MARY AMOATENG, ST. VINCENT PALLOTTI
A 5-foot-7 point guard, Amoateng earned All-Conference honors in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference last season as a freshman. She averaged 15 points, four rebounds and three steals for the A Conference semifinalists. Speedy and athletic, Amoateng can create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates and she can force turnovers for easy baskets.
MILAN BROWN, MERCY
Last season as a freshman point guard, Brown elevated Mercy to its best record in almost 50 years and its first IAAM basketball championship, the B2 Conference title. She could provide whatever the Magic needed, averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. She scored 26 points in the 67-34 title-game win over Concordia Prep and now leads the Magic into the A Conference.
DA’BRYA CLARK, POLY
A starter since her freshman year, Clark led the Engineers to the first state championship in program history last winter. She scored 20 points and had eight rebounds and five assists in the Class 3A state final, a 60-37 victory over previously undefeated Howard. The 5-7 senior guard, who is headed to Norfolk State, led a balanced Poly team in scoring with 10.3 points per game.
GABBY KENNERLY, HOWARD
The 5-10 shooting guard stood out on a balanced team last winter as the Lions reached the Class 3A state final. Kennerly, the reigning Howard County Player of the Year, is great off the dribble but also shot 38 percent from 3-point range. She led the Lions in scoring with 14.9 points per game and also averaged three assists and 2.3 steals. Kennerly has signed with Mount St. Mary’s.
PARIS LOCKE, MCDONOGH
Filling a void at point guard last season for the IAAM A Conference champions, Locke averaged 10.1 points, but in the title-game victory over St. Frances, she scored 24. This winter, the 5-10 senior will return to her preferred position as an off guard, enabling her to showcase all of her talents, including attacking the rim and rebounding. She has signed with North Carolina A&T.
ARYSS MACKTOON, ST. TIMOTHY’S
A 6-0 senior with a 36-inch vertical jump, Macktoon can play any position from point guard to shooting guard to small forward. One of the most athletic players in the area, she excels on defense and can score in many ways. She averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and two steals last season and had two quadruple doubles for the IAAM B1 Conference semifinalists. She has committed to LaSalle.
MAKAELA QUIMBY, MCDONOGH
A pure shooter with seemingly unlimited range, Quimby hit 66 3-pointers last winter for the IAAM A Conference champs, shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc — often way beyond the arc. The 5-9 senior guard averaged 10.1 points and 3.3 rebounds on a balanced team. She scored 10 points in the championship win over St. Frances. Quimby has signed to play at Wake Forest.
AMOURIE PORTER, GLEN BURNIE
Last winter’s Anne Arundel County Player of the Year, Porter drove the 22-1 county champions to their best season in almost 40 years. The 5-10 senior combo guard led the Gophers in almost every statistical category, including 19 points, 10 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.5 steals. Headed to Cal State Bakersfield, Porter averaged 29 points in the state playoffs, including 28 in the state Class 4A semifinal loss to eventual champ Western.
KENNEDY UMEH, MCDONOGH
The 6-4 junior post spent last summer helping the USA win the FIBA U17 World Cup in Hungary. Last winter, she averaged 10.2 points, seven rebounds and team-leading 2.5 steals on a balanced Eagles team that won the IAAM A Conference championship. Umeh should return to game action by the middle of December after recovering from an ankle injury. ESPN HoopGurlz rates her No. 27 nationally in the Class of 2024.
AMANI WATTS, OLD MILL
Nicknamed “Baby Shaq,” Watts has been a force in Anne Arundel County since her freshman year when she earned county Player of the Year honors. A strong rebounder and shot blocker, she’s a powerful post presence who plays much taller than her 5-feet-11. Last season, she averaged 21.7 points and 12 rebounds for the Patriots. The senior has not made a college commitment.
