportswriters. She averaged 18.9 points and 9.2
rebounds per game. She led the Wildcats to a 36-1 record.
Saniyah Cook, Booneville (Miss.)
6-1 | Forward | Junior
Led the Blue Devils to the Class 3A state championship and a 30-3 record.
The Class 3A Miss Basketball by the Mississippi Association of Coaches
averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks per game.